There's no doubt about it: OR nursing can be a pretty sweet gig, even when that "sweet" is bittersweet. Recently I've been thinking about children going trick-or-treating, how the candy they bring home can remind me of a day on the job any time of year - and not just because of between-case "lunches" from the vending machine. Happy Halloween and remember to brush your teeth.

• Whoppers. Those call-in-sick excuses at 0600.
• 3 Musketeers. The scrub tech, the circulator and the CRNA.
• Pop Rocks. OR music. Rock out and dance like no one's looking.
• Ice Breakers. A must for any traveling nurse starting a new assignment. (There's a lot of ice to break at some hospitals.)
• Runts. Scrub techs, when assigned to tall surgeons. (It's inevitable.)

• Mounds. The clutter left behind after a scope to open a shoulder.
• Marathon. Turning over rooms between short cases all day.
• Cry Baby Extra Sour. Surgeons that don't get the schedule time they wanted.
• Goobers. That stuff we're always cleaning out of patients' bellybuttons.
• Nestle Crunch. Orthopedics sounds.
• Wax Lips. You know, they're cheaper than collagen.
• Whatchamacallit. Sometimes the words escape you.
• Starburst. What you see when that damn OR light hits you in the head again.
• Red Hots. Dr. Hellion after you've ignited his temper.
• Butterfinger. ...like when you drop that instrument he's been using off and on for the past hour.
• Dum-Dums. On a rough day, how they'll try to make you feel.
• Orbit. Where you'd like to send that smart-mouthed co-worker.
• Blow Pop. Some people always brag about what they know, so it's fun to see them deflated.
• Take 5. Any time you can get it.
• Now and Later. Is the surgeon here now? Will the surgeon show up later? Either way, it's still your case when you're on call.
• Zero. The number of variances you want to see your name on.
• SweeTarts. Those new, young nurses using their looks to charm the demon surgeons.
• Hubba Bubba. The new, young surgeon all those SweeTarts are conniving to work with.
• Sugar Daddy. What a SweeTart thinks about while dating a surgeon.
• Nerds. What a large percentage of MDs were in high school.
• Payday. Something that doesn't come around soon enough.
• Good & Plenty. Well, it's certainly not your paycheck.
• 100 Grand. I'm pretty sure that's not it, either.
• Peeps. Co-workers you can't get through the day without.
• Snickers. They help you survive a trying day, once the surgeon's back is turned.
• Carefree. How you're feeling on Friday at 1500 without call.
• All-day Sucker. Anyone you persuade into taking call or staying late for you.
• Rocky Road. Your life as an OR nurse.
• Life Savers. It's who we are.
• Almond Joy. My daughter, Mindy, for her assistance with this month's column. She's a joy to work with and totally gets OR humor.