Spent the day yesterday trying to get to this sign. There is no way to drive to it. The closest place to drive to it is celebrity/rich area who don't like people parking by their houses. I was told I was too suspicious and that I can't park there. I promptly left that spot and moved on. I went to a little park area that had trails leading from it to the sign. I finally made it. It had to be a couple of miles before getting there. Long enough that there were not a lot of people willing to do the hike...there weren't too many people around. I also had the chance to get a few geocaches too.
So this is the first assignment that getting to work will be by car Bus...way to long to get there, bike way to long to get there, car...enough of a time saver to choose this route. But traffic here is enough to pull your hair out. To get anywhere here you have to plan double time what you would normally plan anywhere else. I am doing my best to just understand that traffic just comes with the territory and have just started to accept it will take 1 hour of time to go 8-10 miles on mostly highway or any way.
I was spoiled over in Sarasota, this place is going to be a challenge for sure. This job I will be an ICU float with occasional Tele floating. Meaning: I go to what ever unit they are short and fill in. I get to look like the clueless traveler that every one wonders if I really know what I am doing. They have 900 beds total and a lot of different ICU's. I understand that most of the units are all set up the same so that shouldn't be so bad. I had one night of orientation on one of the the units so far. We were told in orientation that everything but meds was paper charting. I get there...computer charting. How can this sort of thing be missed in orientation? They tend to also double chart and chart unnecessary things, including the ever dreaded very detailed nursing care plans....thought I was done with that after nursing school.
Things are definitely faster paced here and pts are in general sicker than Sarasota. The doctors didn't want to be called in Sarasota...a non teaching hospital. Sarasota doctors would have standing orders for labs and fluid and electrolyte replacement and vital sign parameters set up to get you through the night. Here there are residents always present and its "as you go". I will be glad for the busier nights here but, as always, getting the flow of things will take time and getting everything done that I need to will be a learning curve. The first few weeks are always a bit of a drag but I think it will be a good place to work.
