Make it through week one... check.
I did it, made it through training and two of my three orientation days. The hardest part is just remembering all of the forms and buttons I have to click on for each patient. They write notes for rounds and notes for when they arrive and notes for when they are DC'd. But a lot of what they do, Mercy does, just a different way. The patient load is about the same, the most I have had is 5 pts. A lot of the kids are there for more of an observation, so by the end of the day I have usually discharged at least one pt, it not more, and received at least one.
The nurses are awesome! I am so blessed to work somewhere that everyone is so nice. They get along well and joke around. So that, coupled with the fact that it takes me 20mins to get to the campus and I am not paying $70/month in parking fees now, makes this an awesome job!
I don't have much of an update for you besides that because I was so busy all week. The only thing left is that we are one week in and I am homesick. I miss everyone so much, but I know it will get better. I am loving hanging out with Lauren and her friends, so that definitely helps. She has a great group of people down here, so it is nice to feel so included coming right into things.
It's a beautiful day here in Houston, hopefully I can get out and enjoy it some!
Till next time,
Kristin
Friday, January 27, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Going in circles
Yesterday it hit me, I am down here for good. It hit me as we got closer to Shawn leaving. I held in some tears, but lost it a bit when he went to security and then again in my car. I am super blessed to get to be here and for the experience, especially since I get to see Lauren! Although, I already miss some of the comforts of home...
But, I have officially made it through my first day at work! Though it took a little, no scratch that, a LOT of driving. Shawn and I had checked out the location of my first day and the hospital main campus before he left, which is located in the middle of a ton of other hospitals. I went to my first building for training today, found somewhere to park after a few trips around, and made it inside!
Then I was told to drive to the next building, where I will actually be working. It is a mess to get around not only the city itself but especially that area. I went in, no kidding, about a dozen circles trying to get around. And you have to dodge trains, the trolly that goes around, people walking everywhere, strange stop lights, big knots in the lane that occasionally block turn lanes, watch the signals of when you can and cannot get in a certain lane in case a trolly is coming down it, and of course the random people that pull out in front of you. I was a wreck.
So you can guess my excitement when I finally found the valet for the Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) main entrance. Luckily for me the valet area was pretty packed, because when I went inside to the main desk, I was quickly informed that I was at the TCH- West TOWER. My job is at TCH-West CAMPUS. Two different placed divided by roughly 25 or so miles. Yup, I was at the wrong place!
So, I grab my car right before they are about to park it, punch the correct address into my GPS, and head out. After a mild panic attach when I realized I had gotten onto a toll road and had no pass that is needed for it, I made it to the location I will be working! It's an awesome hospital! For my CMH gals, much like South in terms of acuity. They do have an OR and clinics that have been open for a little more than a year. The inpatient floor has been open since last March and next week the second floor will be open as well. I got a better idea of the kids I will get, but not a great one. From what I can see, it seems like a short stay area, so I think that I will be just fine! I am excited for this week. Tomorrow is just computer training but then I get two days of orientation with nurses Wed and Thursday and another on Sunday.
The day was capped off by getting a pedicure with Lauren and her friend Chelsea, so it ended well! :)
On a side note... Houston! It is warm here, humid but not too bad right now. Unlike KC, the businesses are concentrated right along the highway. In KC we get off an exit and travel one way or the other to get places. Here, tons are just located right there on the side roads running parallel to the highways. Lots of car dealerships and furniture stores!
I have to get up early again tomorrow so I think it is time for bed!
Love and miss you all,
Kristin
But, I have officially made it through my first day at work! Though it took a little, no scratch that, a LOT of driving. Shawn and I had checked out the location of my first day and the hospital main campus before he left, which is located in the middle of a ton of other hospitals. I went to my first building for training today, found somewhere to park after a few trips around, and made it inside!
Then I was told to drive to the next building, where I will actually be working. It is a mess to get around not only the city itself but especially that area. I went in, no kidding, about a dozen circles trying to get around. And you have to dodge trains, the trolly that goes around, people walking everywhere, strange stop lights, big knots in the lane that occasionally block turn lanes, watch the signals of when you can and cannot get in a certain lane in case a trolly is coming down it, and of course the random people that pull out in front of you. I was a wreck.
So you can guess my excitement when I finally found the valet for the Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) main entrance. Luckily for me the valet area was pretty packed, because when I went inside to the main desk, I was quickly informed that I was at the TCH- West TOWER. My job is at TCH-West CAMPUS. Two different placed divided by roughly 25 or so miles. Yup, I was at the wrong place!
So, I grab my car right before they are about to park it, punch the correct address into my GPS, and head out. After a mild panic attach when I realized I had gotten onto a toll road and had no pass that is needed for it, I made it to the location I will be working! It's an awesome hospital! For my CMH gals, much like South in terms of acuity. They do have an OR and clinics that have been open for a little more than a year. The inpatient floor has been open since last March and next week the second floor will be open as well. I got a better idea of the kids I will get, but not a great one. From what I can see, it seems like a short stay area, so I think that I will be just fine! I am excited for this week. Tomorrow is just computer training but then I get two days of orientation with nurses Wed and Thursday and another on Sunday.
The day was capped off by getting a pedicure with Lauren and her friend Chelsea, so it ended well! :)
On a side note... Houston! It is warm here, humid but not too bad right now. Unlike KC, the businesses are concentrated right along the highway. In KC we get off an exit and travel one way or the other to get places. Here, tons are just located right there on the side roads running parallel to the highways. Lots of car dealerships and furniture stores!
I have to get up early again tomorrow so I think it is time for bed!
Love and miss you all,
Kristin
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Today's the Day +1
First day actually in Houston. We got in last night about 9:30 and, after getting lost with the Garmin, found our way to the hotel. It's neat, old, elegant, lavishly decorated. We grabbed dinner at a place called Sambuca just around the corner. It had great atmosphere and our dinner was delish. It's a bit rainy today, but we are about to head out and explore... maybe the space museum, zoo, who knows! We are just ready to get out there!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
T minus 2 days
Less than two days to go. I finally started packing. Yesterday, as I was reading the second installment of The Hunger Games, Byron asked me if it was more important than packing. Yes. It was. *Side note: if you have not read the books, you should. They are an easy read and pretty good. I hear some schools are even using them to replace Lord of the Flies as required reading* But not today, seeing that today is the last day I really have any time around my house. So I packed my clothes and most of my "get ready" things like hair products and makeup. All that is left really is shoes (No, I won't be taking a million of them, just the ones I need... mostly) and the last minute things like my toothbrush and pillow, camera and laptop.
After I got my hair done this morning Shawn went with me to run some much needed errands. To claim my personal property for this year, drop off my tax return, run to Target for some little things I needed, to the beauty store, and a quick stop to say hi to my Mom.
I don't think it has really hit me. Three months seems like such a short time, but I am sure it will seem longer when I get there. Just not yet. It helps that I will probably try and come home in Feb, already will be home in March for vacation, and then only a month after that until the assignment is finished. Then again, maybe it will fly by!
Tonight consists of working my last shift, for a while at least, at Children's. I am going to nap in the morning then go use my Groupon 90 minute massage I bought a while back... Ahhh.... Then to dinner with my Dad and his side of the family. I am going to try and get some sleep Thursday night before the drive down. It's about 13 hours and Shawn and I are driving straight through, no use in stopping really. We will be exploring my new, temporary home and finding my way around a bit this weekend. It will be nice to spend time together, plus he will get to meet Lauren!
I will continue to keep you updated!
Kristin
After I got my hair done this morning Shawn went with me to run some much needed errands. To claim my personal property for this year, drop off my tax return, run to Target for some little things I needed, to the beauty store, and a quick stop to say hi to my Mom.
I don't think it has really hit me. Three months seems like such a short time, but I am sure it will seem longer when I get there. Just not yet. It helps that I will probably try and come home in Feb, already will be home in March for vacation, and then only a month after that until the assignment is finished. Then again, maybe it will fly by!
Tonight consists of working my last shift, for a while at least, at Children's. I am going to nap in the morning then go use my Groupon 90 minute massage I bought a while back... Ahhh.... Then to dinner with my Dad and his side of the family. I am going to try and get some sleep Thursday night before the drive down. It's about 13 hours and Shawn and I are driving straight through, no use in stopping really. We will be exploring my new, temporary home and finding my way around a bit this weekend. It will be nice to spend time together, plus he will get to meet Lauren!
I will continue to keep you updated!
Kristin
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Saturday, January 14th- Time's a tickin'
6 days and counting until I leave for Houston. Holy cow, 6!
I feel like I have so much to do before I go (which is kind of right, because last week, which was dedicated to getting all of it done, ended up being interrupted by my PALS, aka pediatric advanced life support, class that I was informed at the lat minute I had to take) and not nearly enough time to do it.
I hope to finish my paperwork tonight while I have some downtime at work. Then I have finish getting my house together, buy Royal Blue scrubs that are required for the job, dinner with my Mom and Dave's side and some friends Monday night, lunch with my bf Mal Tuesday, dinner Tuesday with Shawn and his wonderful family and date night following, getting my hair done Wednesday morning, working my last shift Wednesday night, and dinner with my Dad's side Thurday night! In the middle of all of this I will be packing any spare chance I get! Yikes.
I will going to Houston and staying with my cousin, Lauren. It's been upwards of 10years since we have seen each other, so long I don't actually remember when the last time was! We keep talking about me visiting her, but time can be a bit hard to come by these days. So you can imagine my excitement when I found out my assignment could possibly be in the very city she lives in! She just moved to what looks in photos be an awesome house in a great part of Houston. And the area is less than ten miles from the hospital!
Speaking of which... the hospital. Texas Children's Hospital, aka one of the top pediatric hospitals in the nation! I am a bit confused about the type of floor I am on, so I will have to update you on that when I get there, but I do know that it is a brand new floor they are opening. So that means top of the line, new equipment. Couldn't ask for more than that. It will be interesting to compare their hospital to what I consider my home, Children's Mercy.
Most of this is the easy part, the hard part is leaving everyone here. My amazing family, wonderful boyfriend, friends, co-workers, and my children (yes, I consider my pets my children). It will be hard missing them all but I know I will come home when I get a chance. Plus, I am coming home before my vacation in March so at most a month and a half! Facetime on my new iPhone and Skype will be my best friend! :)
Until the next post,
A nervous and excited peds nurse,
Kristin
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