Friday, December 30, 2011

Life, the Universe, and Everything

Hi guys!
I haven't posted in awhile.
I've been working WAYYYYY too much.

My job I spend half of the time working in the main pharmacy. We fill all of the medicines for everyone in the hospital, so I put what the doctors order into the computer. I check and make sure all of the IVs are being made correctly and that everything gets up to the floor for the nurses.

The other half of the time, I am up on the floors looking at charts, making sure people are getting the right antibiotics, and adjusting people's meds based on their age and kidney function. Usually people have to spend more time in post graduate training to do that, so it's exciting that I get to work on the floors as part of my job!! It also means that I have a lot to learn! The last two weeks I was up on the floors by myself for the first time. My coworkers are good at helping me, but I am sooooo sleepy.

We have a family practice residency program, and normally there is a pharmacist dedicated to helping them with their patients. She was gone this week, so I got a lot of extra questions from the resident doctors! (Unfortunately my favorite cute resident wasn't on service AND he has a girlfriend. booooooo!) I'm off this weekend, and I'm so glad to have a break!!

Christmas was great. I got a new TV and one of these:




I didn't ask for a Wii, so I'm really excited. Right now I have Paper Mario. Let me know if you know of any fun games! I want to get a few extra controllers and a fun multiplayer game. There's a Mario baseball game that looks fun.

I also ordered myself a Christmas present:


If you use the coupon code HOLIDAY on kiehls.com, you get $20 off right now. There's also free shipping over $50, so I ordered myself the liter bottle of Creme De Corps. EEEEEEEK. splurge :-)

I also got myself an OPI gift set at ULTA with mini bottles of their most popular colors!



I probably should end my beauty shopping spree soon!!!
I hope everyone has a great weekend. HAPPY NEW YEARS!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

How You Know It's Been a Good Day . . .

                  Me: Hi Dr. Intensivist, are you having a good day?
Dr. Intensivist: Good day. Steady day. Sending a bunch of people home. No one's going home in a box.
                         Good day.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Facebook

I will not facebook the cute resident . . .I will not facebook the cute resident . . .
I will not facebook the cute resident . . .

Darn. Not only does he have a facebook, but he likes scuba diving and his grandma and generally being awesome. Anddddddd there are no girls in his profile pictures. Just pictures of him being awesome.

I will not friend the cute resident . . .
I will not friend the cute resident . . .
I will pay attention to my patients and not the cute resident . . .
I will not friend the cute resident . . .
I will do my work instead of daydreaming about the cute resident . . .

This could be lots of trouble.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Computer

Hello Everyone!

SO, this week my old college computer died. Everyone in my class got a computer, and mine was my companion for four long years.

I went a long while without a computer, and I ordered a Lenovo Thinkpad. After two friends looked at the old college HP, I thought my computer was beyond repair.

My friend Ryne finally fixed the Butler computer today, and the Lenovo shipped today.

Isn't that how it always goes?

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Hairspray

Hello everyone!

Today I went and got my haircut. I've been on a mission in order to find a new place at Indy to get my hair done. I get my hair cut and colored, but I didn't want to spend a ton of money. One of my friends said she's spent $80 on a haircut before (!!). Since I used to pay twenty back home, that sounded like way too much for me!

The first place I went and tried was Mode salon.


It was a nice little salon, and the lady gave me a cute cut. When I went back and got highlights, she charged me extra for having thick hair. In the end, I was charged $30 more than I was originally quoted! It bothered me. When I told my friend Kat about it, she recommended Renee at Hairspray salon.


I liked Hairspray better! First off, they charged me the price they quoted me ($91 for a cut and partial highlights- cheaper than the first salon and about the same as home). Renee was also a lot faster than other my salon at home and Mode. My lady at home just got her own salon, and she didn't hire a receptionist. She kept on leaving my hair to answer the phone and ended up leaving my color on too long. It was awful. It took her 3 hours to do my hair, and she freaked out that my color would be too blonde. The other Indianapolis salon also took awhile. They didn't have a receptionist either, so I was worried the same thing would happen to me.

Second, Hairspray is an Aveda concept salon. Everything smells so good. The shampoo includes a complimentary scalp massage. While I was waiting for my color, I got a free hand massage. It was really fun. I am going to go back.

This all leaves me with one big question: How much do you tip your hairdresser?!?! I always feel like I tip too much or not enough!

My next post will be about the Liebster blog awards! I'll have to post some pictures of my haircut too. It's not too much different- I just love how much lighter my thick hair is after I have it cut. I'm looking forward to being able to blow dry it faster.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

My Newest Purchase

I decided I needed a bigger bag for work. I was just going to go to Target because they have some really cute bags, but my friend talked me into this little beauty!

:-)

Work has been going well. This week I have been sick with a cold, so I've been sleeping all of the time! I'm starting to feel better, but I'm still not 100% Tomorrow I'm going back home to see my parents and my puppies!

I have been working off and on in the cancer center making chemo. I think they've gone out of their way to make me feel welcome there. I like it. There are just so many drugs that I know almost nothing about!

I just got my October schedule, and I'm off for Homecoming weekend and Halloween weekend. SCORE!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Twenty Questions!

Amanda tagged me to do a 20 questions blog post!!!!

1. What is your favorite color?
    blue
  

2. What is your favorite food to make?
    breakfast!
3. Who is your favorite Food Network Chef?
    Alton Brown
4. What is the last beauty product you bought, and are you liking it?
    Argan oil! I love it. It seriously makes my hair so much smoother
5. What 3 items from your closet do you wear the most?
    my scrubs unfortunately

6. What fashion item are you lusting after right now?
    hmmm. cute sundresses

7. Essie or OPI?
    OPI
8. How often do you workout?
    not enough
9. Iced or hot coffee?
    hot!

10. Who is your favorite celebrity couple?
    don't know
11. What is your favorite reality TV show?
    Teen Mom
12. Place you've never been, but would like to go?
    England

13. Favorite thing to do on a Saturday morning?
    sleep in!

14. What is your biggest pet peeve?
    time left on the microwave
15. What is your best guilty pleasure?
    Teen Mom, see above

16. What is your favorite book?
    To Kill a Mockingbird
17. Do you subscribe to any magazines? Which?
    Glamour

18. What is your favorite chick flick?
    You've Got Mail

19. What is your drink of choice?
    Margaritas!
20. What advice would you give your 17 year old self?
    Hang in there

TAG! You are it!

Friday, August 5, 2011

Designing the House

 So I've decided that it's time to start making my apartment look like my home.

It's still really really white and bare. I haven't hung hardly anything up on the walls.

I need slipcovers first for my living room. I think I would really like brown ones.

I also keep on seeing an ad for this mirror:



I think it's really awesome.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Changing

This is the song that was in my head all day.

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/59bLUwYONEI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This week at the hospital has been terribly slow. I feel like I'm at work foooooorever.

However, this weekend I'm going to a wedding and tomorrow I'm going to get martinis with some great girls!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Frustrated

I am nearing the end of my official hospital training. Granted, I am still a new grad, so there will be lots of people watching over me even though there it doesn't say "training" on my schedule.

It is somewhat frustrating. My friends who work for bigger hospitals are in training forever. My hospital is a lot smaller. I still feel like I have a lot to learn.

I've gained a lot of knowledge in the past month, but I feel like it will be many more weeks until I'm entirely confident. One of my co-workers told me that it will probably take me at least 6 months until I feel 100% comfortable.

It's hard because there are a lot of other new people right alongside me. In some ways it makes things easier, but I can't always get the attention I need. Nursing is getting frustrated with us too.

One of my jobs is medication reconciliation or "med rec" for short. I go to the patient's rooms and find out what medicines they were taking at home so that they can be continued in the hospital. Apparently, most people do a ton of these in pharmacy school. Somehow, I missed that memo.

Overall, I have a lot of anxiety today. I have the next two days off and work the weekend. Hopefully that will be better.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Welcome to My Life

I think the story below is something that would happen to me at work:

http://anondoc.blogspot.com/2011/07/were-going-to-start-you-on-carvedilol.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AnonymousDoc+%28Anonymous+Doc%29

In other news I'm really liking work. The people are nice, and I actually feel like pharmacy school was worth it. I was worried that would never happen!!

I got to pick out my benefits last night, and it was actually really exciting. I have vision insurance now! I've never had vision insurance before. It's really funny what makes me happy recently!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Handwriting

After being incredibly spoiled and have the advantage of being at several hospitals where everything is typed into a computer, I've returned to the stone age of paper charts.

I forgot how hard it was to read doctor's handwriting!

I honestly think that learning how to read the different scripts of the hospitalists on staff will be the hardest part of my training.

It's sort of appalling how many mistakes could be made just because of HANDWRITING!

I wonder how the computer will change things as we continue moving forward :-)

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Grand Rounds

I'm excited to be mentioned in Grand Rounds: An Ode to Trainees

Thank you to Fizzy for including me.


http://doccartoon.blogspot.com/2011/07/grand-rounds-vol-7-number-41-ode-to.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2Fcirq+%28A+Cartoon+Guide+to+Becoming+a+Doctor%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Saturday, July 2, 2011

This Appears to Have Invisible Ink

      Pharmacist: I'm just calling to let you know that the unit sent us a blank fax.
 Unit Secretary: Oh thanks! Do you know which patient it was for?

Hospital Orientation: the great equalizer

This week I started at a new job, so I got to experience the joy that is hospital orientation.

Personally, I feel that all hospital orientations are the same. This time, I sat next to a surgeon who has been to orientation more times than he can count. Although I've only been to a couple different places, I think I might have figured out the general strategy. All orientations seem to contain the following components:

1. HR people who tell you that their hospital is the best possible place to work.
-First, they'll show you all of the different awards that they've won that
you've never actually heard of.
-Then, they'll tell you that you're part of a family and all so important and
valued.
-They will give you paperwork and pictures of hospital employees smiling which
you are supposed to keep and refer to, but later this paperwork will be shoved
in the back of your car and forgotten. They will also give you a stress ball,
button, chip clip, or other freebie for you to shove in your junk drawer.

2. "Get to know you games"
-Next, they will go around the room and ask what you are doing and claim that
you will become close friends. It doesn't matter that
you're sitting next to the new EVS worker who will work thirds on every fourth
Arbor Day. You are now best friends.
-Next, you will have to explain to everyone around you what you're actually
doing even though at this point you may have no idea. Regardless, the people
next to you will ask really dumb questions about your new occupation. The
hospital has gone to the farthest lengths to make sure that the people next to
you have no idea why a pharmacist, nurse, or resident would ever be employed
by your institution.

3. Benefits
-Next, they'll tell you about your benefits in the most generic way possible
and talk again about why it's so great to work at your hospital. They'll
probably emphasize that there is a group of women who like to ride on a bus
for spa treatments in Tahiti for a very very low price. They will not explain
anything important to you (when do we get paid? how do we take vacation?), but
instead they will talk about how good the hot dogs are at the employee
baseball game (NOTE: the employee baseball game will always occur on your
weekend).

4. Lunch
-The lunch will be catered in from the cafeteria, and it will be quite good.
However, it will not resemble anything close to what the cafeteria actually
serves (if you do eventually have the ability to purchase it on a random
Tuesday, it will be at least 12 dollars). The HR team will boast that they
have reasonable prices and a large selection.

5. JCAHO Competencies
-Now, you will sit for four hours while they complete the JCAHO competencies.
They will forget to include something important (for example, it would be nice
to tell the new pastoral care team what "contact precautions" actually means).
The first time hospital employees will listen intently. Everyone else will
text underneath the table.

What are your experiences with orientations? Anything else to add?

Friday, July 1, 2011

First Week

Hi guys!

Today ended a very busy week.

I started my new job, and orientation was chaotic. I had no idea where I was going after I showed up on Monday morning. No one know where I was supposed to be, and on Wednesday they told me to report to the wrong hospital. I got to my main hospital on Wednesday at 7 a.m., and they told me that I should go to the other hospital 30 minutes away at 8. Of course it wasn't my fault, but it didn't make me feel very comfortable with my new job!

On Wednesday I learned that my position was different than what I originally thought. HR, my boss, and I definitely weren't on the same page.

It made for an awful Wednesday night before I got everything sorted through on Thursday . . . I'm still questioning what I'm actually doing. I feel like there's only so much you can learn in an interview . . .

Today I was finally in my department training. I wrote my first "official" order as a pharmacist. Normally, someone else has to sign off on everything I do. While I had help today, no one else had to sign my work. It was kinda cool :-)

Overall, everyone seems pretty nice, and I think it will be a good position. Being a new grad is so hard though!

I think I might have to spend some time at the pool before tackling my four day week after the holiday!

Monday, June 27, 2011

News for the Day

The big news for the day is this-

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/06/27/blagojevich.trial/index.html

Blagojevich has finally been convicted! I feel like this is good for Illinois. Now, where can we find a politician that won't end up in jail?

In other news, today was my first day of hospital orientation. I am finally official! I'll have more updates about my new job later. The first day is all about fire safety and what to do if someone tries to steal a baby. It's riveting . . . let me tell you.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Goodbye

Tonight is my last night of unemployment.

I feel like a little kid dreading the first day of school.

I'm sort of excited to start work, but I'm not really one for change.

I expect to be absolutely exhausted by the end of the week- meeting new people always wears me out!

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

ESAs

Now, I'm going to geek out a little bit on this post. Non-medical type beware.

I am reminded today about how medicine is constantly changing.

Patients with cancer and kidney disease sometimes have problems making enough red blood cells. As such, doctors and pharmacists watch their labs. When their red blood cell counts get too low, we give them drugs called ESAs. Almost every kidney failure patient gets ESAs.

Now, the FDA is recommending that we back off and not use ESAs as much. Some research is showing that the drugs might cause heart attacks or strokes.

The FDA says,
"ESAs have not been shown to improve quality of life, fatigue, or patient well-being, the FDA said in a news release."

Medicine is a battle. We have to trust things enough to do our best to help others, but we have to always keep one eye open to make sure that we're not doing more harm than good.

Geeks read more here:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/745267

Friday, June 24, 2011

Tonight



I don't know if I'll make it, but look how good I'll fake it.

Ticklish Terrier

You can tell I've been home for too long because this video made me laugh.
I am starting work on Monday.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

New Apartment Post One

Welcome to my new apartment!

This is just my first week in the place, so I still have a lot to hang on the walls. My mom helped me get packed and was a big help.

This is my guest bathroom!!






It's hard to show in the pictures. The wallpaper was really boring, so I found some gerber daisies to add some color.

Be My Thrill



I'm really not for certain how to name a blog. Everyone else has such cute names, but I'm not exactly sure what to call mine. Honestly, I don't even think my life is interesting enough for a blog.

What made me decide to start one is that today I learned that one of my friends had been in a car accident 4 months ago. He is perfectly ok, but his car is ruined. How could I not know this about my friend though!?!?!?

I thought that a blog might be a good way to keep up with people. I sometimes forget to tell people things that are pretty important.