Monday, March 7, 2011

Three days I'd like to forget

*Disclaimer - I wrote this post last week and forgot to publish. The events below happened from March first to the third.*

This week has not exactly been sunshine and rainbows or unicorns and glitter. Its been more like nails on a chalkboard or someone rubbing styrofoam together right next to your ear.....let me just summarize for you what's been going on.

Monday: I worked my first 12 hour shift which really wasn't all that bad. The last two hours went by rather slow, but I survived. I had to get my second TB test because anyone who works in healthcare has to get a two-step. The nurse who gave me the skin test was not very nice and stuck me good and hard. I got home around 8pm and basically collapsed.

Tuesday: I worked half a day with my preceptor and the other half shadowing on the floor where I will actually work and got to see how they do things a little different. The place on my arm where the TB test was given was also itchy, red and had a good sized lump which means that you may have been exposed to TB. It bothered me all morning and my manager suggested I go have it looked at so I did. I was told to come back Wednesday for a definitive answer on the test since it cannot be read for 48 hours. Thankfully this was only an eight hour day.

Wednesday: Came in to find out that our fax/copier broken as well as the fridge in the break room and some of the nurse phones. I still had a lump on my arm as well and it was itching like crazy. I got walked in on while pulling up my pants in our unisex bathroom by a very attractive doctor or med student (he was just as embarrassed as me). This was also another 12 hour day. Prior to lunch I headed back down to employee health to have my arm looked at and was seen by a doctor this time instead of a RN or NP. They measured the lump on my arm and since it was 10mm I had to get a chest xray to see if there were any signs of TB in my lungs. More than likely, I just had a reaction to the skin test but I won't know until later this afternoon.

I am happy to say that my chest xray came back negative but sad to say there is still a red patch on my arm from the dumb TB test. I think I needed to write this post because I was so frustrated. Starting this new job has not been easy but I'm trying my best to make it work.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow, I'm sorry you had such a bad time! I hope this week goes better for you! If it makes you feel any better about yourself, I'm tutoring several--not one or a few, several--students who don't know what the Civil Rights movement was (and you and I both know they learned it in this school at some point). At least you're not them!

Amanda said...

Not sure if my last comment posted. Contact me at amandasuzanne.hill@gmail.com because I have a lot to say on this but don't feel comfortable leaving it on your blog...