First paycheck

Got my first paycheck!!!!! Woo hoo!!! $144 closer to Vegas!

I figure I will be seeing my husband awake about 1 day a week for the next 3 months.

Our schedules look something like this.....

Sunday: Laundry, clean house, work 1400-0000.
Monday: Work 8-5, class 6-10
Tuesday: Work 8-5, W at class till 10
Wednesday: Work 8-5, W at class.
Thursday: Work 8-5, no class for any of us!
Friday: Work 8-5, pre-assignment at hospital & prepare careplan
Saturday: Clinicals from 7-4:30 pm, Groceries on the way home. Maybe spend a little time with the family.

I think it is time to invest in a cleaning person.

W. :)

First night on the floor...

Last night was my first night on the floor in the new PCT position. I was teamed up with a PCT named Mary who has been doing this for 23 years. She was very helpful and patient with me.

At first I felt totally lost. What we were doing was totally from the first clinical of nursing school, and I actually had forgotten (not really forgot, as much as haven't used) a lot of the basics. It has been ages since I had to do beds and bed pans. Not that I mind doing it, just that we haven't had the opportunity in peds, OB and psych, which took almost a year of time. So, it was really good reaquainting myself with those aspects.

I hosed up my first accucheck. I had never done one before, and the patient jumped just as the lancet popped out, and I missed her totally. Then I got flustered trying to reset the dang thing, and then Mary just took over, and I handed out trays and fed a patient.

Then I got to do a 1:1 sitting for half an hour (yay sitting!), and then it was rounds again. I did all the Accuchecks on the second rounds. The time went by pretty quickly, since there was always something to do. By the end of the shift, my feet hurt so badly if I stood still, but were ok as long as I kept moving. Today they are still quite tingly.

At first I hung back, and by the end of the evening I was jumping in there and getting things done. Three more shifts to go before I am set loose.

W. :)

Secret Society...

I was telling my husband that, as I get further into my studies, deeper into the medical field, that I sometimes feel like I am a member of a secret society.

We have a special languange that others don't understand. We wear certain attire that identify us to each other as to what role we have in the field (to an outsider, scrubs is scrubs is scrubs). We follow a certain set of rules. The only thing I've not come across is a secret handshake, but I am still new.

I am nearly complete with my PCT orientation. I start actually working on the floor this Sunday. I work 4 shifts with another tech, and then I will be on my own. I will be getting my first paycheck next week. I am opening a separate account through the hospital credit union, signing up for direct deposit, and I will not be touching that money until late fall. Then it's Vegas, Baby!

School starts back up on August 28th, and I start clinicals September 9. This is going to be the toughest semester. I am actually starting to get antsy to get back into the swing of things. We have been out for 2 weeks now. We start back in 2 weeks. I have been enjoying my time off....did a lot of stuff around the house, read, and work, work, work. But I know that all that stands between me and my new career is 6 months. I want to get going already.

W. :)