I haven't checked my blog in a while which is a shame because it's how I keep up with the blogs my friends post. So what a treat to catch up on two months of missed things. (Thanks Alicia for making me tear up with your one year post). We are back and I am fully sunk in to my job. I think my mantra this year will be to breath in, breath out.
I have to remind myself many many times that I told everyone that I knew I wouldn't be able to change anything here unless people wanted change. That I would be happy if I taught one nurse how to do one thing. I tell myself that at least once a day.
It's a world of frustration, joy, and harder than anything career-wise that I've done so far. The staff here is very up to date. They have things in the ER that we just got recently in the States. They have wonderful ECG capabilities, monitors etc. They don't have Tylenol some days. 80 percent of the patients are Traumatic Brain Injuries. Most of them are not ER patients because they have been sitting in a district hospital for days before they decide to come here. All this I understand. How I'm supposed to help is beyond me. I have big shoes to fill. My previous predecessors really changed the ER. I feel like they have all they need, they just lack motivation. I'm sure I'll come up with something.
What I like
- Some of the nurses are really eager to learn and ask questions
- The care the family gives to the patients is mind boggling. Families help each other out financially. They change catheter bags, suction
- My colleagues are very nice. One is German and that makes me happy
- I have a lot of say in how I schedule myself. Because I'm uncomfortable with that it's taking some getting used to.
- All patients are critical- there is no "minor" injury
What is hard
- the concept of time or urgency. If the patient isn't breathing there is no urgency to help them
- I have no direction
- I feel overwhelmed most of the time
- sitting in a room for multiple hours with everyone speaking a language you don't understand and no one making an effort to explain
- the working hours. I'm working 50 hours a week right now. I'm going to have to change this
- I don't see Kimi or the kids very much
- patients can't get care if they don't have money. They have to pay for all services up front
- the feeling that I'm not really needed
I'm curious to see how this list will change as the year progresses because I know it will. I'm so impressed by many of the nurses and their level of knowledge. I walked in yesterday to see a nurse giving a lecture to the students on Resuscitation. The program is working, I just need to find my place in it. I tried uploading pics, but it's not working. So...next time
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