Big Ideas
Little Money
One Week Down
0Okay. The tech they hired the week of Thanksgiving is independent and working on her own. Where did they get this dynamo? I look at how she is doing and cannot possibly see myself being that independent within 6 weeks, no freaking way. One of the per diem techs, T, (I went to school with her), has been there for some time. She hired on full time, but when a daytime position opened up, she wanted the job, they bypassed her and went to hire a new person and instead of sticking around full time and at night, she decided to go per diem (as she was rightfully upset) and felt she could not take a full time job there having been screwed around so badly from the get-go. Well, at any rate, T told me that R is an exception to the rule and that it will be months (possibly 2-3), before I will be ready to tackle the nights on my own and not to worry about it. I certainly hope so. I am also going to have to learn to scan from the head of the bed which is how I learned at the hospital where I trained while in school. But at the clinic I worked at last year, I had to learn to scan facing the patient, I will now have to revert back to doing the scan the way I learned, which is another bump in the road for me. Crikey!
I am also very slow on their machines. I have to get used to the buttons and where they are located and if they are soft keys, etc.
We had our second largest snowfall last Thursday night, so two techs called in Friday. This left us short-handed, so there was no training for me really. Instead I did two Doppler tests, which at least gave me something to do. Segmentals are a bitch and trying to get waveforms (which has always proved to be a little difficult), can be trying. I really do wish that the surgeons in our group would agree that if the ABI is normal, then segmentals do not need to be done. Either way, it’s good practice.
Then we move on to the computer system. It is overwhelming too. There is so much to learn and so many different scenarios. I pray they don’t think I”m an idiot.
Overwhelmed!
01 month ago
by Big Brain
in Uncategorized
Okay. There is so much to learn. At the last place I worked, I was scanning the second day. Here, the machines are so involved, and there are so many presets, that I feel lost. One tech yesterday told me that instead of trying to “get it all” at once, simply start by taking a patient and scanning, no matter how long. Or, do one side and have a seasoned tech. do the other to speed things up for the patient and give guidance when necessary. So, my plan today is to get my hand on things and get started. I also would like to make copies of the protocols and make notes for when I go in to scan.
Right now I am 8:30-5, and will drift later and later until they feel completely comfortable with me working nights alone. It will be some time for this I think.
Okay, wish me a good day and I wish a wonderful day for my daughter.
New Job
0So, if you’ve read anything on here you probably know I quit my first vascular tech job when I found out I had another job lined up. I happen to have loved that job. The clinic was beautiful, my co-workers were great, the patients were wonderful, but the management was a nightmare. As time progressed, I realized that my job search needed to continue full-force and as luck would have it, I sparked interest in a Lansing hospital, went through an incredible amount of interviewing, and background checking, and personality reviewing, and was finally offered the job, which I grabbed as soon as it was offered. Once that was done, I lost any interest in continuing my employment at the other place. It was so totally unlike me, but I up and quit in the afternoon and left. The ONLY reason I did that was because they were planning on sending me to South Haven on my own the following day with the worlds’ worst portable US machine (which i had used once the previous month). It is a long, dark trip and you are by yourself in the basement of a small community health center/hospital for the bulk of the morning. It is definitely a trip that two people should take, not one. I felt there was no way I was going to be subjected to that knowing that I didn’t have to be. What’s worse, they fired the male tech. the Thursday before who had done South Haven along with the Kalamazoo clinic from the beginning. How convenient. So, i quite. Had the circumstances been a little different, they would have received my 2 week notice.
So now I head to my new place. I wanted to work in a hospital all along, I just hope it doesn’t pose too much of a challenge for me. I am a good tech; I hope they see that in me. I am hopeful and looking forward to a good career at this place and making friends too.
Day 8, I’m So Happy
01 month ago
by Big Brain
in Uncategorized
Today marks the 8th day of my diet. I will admit that I allow myself unlimited fruits and vegetables, I just have to. Either way, I feel better knowing that the weight will come off and that even more importantly, I’m a much healthier person for it.
I bought more super-lean hamburger today in hopes of making another pot of something we can eat off of for a few days. But what can I make? I already did the chili thing and I’m not ready for more just yet.
I’ll have to shop around.