The top 10 reasons I like my job

Good Evening All!

Much like the frequency with which my car gets driven these days, it's been two weeks since I sent out an update.  Work has been good, I feel like I'm starting to get into the groove and flow of things.  My learning curve is still steep, but navigating the hospital is no longer a huge obstacle.  Don't get me wrong, I still get lost several times a week, but hallways and routes are becoming more familiar (both through sight and smell...)  Last weekend was my first weekend of solo rounding.  It's not totally solo, cause I discuss the patients with the Doc who's on-call that weekend,  but it does mean that I see every patient we have in the hospital myself, write notes and make the orders for them.  During the work week the inpatients are split between myself and Nevin (the other PA), plus the resident if we have one on service that month.  So going in by myself over the weekend was a bit intimidating.  My time management skills were definitely put to the test.  Fortunately, it seems to have gone well because none of our patients declined, or died, over the weekend.  I consider it to be a small victory.  On that note, I would like to share the top 10 list of reasons why I like my job. Here it goes:

10) I get to follow patients progress from their initial visit with us, through surgery and months after surgery; aka continuity of care and relationship building.

9) I walk a lot during my working hours. No being chained to a desk for me.

8) I get to do inpatient, surgery and outpatient duties all in the same day.  After all, variety is the spice of life!

7) Geisinger has a great reputation, nationally and internationally.  I've set myself up for great future opportunities.

6) I'm learning how to assist with some pretty major procedures. (see my previous posting about my hand in a chest cavity, if you need a refresher ;-)

5) My team is great!

4) I get to wear exercise clothes TO work. No need to change for the gym after work

3) I get to wear scrubs and a lab coat AT work, which means very few dry cleaning expenses.

2) I don't have to deal with people's private parts.  See them, yes; deal with the medical side, no. Though we do get the occasional "code brown" (yes, people sometimes lose control of their bowels while undergoing surgery.  However it gets cleaned up by the OR nurses before the patient is moved back to their bed, so it's like it never happend...)

1) I get to sew the, sometimes gaping, wounds closed at the end of cases!

I'm going to end there for tonight.  I have more topics to write about, but they'll take me too much time right now (I had a late day today and I'm exhausted).  I hope you are all doing well.

Love,

Kristen

p.s. If you haven't already, head over to my blog (http://kristenfrey.blogspot.com) to read about the robots that roam the hospital halls.  Turns out there are at least 3 of them, not just 2 (I saw MADDIE the other day)...