Work update...

Monday was my first day in NICU. Sort of.

You see, even though the schedule plainly said that I was to be in NICU and one of the other new ones was to be in Critical Care Lab, when I arrived and went to the unit, the overnight person told me that I was supposed to go to CCL and help out there.

I stated that I was supposed to begin my observations. The reply was, "But, I have to do this paperwork and I'm NOT leaving the computer."

And, since the Tech-In-Charge did not speak up, I meekly went downstairs, prepared to come back at 6 when the person who was to be in CCL came in.

So, she comes in, and informs me that she was to go to NICU and help out.

What am I to do? Apparently everyone else had their own agenda and the boss wasn't due in till 7:15. So, I stayed, and accessioned samples, because it was busy, and since the schedule *had* indicated that someone was to be in CCL, I decided to stay.

When my boss came in, he was not amused. I went back to talk to him and explained a bit of what had happened, ending with, "To me, the schedule looked pretty straight forward; I don't understand why there was confusion for everyone else."

He said, "I don't understand either. Let me take you upstairs and we'll straighten this all out." And he did so.

So, I didn't get to see more than two or three sticks yesterday. And, they were so poorly done that I was itching to grab the equipment away from the new trainee and show him how it was to be done.

He (trainee), on the other hand, assumed that I didn't know anything about this procedure, and did one of those bits where he did his darndest to be patronizing and show me how it was supposed to be done. It tickled me, because none of these trainees remembered being introduced to me a month ago and hearing my bio.

Though it was cracking me up, I wanted to keep my mouth shut because I didn't want to be a smart aleck; I wanted to just learn how they wanted to teach me, you know?

Eventually, one of the tech/trainers asked me if I'd gotten in any sticks that day. I said I hadn't - that I'd been told to observe only and begin sticking the next day, which would have been today (had yesterday off).

He looked at me after the trainer left. "Have you....stuck before? Have you worked in phlebotomy somewhere else? They usually don't let people stick on their first day....."

I nearly laughed out loud. I told him, yes, I'd been part of the a.m. team for the last three and a half years. He didn't know what that meant. So, I explained it to him. I didn't mention anything about teaching phlebotomy. I figure they'll learn about it all in good time. And, it's really amusing to watch how people act when they think you've never done that job before. Gives me "fodder" for my customer service classes! LOL

What was even better was the conversation today when the main trainer asked me about my college class. We discussed the class and the new guy was absolutely floored. He had no idea. It was sort of fun to peek over at him and see his jaw hanging!

And, remember in a previous blog, I had my little fit about new trainee "R" being delighted that she'd gotten a single stick after a month? She's gotten two more, so now her total is an impressive Three.

We have to get a total of 65 sticks to sign off and be on our own. Twenty on babies (tenderfoot) > 1500 grams, 20 sticks on babies (preemies) between 800 and 1500 grams, and 15 sticks on babies (micropreemies) < 800 grams. I also have to do a minimum of 10 metabolic screens required by the state which tests for PKU, sickle cell anemia, and other risks.

So, this was my first day drawing blood there. I had eight sticks today. Not too shabby for the first day. And, even though we're not supposed to draw preemies till we have our first 20 "fat" babies done, the first one I stuck was a preemie, weighing in at just at 1000 grams, which I believe is in the neighborhood of 2.5 lbs. And, we had a "stat" lab on a glucose baby - that's one whose mother had gestational diabetes and baby needs testing while all that sugar works out of his/her system. And, my boss was observing me on that one. He seemed to be impressed. He said, "That was a NICE job. You were absolutely not flustered and you were very organized in your set-up."

I have to admit I'm very pleased with the day!