Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Attempt Number 2

So, it is now 3:30PMish, and I am sitting in the resident work room in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). It is (unusually, eerily) quiet this afternoon here - I only have 7 patients that I am responsible for today and they are all being well-behaved babies for now. I actually have all my work done already, so now I just get to chill until my shift is over at 6. (Hopefully noting catastophic happens between now and then.)

For some reason, I feel that NOW is a good time to retry this blog - I have made it through most of my intern year, and I haven't written a post since the first month, whoops! I really had NO idea how busy I was going to be, and how little free time I would possess.

Some things I've learned that has helped me survive thus far:
1. Be nice to everyone.
2. Be fully present where ever you are - at home, at work, driving.
3. Ask questions. If you don't understand it, don't pretend that you do. (Don't just ask your MD counterparts. Pharmacists, lab techs, nurses, respiratory therapists have made me much less of an idiot.)
4. Do laundry during nap time. Pray nap time lasts through at least 2 loads of laundry.
5. Plan your dinners out. Better yet, have your husband plan your dinners out.
6. Act calmly, even if you're not feeling calm on the inside.
7. Getting to work 15 minutes early on inpatient months saves an hour of time later. (I prefer to get in a few minutes early and leave early so I can see my family ... some may value sleep more.)
8. Assume everyone is smarter than you, cause they most likely are. Including your 1 1/2 year old son.
9. Admit to your mistakes. You will make them, and some will be bad. Learn from them and get over them. On the same note, you will get yelled at, don't take it too personally.
10. Don't gossip about anyone.
11. Tell your family you love them as much as possible, and be grateful that they put up with you.
12. Go outside as much as possible.

Addedum: This post was actually written two days ago ... I just got around to posting it now.

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