Work is getting into a routine of sorts, though that isn't to say I know how to do some of the finer things as yet. Patient history - check. Vitals - check. Injections - check. ID testing -check. Blood draws - inc. Billing - inc. Epinephrine injections - check. Solu-medrol - ? Blood workups - ? etc etc. Actually, routine probably isn't wholly accurate representation of my days as it conveys some semblance of repetition, which there are aspects of, but two patients are never alike, so no day is exactly the same as the one preceding it. I have seen now a few anaphylactic reactions to food challenges. I have seen an irate customer raging about how the front desk staff was treating him. I have seen patients whose pathos lies largely between their ears and not in any tangible sense. I have seen others who have horrid symptoms and the most positive outlook imaginable. It is the kind of care I like though: patient in/patient out.
A typical day begins with my arrival followed shortly thereafter by setting up the ID testing syringes, and then starting to take patients back. At some point, lunch happens (though it is often truncated, which at least isn't time deducted), and then a steady stream of patients continue to filter through until, miraculously, there aren't anymore. Then it is time to go through all the charts and fill out billing sheets and the like, tidy up, and finally head home. Lately, most days have run in the 10+ hour range, but only three of those such days exist in a given week. The other 2 days are typically around 5 hours apiece (though one begins at 6:45am, which is tantamount to waterboarding as far as I am concerned).
I will leave you with two blogs that I think are hilarious. Take a peek. Great time wasters:
http://lovelylisting.blogspot.com/
http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
90 days and 100 degrees
I did not know it was possible to be this hot in Portland. I have seen the temperature edge past the 100 degree mark on occasion here, but not for days at a time. The weather online suggested it got up to 107. I might as well move to Phoenix!
I agree wholeheartedly with the concept behind the phrase, "fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." The idea being that we are at fault if we don't learn from our initial missteps (or other people's chicanery as the case may be). I wish I would not continually find myself going through the first go round of being fooled however. I found out today at HR (I have been working for the past week) that my benefits don't start for 90 days from hire. All of them. I had never encountered that before, so I had not even considered positing that question at interview or since, especially since it was not brought up by the other staff members or the doctor. Working in the medical field it seems rather ludicrous. I don't think the intent was malicious, but rather an oversight. When I mentioned it to Tia, she seemed to find this a fairly ordinary circumstance of employment. So, now we have to pay a fairly considerable monthly sum to add me back to Tia's insurance lest my gall bladder be non-covered with my new insurance as a pre-existing condition. I have to admit it right now, being a grown-up can be a REAL bummer. I realize how little concept I have of things like health care, 401K, and all the other things to do with employment and being a grown up except for pay rate and time off. Maybe I need to just move to a country with socialized medicine and a social safety net and call it done. Clearly the capitalist system is beyond my grasp at the moment and disappoints me at every turn.
Other than the considerably disappointing news regarding my health care, the job itself is going swimmingly. I thoroughly enjoy the patient interaction, the spectrum of care, and the other members of the staff as well as my supervisor. The hours are, for the most part, quite agreeable as well (though Friday morning's early start time is an adjustment that I have not been able to make as yet). I still haven't completed all facets of training, but I have now done a few blood draws, a number of ID (intra-dermal) tests, which are very much like TB tests in that you are injecting a fluid (in this case an allergen) under the surface of the skin. Only, instead of a single wheal, each patient may get as many as thirty such injections at a time. Needless to say, it takes awhile. I have also done a few of the allergy injections and a lot of the general patient information, pulmonary function testing, and assorted other tasks. There is still a lot to learn, but at least I feel like I am making progress instead of feeling constantly befuddled.
I am o ff to sit directly in front of the fan. You stay classy blogosphere.
I agree wholeheartedly with the concept behind the phrase, "fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." The idea being that we are at fault if we don't learn from our initial missteps (or other people's chicanery as the case may be). I wish I would not continually find myself going through the first go round of being fooled however. I found out today at HR (I have been working for the past week) that my benefits don't start for 90 days from hire. All of them. I had never encountered that before, so I had not even considered positing that question at interview or since, especially since it was not brought up by the other staff members or the doctor. Working in the medical field it seems rather ludicrous. I don't think the intent was malicious, but rather an oversight. When I mentioned it to Tia, she seemed to find this a fairly ordinary circumstance of employment. So, now we have to pay a fairly considerable monthly sum to add me back to Tia's insurance lest my gall bladder be non-covered with my new insurance as a pre-existing condition. I have to admit it right now, being a grown-up can be a REAL bummer. I realize how little concept I have of things like health care, 401K, and all the other things to do with employment and being a grown up except for pay rate and time off. Maybe I need to just move to a country with socialized medicine and a social safety net and call it done. Clearly the capitalist system is beyond my grasp at the moment and disappoints me at every turn.
Other than the considerably disappointing news regarding my health care, the job itself is going swimmingly. I thoroughly enjoy the patient interaction, the spectrum of care, and the other members of the staff as well as my supervisor. The hours are, for the most part, quite agreeable as well (though Friday morning's early start time is an adjustment that I have not been able to make as yet). I still haven't completed all facets of training, but I have now done a few blood draws, a number of ID (intra-dermal) tests, which are very much like TB tests in that you are injecting a fluid (in this case an allergen) under the surface of the skin. Only, instead of a single wheal, each patient may get as many as thirty such injections at a time. Needless to say, it takes awhile. I have also done a few of the allergy injections and a lot of the general patient information, pulmonary function testing, and assorted other tasks. There is still a lot to learn, but at least I feel like I am making progress instead of feeling constantly befuddled.
I am o ff to sit directly in front of the fan. You stay classy blogosphere.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
A creative way to deal with pubic lice
I have been meaning to sit down and actually write about my new job and the experiences I have had thus far there.......but that time isn't tonite. I hope maybe tomorrow. In the meantime, a short story to amuse:
Evidently one of the phone nurses were called (some months ago) about a patient who had contracted pubic lice 'crabs'. What happened next takes an astounding mind to come to grips with: he sprayed his genitals with a can of RAID bug spray! I can only guess what the thought processes were behind the act: "This stuff kills bugs, I have bugs living in my pubic hair................hmmmm, I have an idea that is cheap and readily available! What could possible go wrong?" Needless to say, this did not end particularly well. Lets hope that one with so keen an intellect as he has no future opportunities to spread his lice (or his DNA) around...........I think one of this person in the world is enough :)
Evidently one of the phone nurses were called (some months ago) about a patient who had contracted pubic lice 'crabs'. What happened next takes an astounding mind to come to grips with: he sprayed his genitals with a can of RAID bug spray! I can only guess what the thought processes were behind the act: "This stuff kills bugs, I have bugs living in my pubic hair................hmmmm, I have an idea that is cheap and readily available! What could possible go wrong?" Needless to say, this did not end particularly well. Lets hope that one with so keen an intellect as he has no future opportunities to spread his lice (or his DNA) around...........I think one of this person in the world is enough :)
Sunday, August 10, 2008
No ass work
I was reading a book that summed out very succinctly my primary problem with my profession: 'ass work.' Ass work encompasses all manner of fecal matter centered job duties. Ass work, the author posited, was the reason she did not pursue a health care career. Ass work, for me it seems, is the reason I have such troubles finding suitable employ. In my mind, I went to too much school and paid too much money for my education to be doing ass work on a regular basis. It is such a conundrum when seeking hospital employ that I would probably be best served to headline my resume with 22pt boldfaced font: Not interested in any ass work! in order to circumvent any problems should I wish to return to a hospital. If that statement should be at all unclear, I should also sum up any interview with: "So, the pay and benefits sound good, and the hours are acceptable but, I have to know, is any ass work involved?" What I enjoy thus far about my new position beyond the fact that it seems to actually be a job that falls within my range of interests is that the possibility of any ass work is as remote as the possibility of me working overnights on Christmas eve. Very exciting news indeed!
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Funyuns vs. Responsibilityuns
Well, I got the job at the Asthma and Allergy clinic. For some reason I tend to interview well. I just don't tend to get overly nervous I guess. Who knows? If I had a secret that I could sell, believe me I would. I just tend to get the jobs if I can get some face time.
The job itself could not be a better fit to my interests (or maladies for that matter). Hard to say if it will ultimately work out in the long run (the only way to find out is to start really), but I had a chance to talk with the nurses without the doctor around and they were raving about her. They both had experience working at hospitals before and did not enjoy it (one in a PICU, the other in a general med/surg) and have found contentment at the clinic working for this particular doctor. They spoke very highly of the learning opportunities there as well and seemed thrilled to have me on board. Then I spoke with the doctor and she was very pleasant as well. She has an impressive resume and seems genuine in her desire to train up her staff to act as not just nurses, but practitioners. Evidently she is quite specialized and has people who fly in from all over the country to seek her care. As a bonus, I was promised no diaper changes or colostomy bags and free allergy shots to boot! Oh yeah, and holidays off.
Tia is pretty upset with me about the move. She feels like she wasn't consulted and that I just did what I wanted to do without thinking about the ramifications. I understand and cannot legitimately argue the point, but it just kind of who I am. I tend to be ruled more by emotion than practicality. It is why I would be the one most likely to drop everything to go to nursing school and she would be the one to make sure I saw the idea through. We usually balance each other out well. However, in this situation, I wish she had the confidence in me to find my way and not leave her holding the financial bag so to speak and she no doubt wishes I would be less capricious and not cause us undo financial stress by finding alternative employment prior to letting go of my current job. Ultimately, I know I am being selfish by thinking about my happiness and putting that as primary above all else. I need to think more in terms of 'us' now that I am married. It is just a hard transition to make. She is more practical and is being selfish in her own right by thinking about the money that I will be losing by not working at a hospital rather than my general discontent. Hopefully it ends up being one of those painful learning opportunities that will be to both our benefit.
The whole thing, for some absurd reason, makes me think of an Onion article about snack foods. Feel free to read up as well: http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28574
I have to deal with my decision tomorrow with WF. I dread it of course, but I need to do what I need to do.
Start Thursday at the clinic. Posts to follow shortly.
The job itself could not be a better fit to my interests (or maladies for that matter). Hard to say if it will ultimately work out in the long run (the only way to find out is to start really), but I had a chance to talk with the nurses without the doctor around and they were raving about her. They both had experience working at hospitals before and did not enjoy it (one in a PICU, the other in a general med/surg) and have found contentment at the clinic working for this particular doctor. They spoke very highly of the learning opportunities there as well and seemed thrilled to have me on board. Then I spoke with the doctor and she was very pleasant as well. She has an impressive resume and seems genuine in her desire to train up her staff to act as not just nurses, but practitioners. Evidently she is quite specialized and has people who fly in from all over the country to seek her care. As a bonus, I was promised no diaper changes or colostomy bags and free allergy shots to boot! Oh yeah, and holidays off.
Tia is pretty upset with me about the move. She feels like she wasn't consulted and that I just did what I wanted to do without thinking about the ramifications. I understand and cannot legitimately argue the point, but it just kind of who I am. I tend to be ruled more by emotion than practicality. It is why I would be the one most likely to drop everything to go to nursing school and she would be the one to make sure I saw the idea through. We usually balance each other out well. However, in this situation, I wish she had the confidence in me to find my way and not leave her holding the financial bag so to speak and she no doubt wishes I would be less capricious and not cause us undo financial stress by finding alternative employment prior to letting go of my current job. Ultimately, I know I am being selfish by thinking about my happiness and putting that as primary above all else. I need to think more in terms of 'us' now that I am married. It is just a hard transition to make. She is more practical and is being selfish in her own right by thinking about the money that I will be losing by not working at a hospital rather than my general discontent. Hopefully it ends up being one of those painful learning opportunities that will be to both our benefit.
The whole thing, for some absurd reason, makes me think of an Onion article about snack foods. Feel free to read up as well: http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28574
I have to deal with my decision tomorrow with WF. I dread it of course, but I need to do what I need to do.
Start Thursday at the clinic. Posts to follow shortly.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Tossing cookies (those with delicate sensibilities are forewarned)
Well, today was the day. I knew it would happen sooner or later and it finally did........I lost my lunch (both figuratively and, later, literally). I was assigned with a patient with a colostomy bag and I had to empty it. The process of emptying the colostomy bag was not unlike the process of emptying the toothpaste from the tube except replace toothpaste with, well you get the general idea. Suffice to say, for me and my own sensitive stomach regarding all things fecal (just typing this is exercising my gag reflex and sending cool shivers down my spine), it was a quick trip to the bathroom as soon as I was finished.
It wasn't for another hour plus that I went to lunch, still queasy from my experience. I thought that putting something in my stomach might prove advantageous and settle the gastrointestinal tumult. Alas, thinking has never been a strong suit. I quickly found myself praying to the porcelain gods yet again. I spent the next 15 minutes outside under a tree wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into.
What does all this mean? Hard to say. I know there are many many aspects to nursing that I truly love and feel very competent in. I am good with patients, alaris pumps, and medication calculations. I work well with walkie-talkies. I am far less comfortable with ADL care (inclusive of the aforementioned poo) for the bedridden and incontinent which, unfortunately, encompasses a fair amount of the work done at this particular hospital. They never have enough CNAs (and sometimes none at all) and so the tasks normally assigned them (see ADL care above) are within the common purview of the nurses. It is unfortunate and unpleasant. I would not mind (well, I would mind some, but not nearly enough to justify a change in position) if the instances of ADL care were occasional rather than routine......but I wouldn't be concerned enough to write about it were that the case.
I am actively seeking other employment and just as vigorously debating whether or not to continue my employment with WF into tomorrow, let alone until I find something else. I know that my patient, and her colostomy, await. My stomach is churning just thinking about it.
It wasn't for another hour plus that I went to lunch, still queasy from my experience. I thought that putting something in my stomach might prove advantageous and settle the gastrointestinal tumult. Alas, thinking has never been a strong suit. I quickly found myself praying to the porcelain gods yet again. I spent the next 15 minutes outside under a tree wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into.
What does all this mean? Hard to say. I know there are many many aspects to nursing that I truly love and feel very competent in. I am good with patients, alaris pumps, and medication calculations. I work well with walkie-talkies. I am far less comfortable with ADL care (inclusive of the aforementioned poo) for the bedridden and incontinent which, unfortunately, encompasses a fair amount of the work done at this particular hospital. They never have enough CNAs (and sometimes none at all) and so the tasks normally assigned them (see ADL care above) are within the common purview of the nurses. It is unfortunate and unpleasant. I would not mind (well, I would mind some, but not nearly enough to justify a change in position) if the instances of ADL care were occasional rather than routine......but I wouldn't be concerned enough to write about it were that the case.
I am actively seeking other employment and just as vigorously debating whether or not to continue my employment with WF into tomorrow, let alone until I find something else. I know that my patient, and her colostomy, await. My stomach is churning just thinking about it.
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