Third day of work today and
I just want to stick my head in the sand.
I didn't admit this before
but secretly I had been desperate to get back to work. I was ready to meet my
new team, excited to start my role as an OT, and prepared for the onslaught of
endless patients. I was so ready that I called the team the week before and
asked to come in for an informal orientation session. I know, what a kiss
ass.
Third day of work today and
I just want to stick my head in the sand. Oh shit did I already say that?
I have worked as a locum for most of my career life so I am used to being thrown into the deep end. I can almost immediately carry a case load and clear waiting lists with hardly any induction. So really, this should be a piece of cake.
Third day of work today and I just want to stick my head in the sand. Yep I am pretty sure that I have already told you that.
During my informal orientation the week before, I had been given a chocolate freddo from the IT team as I handed in paperwork for processing. Next was a brief introduction to the ward staff and again, I was offered a chocolate donut or a chocolate muffin. I can't wait to start! I had thought to myself.
Third day of work today and I just want to stick my head in the sand. I think you get the picture. Ok I'll stop.
It was not until my first formal day when I had a proper look at Central Middlesex hospital. This hospital welcomes you with a false sense of calmness as you walk through the sliding doors and enter into its modern and new looking foyer. Everyone is lovely and so helpful. Everyone is so smiley.
I had been promised a two day induction which I quickly realised was not going to happen. Instead, I was given a list of patients before I could even scratch my head, sorry I mean quiff (yes, the quiff is back). Ok cool I thought to myself, I can handle this as I was ushered into a handover meeting. The sister, a registered nurse, began reading out names on the ward list.
Say who? I quickly looked at my list; it was something something Sarsani or did she say Wapadopoulos? or was it Tsa Tsa?
The doctor chimed in to give a detailed medical report on Sarsani or no I think it may have been Tsa Tsa.
Say what? I had to ask the doctor as politely as I could to please slow down because I was having a hard time following his english accent. Thankfully, he found this amusing and laughed.
I then spent the rest of the day looking for things.
I walked into day 2 with a spring in my step, determined to be more productive than yesterday but more importantly, determined to stay positive.
Finally, I saw my first patient; I completed an assessment and put together a plan for her. I would say that it took me about an hour. One down! I was starting to feel good about myself until I realised that I had actually seen the wrong patient. Shit. So I had basically spent 45 minutes with the wrong lady while the right one was in the bed that was directly next to us; it was a room with 4 beds. But as luck would have it, both ladies were elderly and fairly deaf; so despite me yelling/calling the wrong lady by the wrong name, neither picked up on it.
That's ok. I at least managed to be more productive and had even booked in a home visit for the next day.
I cautiously approached day 3; I had come up with a plan to effectively tackle the day and prayed a little as the hospital sliding doors closed behind me.
The NHS now provide a 7 day OT service so that means weekend working. My senior had worked the weekend hence having the Monday and Tuesday off. So she rocked up today. I was glad because it finally meant a proper induction and some direction.
I didn't get either. She was flat out.
So I carried on and went to assess a patients home. Next thing I knew, the neighbour (who had let me in) had contacted the patients son. I don't know what she had said to him, but he was mad. By the time I was handed the phone, he was screaming. Something about how I was heartless and pure evil for pushing his 90 year old father out of hospital just to free up a bed.
Oh hello public service, so nice to meet you again.
With that, I returned back to hospital and handed in my dates for annual leave.
Third day of work today and I just want to stick my head in the sand. I think you get the picture. Ok I'll stop.
It was not until my first formal day when I had a proper look at Central Middlesex hospital. This hospital welcomes you with a false sense of calmness as you walk through the sliding doors and enter into its modern and new looking foyer. Everyone is lovely and so helpful. Everyone is so smiley.
I had been promised a two day induction which I quickly realised was not going to happen. Instead, I was given a list of patients before I could even scratch my head, sorry I mean quiff (yes, the quiff is back). Ok cool I thought to myself, I can handle this as I was ushered into a handover meeting. The sister, a registered nurse, began reading out names on the ward list.
Say who? I quickly looked at my list; it was something something Sarsani or did she say Wapadopoulos? or was it Tsa Tsa?
The doctor chimed in to give a detailed medical report on Sarsani or no I think it may have been Tsa Tsa.
Say what? I had to ask the doctor as politely as I could to please slow down because I was having a hard time following his english accent. Thankfully, he found this amusing and laughed.
I then spent the rest of the day looking for things.
I walked into day 2 with a spring in my step, determined to be more productive than yesterday but more importantly, determined to stay positive.
Finally, I saw my first patient; I completed an assessment and put together a plan for her. I would say that it took me about an hour. One down! I was starting to feel good about myself until I realised that I had actually seen the wrong patient. Shit. So I had basically spent 45 minutes with the wrong lady while the right one was in the bed that was directly next to us; it was a room with 4 beds. But as luck would have it, both ladies were elderly and fairly deaf; so despite me yelling/calling the wrong lady by the wrong name, neither picked up on it.
That's ok. I at least managed to be more productive and had even booked in a home visit for the next day.
I cautiously approached day 3; I had come up with a plan to effectively tackle the day and prayed a little as the hospital sliding doors closed behind me.
The NHS now provide a 7 day OT service so that means weekend working. My senior had worked the weekend hence having the Monday and Tuesday off. So she rocked up today. I was glad because it finally meant a proper induction and some direction.
I didn't get either. She was flat out.
So I carried on and went to assess a patients home. Next thing I knew, the neighbour (who had let me in) had contacted the patients son. I don't know what she had said to him, but he was mad. By the time I was handed the phone, he was screaming. Something about how I was heartless and pure evil for pushing his 90 year old father out of hospital just to free up a bed.
Oh hello public service, so nice to meet you again.
With that, I returned back to hospital and handed in my dates for annual leave.
 |
| Third day of work and I just want to stick my head in the sand. |
No comments:
Post a Comment