Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Studying? Again?

Well, i have started the new job as a nurse practitioner and haven't died, farted, or cried. Ok, i cried once, but in the privacy of my own home. I was hoping to ease into the new job with only a handful of patients, but my schedule has been booked up every day i've been there. Unfortunately, i couldn't be eased into seeing all routine physical exams, but some more complicated chronic patients. I should have expected as much in a clinic that has all internal medicine/pediatric physicians. The challenge has been.....challenging. It has lead to me cracking the ole text books and studying these diagnoses in detail. What's scary is that i'm studying for the health (or illness) of patients, not for a test or grade. But i have been giving myself an "A" every day for my efforts.

Coming from nursing, i have fully expected the staff to haze me. Maybe not in the you-must-binge-drink-a-six-pack-of-beer-without-vomiting sort of way, but maybe accept me with some hessitation. Have a little doubt in what i'm doing. Keep an eagle's eye on me until i have proven myself. I have had none of that. People fully expect me to know what i'm doing, and perhaps this is scarier than being hazed.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Congratulations and good luck. I often wonder when I'll wake up and feel like I'm suddenly "competent" enough - still waiting, LOL.

Scooter said...

If you're taking your FIL to the Fair, you can prep him by showing him this video - http://www.mnstories.com/archives/2007/08/mn_state_fair_o.html. It'll help him plan his culinary path through the grounds.

Anonymous said...

If you get comfortable doing a job then it is time to realy look at what you are doing and what you want in life. Education is a non stop life time thing. It is a life time of networking, seminars, classes, reading and scarry moments. It is those challanges which make the greatest in their field of choice. Or you can be bland and just get along, which is realy not rewarding. You are going to be great in what you do. I have always known this.
D.

PTW said...

I'm very happy to hear the medical team is simply assuming you know your stuff. I can see that: why on Earth would they hire someone to see their patients if they didn't feel they could just set her loose on them?

Reading up on complex conditions is something docs DO, LissyJo. Rememebr when Jason had to look up the thing on the inside of E's lip? He actually came into the room with a textbook, and it didn't make us lose confidence - it caused us to have greater confidence in his ability as a provider.

And, NP creds or not, you're a DOC now, you know. You can't do surgery...and that's about it, right?

Sorry about the anxiety. And, it sounds like you're kicking ass and taking names.

LissyJo said...

Thanks for the words, peeps. It's been such a whirlwind trying to figure it all out, but i'm loving it.