So This Is A County Facility
4 hour “orientation” shift today.
Already learned how to put someone in restraints and tie them down, saw a patient from the county jail, and re-did an IV on an altered patient who had already ripped it out twice. I was also told to “fight for a suture room and grab it before someone else does.” Grabbed my patient, maneuvered her bed around the drunk man who had urinated in his bed and the onto the floor.
This month is going to be awesome. And crazy.
Possible theme for the month, advice given to me by an attending today: “Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.” (Did I mention I can write my own orders?)
Good times ahoy!
lol can you put know how to tie people down into restraints on your resume…
Oy! I had forgotten that your home institution doesn’t interact with the county facility!
Working with the county population and system is, in my opinion, the most frustrating, exhausting, overwhelming, enthusiastic, enriching, and rewarding experience in medicine.
hope you don’t have to wait too long for a translator to help you explain HIPAA to your non-English speaking patient. or to help explain power of attorney to the non-English speaking family of a severe PTSD sufferer.
any experiences with exotic airborne disease quarantines yet?
PS – i know, i know – that’s “front desk” work. the front desk person got laid off due to budget cuts. or, they’re all on strike because they haven’t got a raise in 3 years.
do i sound nostalgic for my county hospital desk job? :)