But, I hadn't told you this...while I was away after surgery, T was dismissed from her job. After all the struggle that Dean and I went through to train her, she'd become a very capable phlebotomist...she had a ways to go with her confidence level, but each day was getting easier for her. Unfortunately, her medical problems bit her in the butt, rhetorically speaking. She came down with a severe case of flu, then had more back problems from the car accident years before in which she broke her back. Even though she had a doctor's excuse for part of it, apparently the University was no longer willing to put up with that much of an unknown factor with potential time off, so before her six month probation was up...well...*sigh*...you know the drill. How much easier to fire an employee *before* their probation is up, rather than have to go through due process of the general warning, then the verbal warning, then the written warning before dismissal. Sometimes I don't think those "bottom line" folks have a clue...I do know that in many cases, they have no heart.
Speaking of training, last week was the yearly "quick" training of the third year medical students. This is the year they begin rotations through various departments to help them make a decision on their potential specialites before residency. So, they get a mini course on various things they may be asked to assist with when they begin working with the medical team. They learn how a urinary catheter is inserted (now, why don't they have to practice that one on each other? *grins*), they learn how to put in an IV, and how to draw blood, just to name a few things in the mini-intensive.
Anyway, we usually split 'em up into groups of three to show them how to draw, then they get to stick each other. Basic questions are asked, such as, "Are any of you allergic to latex gloves?" "Do any of you have to be laid down when your blood is drawn to avoid passing out?" One big hulking guy said he was queasy when his blood was drawn, but would be okay for doing the procedure.
Wrong. He did the draw, and did a fantastic job of it, then stood up, turned grey and I had to get him down before he fell on me. And he was just the start of several who we nearly lost in the lurch. I keep wondering if all of them are planning on becoming dermatologists or something...I mean, how ARE they going to get through their surgery rotation?
2 comments:
That sucks that "T" was given the boot. I really hate to see a potentially awesome employee let go early on some stupid technicality.
Same here, Trace. And, you know from this blog how hard Dean and I worked to get her trained. Thing that bothers me is that on at least two occasions she was warned about her performance level and time off and given "x" amount of days to shape up, and each time she did. And, she was within ten days of being done with probation when this happened...that's one of the biggest irritants of all!
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