57185--One week down, unknown number of weeks to go

[zyzyly]

I survived my first week of the new job with minimal trauma. I was pretty busy. One thing about knowing what I was walking into was that I had a good idea of what I had to accomplish before taking my students to the hospital at the end of the week, and managed to get it pretty much all done. The two people on the 4th semester team were very helpful in making sure I had what I needed and knew where to look for things. I have known both of them for a long time. One of them was a brand new nursing instructor when I was in the nursing program, and I was in her first class.

The other one advised me to start working on my doctorate as soon as possible. Not because I would learn anything valuable, but because for every unit I complete, I will make more money. "In three years it will pay for itself" she says. I think I will wait a bit, but I'll start looking into it.

Thursday was the most stressful day for me. I had to teach my students how to use the computerized charting system at the hospital (which I have never used and was only trained on it two weeks ago). I really didn't know enough to teach it, and the resource person was unavailable, but one of the first semester instructors offered to help me, and spent the day making sure I knew what I was doing.

Friday morning I took my students into the hospital and showed them around. I worked at this hospital when I was a nursing student. I was a phlebotomist, and would come in before class at 4 am to draw am lab samples. It's changed a lot since then, but not all that much. We went around to all the units and I dropped them off at their floors.

My first wife, Arlina, used to work on one of the units for about 4 years way back when. I asked one of the old nurses if she remembered her, and she did. We talked about her for a bit. That was nice, but kind of hit me unexpectedly, and I felt a wave of emotion as I walked toward the elevator. I don't think time ever really takes it away completely.

I also saw a couple of nuns I used to work with a long time ago, and they both gave me big hugs.

At the end of the day I felt good about being here. It's gonna be ok.


Some nursing students from a long time ago. The uniforms have changed, but the look in their eyes is the same.

Comments

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

:)

[thoughtsbykat.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a successful week.

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

I am sure the combination of being back in that place with all of the memories, and having the conversation, opened the wound a little bit. Some losses are so impactful that they never fully heal over (nor should they, IMO).

I'm glad the first week went OK for you. Of course the technology had to be the thing that was most daunting - I am learning that it's probably the most challenging thing people have to deal with in the clinical setting.

[brendamom.livejournal.com]

Good post. Time doesn't erase love.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

It's so terrible when you have to try to teach something you don't know very well yourself! **Empathy** Glad there was an instructor around to help.

The photo of the nursing students is gorgeous.

PS--was so caught up in the part about having to teach the computerized charting system that I sailed right over the part about your first wife :-( That conversation sounds both fulfilling and sad, at the same time. I guess fulfilling things *are* sometimes sad.

[3-black-cats.livejournal.com]

How fitting that Arlina found her way into this story. :)

[howeird]

Welcome back, I missed you. Congrats on the giant leap this new job is, you're a brave person.

[wantedonvoyage.livejournal.com]

Congratulations and God bless. I can see it would be fraught to be back there in that place, but -- in one sense -- she's there with you as long as there are folks who remember her fondly.