cold hands, cold feet

2005-07-13T19:30:00.000+10:00

First day...

It was my first day on the ward today...and i got in trouble...

For the past two weeks i've been on orientation. Yesterday was the last day of sitting in the classroom revising 'the correct way to document, dealing with aggressive patients, blahblah...'. At the end of the day, all the new graduates were to get a thick folder, 'transition into med/surg nursing', which contains modules for us to complete as part of our program. While the medical divison grads got their folders, the grads going into surgical divison (me) didn't.
'Oh.. I wasn't able to get in contact with your nurse educator, so if she doesn't turn up at the end of this session then you'll probably get your folders tomorrow sometime', we were assured by the other nurse educator.

That was yesterday. So this morning at 06:45 I turned up for my 7 o'clock start to the ward, the first RN to arrive! (i'm such a keen new starter). At 10 o'clock I was due to meet one of the surgical nurse educators. Oh ok, i thought, she probably just wants to give me that folder i didn't get from yesterday. Come 10 o'clock, i head towards her office, she's not there! I page her, but then get a message from my preceptor telling me that the lady will be half an hour late.

Half an hour.. ok, might as well break for morning tea. Halfway through my tea, in comes the surgical nurse educator 'where's DC?', she demands. 'Here I am!' i say munching on my anzac biscuit. 'Can you come with me to my office.' Not a question but an order. I pack up my food and meet her outside the door. She starts, 'did you get my message yesterday?' What time did you leave yesterday? Who told you that you could leave?. We reach her office, i'm confused, she closes the door.
'Were you aware that I was waiting 45mins yesterday afternoon with these %#$& folders!'
Oh shitshitshit this is not what i need on my first day! 'No..i wasn't', I say. And i appologise... and say i wasn't aware she would be coming that afternoon... there must have been some miscommunication i say..

She hands over my folder and says 'well i'm really sorry (for myself) that i waited 45mins with these things!'

And I run from there...!

2005-06-30T00:11:00.000+10:00

preparations

Ok so the hospital was pretty quick in posting me the 'new starter' paperwork. And i was equally efficient at filling it out, so I dropped in today to the future workplace for a spot of uniform fitting.

Uniform lady: 'Ok.. because you're starting at 0.8, you'll have $220 to spend'
Me: 'really!' I was expecting to pay for it and then claim it back on tax.. god i'm clueless

what did I end up ordering? 2 fitted-style blouses, 2 longer-style shirts, 1 dress, 2 shorts & 1 skirt.

Uniform lady: 'Ok that'll be ready in 4-6 weeks'
Me: 'a whole month! but I start on monday...'

2005-06-22T20:59:00.000+10:00

Finally finished my nursing degree..have been on 'holidays' now for two months. What been happening?

quit my casual job
rejected phone call from hospital A - 'seen your online application, would like to meet you...' 'Sorry, already have accepted ...'
rejected phone call from hospital B - 'sorry I already have a job lined up'
checked my mail box (damn uni took 3 weeks to post my results)
gone on a 6-day sojourn to the freezing cold south
consequently seen monetary funds decline
rejected phone call from gc - 'sorry but i'm starting at the ... next month'
applied for registration with qnc
waited...waited...waited
phone call from future NUM 'when are you starting?' 'uhh..I'm still waiting for my registration to come through' 'what?! can I write you down for orientation commencing first week of july?
After 22 days of waiting, qnc letter arrives (with licence & badge) contrary to qnc's 10 working days claim
phone call to acting firer&hirer 'its here!'
visit to future workplace, meet acting firer&hirer, photocopy my licence...i'm on my way
planning my upcoming 21st..