First Week of Awesome Fantastic Job

Well, I've finished my first week of orientation at the ER.  It's been mostly computer modules as the Emergency Nurses Association recommends all ERs have the same orientation process.  The first day we did a lot of the HR crap and I ended up with a new photo ID, plus a nice red lanyard with the hospital name and Emergency printed across it.  This was basically the defining moment for me really.  Something I can display in front of everyone saying, "Yes...I work in the ER."

I am ahead on all the modules since I'm missing a week of orientation due to my fantastic trip to New York for my @%th birthday.  That way when I come back I can spend more time on the floor.

Which I did for the first time on Friday, in what they call...The Pit.  Which is basically the lower acute areas AKA not requiring telemetry, even though all the rooms have monitors.  It was great finally getting into things but I always have a hard time adjusting to the process of how things are done when it's so different from a med-surg unit.  Also policies can be quite different not only because it's the ER but it's also a different hospital (though it's under the same jurisdiction so they SHOULD be the same).  And to complicate things even more, the Pit of this section (there are two main sections both with a telemetry area and a Pit) was designed later on as it was converted from an old OR recovery space.  Thus they asked OR nurses to help with the design, so it is a TERRIBLE ER space.  It's effectively like two testicles, compact testicles, and patients get hidden behind others so you can't put really sick patients there.  I'd also get maddeningly confused as to which testicle I was in.  But that will come with time I'm sure.  

I am itching to get back, mainly because I want to learn and become great at working there.  I should enjoy my weekend though cause it's only two days off before five 8s in a row like most normal people.