Friday, May 4, 2018

Student and Phones...No Bueno

I think I've mentioned it previously, I love having students with me while at work. I like to teach them things. They'll learn at least one new thing when they are with me. I really love when the student is as geeky as I am. That's a bonus. For those students who do not have their 'geek on', I try to get them involved as much as possible...maybe they're shy, unsure, not confident.....you get the idea.

We normally get two high school students when it's clinical component time for their class. The students will spend some time in pre-op, usually observe a surgery, and/or go to PACU.
The one student asked questions and was present in pre-op waiting for his chance to go back to the ever mysterious and interesting world of the operating room. He was chosen for the next surgery. The other student was MIA. She would duck into the hallway and look at her phone for long periods of time. As silently as she left, she would reappear and stand in a corner for a few minutes, then disappear again. The other student returned from the OR and was present in pre-op to be chosen to witness another surgery. The girl disappeared entirely. The pre-op nurse said she was not going to let her back because she expressed no interest in doing anything.
I had come in early to help out as much as I could before leaving 30 minutes prior to a faculty meeting I had on the other side of town. Of course getting out later than anticipated, I ran into the OR locker room to go to the restroom (the only one for employees), get my stuff, and jet off to the meeting. The bathroom door was open, but the student was in there. It appeared that she was looking in the mirror, I thought perhaps getting something out of her eye. So I stood in the locker room and waited.
After almost 5 minutes, I was getting pissed. I walked in the bathroom and asked her if she was done. She was playing on her phone. I seriously hate kids being on their phones all the time. ALL OF THE TIME!

"Hey, are you done in here? This is the only employee bathroom for surgeons and nurses. If you're going to play on your phone, then go somewhere else. Better yet, you should go back to pre-op and do your clinical."
She ran out of the bathroom cowering - literally- saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Holy crap, I wasn't going to hit her or anything although she acted like it.  (?????)
I do, at times, have an intimidating tone and face - so I've been told...many times. I still don't have complete control over it, so perhaps my 'mommy tone' popped out and took over. Who knows?
She exited the bathroom and then she sat down in the locker room.....still on her phone.
Seriously? SERIOUSLY?!!
In the distant future if you have a physician or nurse or some sort of healthcare personnel who will not put down her phone, it's probably her. Or if you're paying at a drive through fast food joint - same thing.


Monday, April 16, 2018

Updates and What Not...

I haven't been on here in a really, really long time.
To make a long story somewhat short, I did move an hour and half (give or take) from my last house. I like my new neighborhood and town. I live closer to the city, but miss the smaller town where I lived.
I finally did quit my hospital ER earlier this year. I worked there 10 years. Ten whole years! The hospital managed to replace all of the doctors that had worked there for a really long time. All the nurses, except myself and another one, had been replaced. Now she is the last remaining one who remembers when the times were good (or somewhat good, okay...usually bad, but fun).
My 'foo foo' freestanding ER job is gone too. The manager was replaced with a new one from corporate. When I say new, I mean she was a paramedic who 3 months prior to taking the position, got her RN. No experience, the ink still drying on her license. She cut my hours down to 2 shifts a week, then asked me to train a new nurse she had hired. Afterward, I was told my shifts were cut to one a week, and then the manager took my one shift away stating that she had to work it. I was still on the schedule for all upcoming holidays only. I worked Thanksgiving, then gave notice 2 weeks prior to my Christmas shift. I had spoken to her prior to all of this shift downsizing and she lied to my face. C'est la vie!
I am no longer in any ER at the moment. I guess I'm taking an ER vacation. For lack of a better description, it's like being in an abusive relationship. I feel unappreciated and stressed out while being in the ER, but feel nostalgic and miss it when it's gone. There's no happy medium, not ever.

I'm currently working in an ambulatory surgery center as a PACU nurse in order to try something different. I've been there 2 years now. Everyone is super nice....and I mean everyone - nurses, doctors, patients....it feels unnatural to me and I'm in awe of the friendliness. It's weird.
I was also recently hired as an adjunct professor at a local community college. No, I'm not teaching nursing, they didn't have openings for nursing. I'm teaching EMS (EMT Basics and Paramedics). So far, I like it and enjoy the students.
I'm not stressed from work anymore and have felt at peace. I think that was a good way to start 2018.