Well I have completed my first week on the ward (as the titled my have suggested) and officially will no longer be supernumery or buddied up with another nurse. So, from Sunday I will be on my own! Although for two of my shifts I was left alone for the last two hours anyway. The first time I was left by myself was a bit stressful, as I hadn't realised that some of the paperwork hadn't been done, so I was trying to get that done, had an in-service to attend, notes to write, and still provide nursing cares. I didn't end up getting out of work until 4pm (was supposed to finish at 3.30). The next day I was much more prepared and organised :)
So far I don't have a payroll number or a uniform. I have just been wearing the pair of pants and one of the skirts I used for prac (so at least they are being put to good use) and then just some nicer shirts/blouses that I have. It was hard putting in an order form for the uniforms as I have no idea how the sizing is. It was a bit of a guessing game, so we shall see. Apparently a shipment of uniforms was coming from Cairns on the 14th, so hopefully the order got put in on time and I will have more to wear, without having to wash twice a week. And hopefully my payroll number doesn't take too long either, but by the looks of it I won't be paid this coming Wednesday. It's a good thing I got my tax return before I arrived!
Nursing at the Thursday Island hospital is so far fairly similar to nursing at a big hospital, although of course there are differences. We have lots of people come in and out by helicopter given the location. There is also limited equipment here, so a lot of people get transferred to Cairns Base Hospital for further tests and treatment. Given the proximity to PNG we also have people that come down from there, so customs are involved with those patients. Some things I've seen that you aren't likely to see in Brisbane - Tuberculosis and possibly leprosy (they aren't sure about that one yet, waiting on test results).
Besides work, nothing much else is happening. I got woken up the other night by a loud banging noise. I thought someone was trying to break in! Turns out it was someone who had been locked up at the police station banging because he was 'f$*&ing starving!' Was rather annoying hearing that at probably around 2am I the morning, and again at around 6. I guess it's bound to happen occasionally given how close I am to the police station.
Tonight and tomorrow night I am staying at Horn Island for a bit of an explore there, so my next post will most likely be about that. I'm going with a couple of other grad nurses (who are already halfway and nearly finished their programs) and a doctor. We will be staying at the nurse educators house tonight and then camping Saturday night. Really looking forward to it! But for now I need to do some housework. Not so exciting :/
So far I don't have a payroll number or a uniform. I have just been wearing the pair of pants and one of the skirts I used for prac (so at least they are being put to good use) and then just some nicer shirts/blouses that I have. It was hard putting in an order form for the uniforms as I have no idea how the sizing is. It was a bit of a guessing game, so we shall see. Apparently a shipment of uniforms was coming from Cairns on the 14th, so hopefully the order got put in on time and I will have more to wear, without having to wash twice a week. And hopefully my payroll number doesn't take too long either, but by the looks of it I won't be paid this coming Wednesday. It's a good thing I got my tax return before I arrived!
Nursing at the Thursday Island hospital is so far fairly similar to nursing at a big hospital, although of course there are differences. We have lots of people come in and out by helicopter given the location. There is also limited equipment here, so a lot of people get transferred to Cairns Base Hospital for further tests and treatment. Given the proximity to PNG we also have people that come down from there, so customs are involved with those patients. Some things I've seen that you aren't likely to see in Brisbane - Tuberculosis and possibly leprosy (they aren't sure about that one yet, waiting on test results).
Besides work, nothing much else is happening. I got woken up the other night by a loud banging noise. I thought someone was trying to break in! Turns out it was someone who had been locked up at the police station banging because he was 'f$*&ing starving!' Was rather annoying hearing that at probably around 2am I the morning, and again at around 6. I guess it's bound to happen occasionally given how close I am to the police station.
Tonight and tomorrow night I am staying at Horn Island for a bit of an explore there, so my next post will most likely be about that. I'm going with a couple of other grad nurses (who are already halfway and nearly finished their programs) and a doctor. We will be staying at the nurse educators house tonight and then camping Saturday night. Really looking forward to it! But for now I need to do some housework. Not so exciting :/
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