One week, 2 days in... happy, for nowsssssss
So I've been at my new job for a week and two days now... I figgure now's a good time to revisit thoughts, and open up my worries about tomorrow...
Basically my group rotates through three different hospitals in the area, one big one, and two smaller hospitals. So far I've only been at one of the smaller ones, then I'll go to the other one for awhile, then finally the big hospital, and ultimately rotate through them all.
I have to say my first several days have gone really well. I've yet to have a bad day, and I think that I've picked up on things pretty quickly. Waking up quite early, like at 5:15 AM, but there's been days where I got out at noon. Today was my longest day, with me leaving at 4 PM. Pretty amazing that 4 PM feels late to me now, considering that I was working 80-100 hr weeks as a resident.
The atmosphere has been great, and I honestly feel like I've left a pretty good impression on the staff. Its pretty often that a nurse or anesthetist that works at that hospital full time says they hope I end up working at this hospital the most. Its pretty flattering to be treated like I'm wanted. Everyone seems to respect each other, and the doctors are treated especially well. I guess that's the benefit of not being a resident anymore. I'm so used to being bottom of the totem poll, its odd being treated so well, and being expected to do so little. There's certain advanced things only I'm allowed to do, but otherwise its alot of supervising other people do all the basic tedious stuff. And if I do help with something like putting an IV in or something, people are all thankful and stuff.
I do have to do alot more talking to patients though. Kinda feel like that's more my job now, talking to patients, nurses, and making decisions, and telling other people what to do. Fortunately I think I actually have a good bedside manner, so that's cool I guess. Have to admit there's an element of missing being in the front lines, getting to do everything myself... but I guess I'll just have to get used to a different role.
Mainly I was ecstatic just realizing that I could actually be good at this job, and be happy too. My biggest fear was wanting to quit after my first week, but so far so good. I could imagine myself doing this the rest of my life. Each and every day feelings of boredom have started to creep in, but I guess that's not necessarily a bad thing. And I know there will be plenty of excitement and fear to keep things interesting in the future.
Tomorrow I have my first day at the main hospital. Feeling anxious cause its a new place, so I'll have to get to know everything again like from scratch. Heck, I don't even know where the locker rooms are, and I'm going there tomorrow with a full slate of responsibilities. They do much bigger scarier cases there, including trauma, heart surgery, etc... and eventually I think they hope that's where I'll spend most my time. So there's still the potential for disaster happening to my happiness with this job. Also, I hear consistently that this main hospital has a more malignant atmosphere, compared to the friendly small-community feel I've had the past week. I really really hope its not too bad, cause I don't work effectively or happily in hostile environments.
*sigh* Guess we'll see.
My backup plan if I hate this hospital, once my contract comes up for renewal next year, I could insist on only working at the place I like or else I'm finding another job. So as of right now, that's my long-term worst-case scenario. That's still loads better than my "I'm quitting this career and going to veterinary school" worst-case-scenario from just over week ago! :P
One step at a time. Next week I have my first overnight call, my first weekend call, and also go to the 3rd hospital for the first time (which has been described as being an average of the other two). So.... more opportunities to have second thoughts about my future...
Nonetheless, so far so goood....
Basically my group rotates through three different hospitals in the area, one big one, and two smaller hospitals. So far I've only been at one of the smaller ones, then I'll go to the other one for awhile, then finally the big hospital, and ultimately rotate through them all.
I have to say my first several days have gone really well. I've yet to have a bad day, and I think that I've picked up on things pretty quickly. Waking up quite early, like at 5:15 AM, but there's been days where I got out at noon. Today was my longest day, with me leaving at 4 PM. Pretty amazing that 4 PM feels late to me now, considering that I was working 80-100 hr weeks as a resident.
The atmosphere has been great, and I honestly feel like I've left a pretty good impression on the staff. Its pretty often that a nurse or anesthetist that works at that hospital full time says they hope I end up working at this hospital the most. Its pretty flattering to be treated like I'm wanted. Everyone seems to respect each other, and the doctors are treated especially well. I guess that's the benefit of not being a resident anymore. I'm so used to being bottom of the totem poll, its odd being treated so well, and being expected to do so little. There's certain advanced things only I'm allowed to do, but otherwise its alot of supervising other people do all the basic tedious stuff. And if I do help with something like putting an IV in or something, people are all thankful and stuff.
I do have to do alot more talking to patients though. Kinda feel like that's more my job now, talking to patients, nurses, and making decisions, and telling other people what to do. Fortunately I think I actually have a good bedside manner, so that's cool I guess. Have to admit there's an element of missing being in the front lines, getting to do everything myself... but I guess I'll just have to get used to a different role.
Mainly I was ecstatic just realizing that I could actually be good at this job, and be happy too. My biggest fear was wanting to quit after my first week, but so far so good. I could imagine myself doing this the rest of my life. Each and every day feelings of boredom have started to creep in, but I guess that's not necessarily a bad thing. And I know there will be plenty of excitement and fear to keep things interesting in the future.
Tomorrow I have my first day at the main hospital. Feeling anxious cause its a new place, so I'll have to get to know everything again like from scratch. Heck, I don't even know where the locker rooms are, and I'm going there tomorrow with a full slate of responsibilities. They do much bigger scarier cases there, including trauma, heart surgery, etc... and eventually I think they hope that's where I'll spend most my time. So there's still the potential for disaster happening to my happiness with this job. Also, I hear consistently that this main hospital has a more malignant atmosphere, compared to the friendly small-community feel I've had the past week. I really really hope its not too bad, cause I don't work effectively or happily in hostile environments.
*sigh* Guess we'll see.
My backup plan if I hate this hospital, once my contract comes up for renewal next year, I could insist on only working at the place I like or else I'm finding another job. So as of right now, that's my long-term worst-case scenario. That's still loads better than my "I'm quitting this career and going to veterinary school" worst-case-scenario from just over week ago! :P
One step at a time. Next week I have my first overnight call, my first weekend call, and also go to the 3rd hospital for the first time (which has been described as being an average of the other two). So.... more opportunities to have second thoughts about my future...
Nonetheless, so far so goood....