A Day (or Night!) in the Life at Ryan Hospital
It’s 6:45 PM, and you’re heading into Ryan Hospital, ready for another shift with our Emergency & Critical Care team. The night is quiet—for now—but you know that in a Level One Trauma Facility, that can change in an instant.
First stop: room checks. You make sure each area is organized, clean, and fully stocked so the team can work efficiently. Heparinized saline syringes? Ready for 24 hours. IV catheter kits? Prepped. Oxygen setups? Standing by.
The nurse on duty gives you your first priorities: help walk a stable patient, run a blood sample, and get the recovery area ready for a post-op bite wound patient.
A call comes in: an emergency patient is en route. The team springs into action. You set up for IV catheter placement, gather fluids, and ensure the crash cart is ready. During the arrest situation, you stay calm, stand back, and await direction—ready to assist with anything from handing over supplies to updating patient charts.
Between emergencies, you help with hands-on patient care under direct supervision:
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Performing TPRs and BP checks
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Assisting with recoveries from anesthesia
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Monitoring blood transfusions
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Walking stable patients in designated areas
You also handle supportive duties that keep the hospital running smoothly—pharmacy and lab runs, restocking, and organizing the dog and cat treatment rooms.
The night moves quickly. You’ve helped stabilize patients, assisted in recoveries, and made sure every patient was comfortable and cared for. As you hand off to the morning crew, you leave knowing your work made a difference for your coworkers and patients.