• You're still trying to learn the EMR system on the afternoon of your sec-
ond day at work. The fact that the IT guy himself can't get the system to rec-
ognize your user ID is no consolation when the old guard nurses look down
their noses at you and tsk-tsk, "She said she had OR experience."
• You're called into the administrator's office after the first week and
ordered to eat your lunch in the dining room with everyone else. The staff
hasn't warmed up to you yet and this will help to build camaraderie, she says.
• People keep taking your lunch out of the refrigerator to make room for
theirs if it's not in a "designated lunch bag." No plastic grocery bags
allowed.
• The hospital's preference sheets don't actually tell you what the sur-
geons prefer. When his little favorites aren't written down anywhere, and
you don't find out what they are until he asks for them and you don't have
them, suddenly it becomes your fault. Hopefully it's not too long before
you learn what that sheet is: the schedule for the bus you're being thrown
under. Fool me once, etc.
• The charge nurse always assigns the traveler to the longest cases with
the worst surgeons. You can use this to your advantage, though. These
assignments build character (if you don't already have it), and requesting
them makes you look badass. Also, fewer cases means fewer turnovers.
What comes around …
In my 12 years as a traveler, or shall I say, a rental nurse, it's mostly been
great. I've met people whom I'm still friends with. I've gone places I never
thought I'd see. I'll admit there have been assignments where I've counted
down calendars with big X's — it's a terrible thing to wish your life away
— but I survived those places, I don't have to work with those people
again and I'm told karma keeps a detailed address book.
OSM
Ms. Watkins can be reached at pwatkins12@comcast.net.
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