And the latest...

It looks as though I'll be starting my new job around May 14. I could start it sooner, but my supervisor-to-be was looking out for me by delaying it; if she switches me over to full-time before vacation, that means the U has to take full time hours off as vacation instead of the part-time hours I scheduled the vacation under. Otherwise, all my vacation time and comp time would be totally gone, and I'd have probably had to transfer sick time over to vacation time to cover it. So, I thought it was nice that she thought of that, for I certainly hadn't given it even a glimmer of a thought.

I was a little concerned, though, because other folks will be starting their work in the NICU, and I didn't want to be left behind. But, she said that I won't need as much training as the rest of them, so all she wants me to do prior to the move is to schedule a couple of hours to work in Specimen Control and learn the most basic of computer work - accessioning the samples. I've done that exactly once - on my third day there and I don't have any memory of how to do it, just remember that I did it once! But, that will be a part of my new job, so I'll gladly do it so I can be comfortable with *something* when I get there!

What I've gleaned in information tidbits so far is that the heelsticks we'll be doing on the Warriorbabies (do y'all think that's a good name for 'em?)are emphasized far differently than with an adult venipuncture. Of course, that's only logical, for we don't do heelsticks on grownups, but it's a critical matter of timing.

For example, let's say that the docs order a glucose on a WB (Warriorbaby). If we need a venous glucose on an adult, we've got some leeway as far as time. On the WB's the time is more urgent. Where we might need to get results to the doctor in 15 minutes with an adult, we might only have two minutes with a WB. Much of the testing we do deals in seconds, and fractions of seconds. In order to do that, it sounds as though we'll draw the blood, and *WE* will transport each sample to the lab individually. There won't be any tubing of samples, or asking someone else to take them. We actually run the sample to the lab. I'm not sure if we have to process the test as well and bring the results back, or if it's just a matter making sure we hand it off to the appropriate person for analysis and then they report to the doc. It means when we're delivering a sample, we can't stop to take a phone call, talk to another person, or parent, nor take any sort of delay at all.

It's exhilarating to think of the importance of the things we'll be doing. And damn scary too, if I think about that very hard. A lot rides on our job.

But, the NICU is expanding to 70 beds, with various levels of urgency. As we train we'll start out with the least urgent and oldest babies, and work our way back to the youngest and most critically ill babies. That will give everyone involved the chance to get to know what we're all about and how to work together without throwing us to the wolves, so to speak.

Of course, I speak Wolf, so that part doesn't worry me too much! ;)

And, another thing I guess we do routinely is get called into the labor and delivery room to draw blood from mothers and babies when necessary. Now that thought will be scary at first, because they're not about to call us into the room unless something is going badly. At least, that's what I'm thinking. And, I could be wrong, too.

My bosses have all told me that they pretty much expect me to get my own learning done and then start training others when the need arises and new folks come on board. Eat yer heart out, Miss Tattle! Heh,heh.

So, right now, the only remaining problem getting into this job is the parking situation. Hopefully, that will resolve before long; in fact, my supervisor said she was giving them till Monday before she starts being a squeaky wheel again.

I'll blog about that whole fiasco another time. It's a blog unto itself.