Out In The World!

Comments on last post have been much more informative than the week before! Thanks, guys!!...I, for one, really appreciate hearing what's going on out there now that I'm out in the world,beyond the Enchanted Kingdom!

OK. I know I'm due for an update about "Out There"...so here goes:

It's just the first week, of course, and I'm suffering from the shock of having to get up, get dressed, and show up each and every morning so I'm sure these first impressions are just that..first impressions...and bound to be revised and refined as I go along...take 'em with a grain of salt. And bear in mind that on the same day I started the job, I also was given my first pair of contacts(...from my optometrist, not from my employer). These contacts adjust for astigmatism and general old age, so one of them is for far vision and the other is for near vision. And since this was the first pair, they were "off" a little...one by 15 degrees, I'm told, the other by 10 degrees. There was really no hope of focusing, no matter what I did. I could shut one eye and read, or shut the other eye and get a blurry view of things across the room. Depth perception was by memory only. As a result, I think I can advise others NOT to begin wearing this type of contacts at the same moment you're trying to adjust to a new job. Probably a good idea to keep your optometrist and your new employer in entirely separate months.

I have a new, adjusted set of contacts now...but I find I'm reluctant to put them in...I think I love glasses after all...

All right...so there I was, up in the morning, wearing panty hose and cute shoes, trying to focus, as I met my new co-workers and consumers in the Monday morning report. My only contribution to the discussion that morning was to point out that if the consumer under discussion was worried, as she said she was, about people "getting her DNA", then putting her feces in bags outside her door was really more dangerous than just flushing would be. I think I heard general agreement about that, but I couldn't really see, so I can't be sure.

But that highlights one thing that is evident in the first week....the consumers that are being treated in the community are often as symptomatic as those in the hospital. There are lots of consumers out here that the hospital would be very reluctant to discharge if they were in. You guys might not believe how symptomatic you can be and remain in the community. It's probably OK to discharge patients a little sooner than you do...

And it appears that certifications and court ordered meds are practically unenforceable in the community...so bear that in mind, too. You can discharge on a cert if you want, but remember that it's just a piece of paper...it may not result in any increased control by the system. It will just result in an increase in paperwork.

And speaking of paperwork, the new job has what appears to be a really slick computer program that practically does your paperwork for you, near as I can tell...it prompts you for needed bits, fills in forms automatically, allows you to see easily where else your consumer has turned up, etc. etc. As I wasn't encouraged to use the computers at the hospital...(except for certain competencies, of course), I don't know how well your digital record keeping works...but there's practically no paper chart here...it's all in the computer...the paper charts are all in med records and hold just those things that need original signatures, etc. I think I might love it (soon as I can see it).

I did take a couple of competencies this week (oh, irony!); they were new to me, however, and only took an hour each. I didn't mind them at all. I found them helpful. I'll probably feel differently after the 10th or 12th time....although I'm not sure they're "annual" competencies anyway...I'll have to keep you posted about that.

One last thing, The Nurse Alliance is doing great political work on behalf of nurses...go to their website and look at the survey results they managed to get into the public records; they've got a bill on the next terms' agenda about staffing ratios...nurses who believe in the need for change should check them out...and help them out.

Sorry to hear that they've changed the bong to a clang...why? What do the patients say about it...do they prefer a bong, a clang or a holler?

Wow...I really miss you guys! I'm told we're having drinks (or whatever) on Thursday...I'm looking forward to seeing everybody! (I'll wear the glasses).