It has felt like decades since I last worked at the Hospital back home in Newfoundland. In reality, its only been since 2005. Funny how it seems like it was worlds away. I was just at a hospital last Wednesday to have my breathing test done. I’ll re-cap that on Wednesday or so, in case anyone is interested in hearing the results.
Oh gosh, remember the days wearing scrub pants from the hospital was popular? I admit, I thought it was awesome too. Until I started working there, and I definitely wanted to purchase my own! Now, I find it pretty gross that people wear the operating room uniform. The guy who did my breathing test last week had some scrubs on. Which totally made me want to yak up my lunch.
I worked at the Hospital for about 4 years, and of course bought my own scrub clothing after seeing what goes in the hamper and dirty laundry after cleaning out the operating rooms (yes! I did that!!) along with some incredibly violent with their food and … other bodily fluids on nurses and doctors uniforms. Not something that I’d like to wear, no matter the cleaning process it goes through. I could see myself getting a little out of hand and perhaps a minor OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) coming on after working there for a number of years. Thankfully it went away, but I was almost to the point that I didn’t want to touch elevator buttons or door handles anymore because I knew what went on.I always saw Nurses Aids and even nurses NOT washing their hands after using the restroom. Ugh.
For a number of years while I worked at the hospital, I held a variety of duties: I worked down in the psychiatric unit for a summer. Which to sum it up was eye opening, interesting , exciting and scary all at the same time. I also was a housekeeper cleaning the patient rooms, operating rooms, emergency rooms, and even bonded with some of the ambulance staff who fed me! HA!! I also ended up doing a Medical Terminology class half way through of my “years” at the hospital and switched over to being a ward clerk, which is essentially a secretary for the nurses and doctors. That consisted of 12 hour shifts of answering phones, making appointments and doing up new patient charts. I worked in the NICU (baby ICU ward — so sad), ICU (critical care), and of course on the floors and down in psychiatry again.
Man I made so much money while I was a student working away at the hospital, living with my parents. I now have a job that I completely love with minimum stress, with a fantastic boss and co-workers who are all super great. I mean, who can really say that? Working at the hospital was definitely an eye opener for me, and definitely mingled with a wide variety of personalities. I’m glad I had that opportunity to work there for so many years. Hard to appreciate it when you’re naive and immature like I was. But I certainly do realize that now.
What was one eye opening moment in your life, whether it be at a place of work, or elsewhere?