It was a busy evening and really all of us wanted to be off to celebrate the incoming year.

As usual it was one of those evenings from you know where. Code blues, some patients at death's door and some becoming more critical. We were working half staff that night.

Things begin to calm down around 11pm. Because it was a holiday evening, we were lax with the visiting times and let one to two members stay with the patient longer than allowed. We told them that normally we would not allow this and that the head nurse would be off the next day. They were all appreciative and mum's the word. As we charted and were closing out charts and med counts for the shift, some of the visitors talked of past NYE celebrations. We said we would have loved to celebrate too but this was our year to work.

About a minute to Midnight, one of the visitors came up to our desk with a huge sack. Inside was chips and dips and non-alcoholic champange and sodas, paper cups and all. Another visitor raided the ice machine for the cups.

Now that was the best of NYE celebrations ever and it was given to us out of love and appreciation.

For another nurse'e recollection of a great event at years end click here.