Notes from me to you

hi everyone!

so what i've got to say, after my first week entirely on my own at the hospital.. is that i'm definitely earning the (fantastic) privleges of being a travel nurse. what do i mean by this.. well, though i am sincerely appreciative and am enjoying the great, paid-for apartment in a lovely location, beautiful weather, beaches, fun places to go, and fun people.. this job is crazy!

last week i oriented for 2 shifts with a precptor. now... because a "solid oncology" unit is a new to this hospital.. and because they hired 15 travel RN's, no one really knows what's going on here... and the nurses who were actually hired to work on this floor are all newly chemo certified. we do have a "resource" nurse who's from an oncology unit in an associated hospital but they don't really know the process here either!

anyway, after my 2 nights being "oriented," then my first night on my own last week, i came to work monday night, for my second shift, alone, i was floated to another floor- geriatric telemetry.... c-r-a-z-y..... this hospital is really disorganized compared to United, well, and according to all of the other travel nurses, its disorganized compared to everywhere! and the floor i floated to was worse! people were rude.. my patients were off their rockers.. awful. after my float night i had a whole new appreciation for my "home unit." even though the equipment is old, there are two patients to each room, they don't have lure-locks so we run chemo through"aligators" :-/ the charting was supposed to have changed to computerized but that only lead to double charting because they still use paper charts, too.. so now we have to repeat a lot of stuff, we carry the mars with us.. oh and the MAR's.. they are so bad. its crazy! and its not just me, the other travelers feel the same. :) thank goodness our patients, leaders, and co-workers rock!

overall, thus far.. its a good experience but its been frustrating and challenging. so, cheers to the twin cities for being updated, organized, good facilities, and allina for an awesome conversion from paper to 'puters! tell cappi all of her hard work paid off! oh, and for you past-fellow co-workers.. would you believe that i leave my apartment 45-50 minutes before my shift starts and get here 15-30 minutes before report?! i know! crazy!! its a little different than my 1.5 mile jaunt down grand ave! ;)

i'm now finishing my 2nd string of nights.. and i'm very happy to be done. jamie and i are going to head back to the beach and i'm going to spend my day sleeping there! then out tonight in santa monica with other travelers and ingrid!

i should make a formal apology on here for not getting back to many of you in calls and e-mails.. when i'm working 12-hour nights i literally just go to work, come home, shower, sleep and go back to work. i don't clean, i don't make meals, nothing! so i'm behind in my replies.. but i am always happy to hear how things are going for all of you!! thanks!

love and blessings from CA!

laura