The reason I got into healthcare was to make a difference in people's lives. If I have the opportunity to make a real connection with someone during a shift that does it for me. This past weekend I had this privilege. I went to the waiting room to get my patient and we hit it off right away. He had a long, difficult to pronounce last name and I ...

With week one under my belt, I feel like I’m headed in the right direction. The more I work the more it’s all coming back to me. I was also surprised to see that my medical Spanish was only dormant and hadn’t been forgotten. Working with veterans is very rewarding. They are grateful for their care and always have good stories to share. As I ...

I have officially started my new CT job at the VA. So far everyone has been extremely nice during my training. There’s so much to learn between the workflow, protocols, and the new machine. GE isn’t as user friendly as Philips but I am catching on. The majority of my patients are out patients so this is a nice change from my previous job in ...

Today was my first day of new employee orientation. It went as good as can be expected and will continue for the next two days. I will start training in CT at the end of the week. I’ve never worked a job with a commute of more than 15 minutes and now I have one that is about 45 minutes. If I’m not early I feel late, so I will be adjusting to ...

With my new job beginning next week, I realized that I should get back to the basics. I haven’t worked in CT since October of 2011 so a return to the books is in order. I have been freshening up on my anatomy and positioning and revisiting old text books. I have only worked on a Philips machine and the VA has GE equipment. I am told they ...

After going on an interview in mid December of last year, I was just given my start date at the VA of mid March. I guess it’s better late than never.  I was initially supposed to begin orientation today but some unfinished paperwork held things up.  I have seen first hand that getting a government job takes quite a bit longer than a ...

Jobs are difficult to get these days and it end ups being more about who you know, not what you know. I have my foot in the door at the VA because of a former colleague. She actually helped me get my first CT job right out of school and now she’s helping me out again. I guess I’ve impressed her somewhere along the way. This is an important ...

While I’m very excited about getting back to work, I haven’t done CT since October of 2011. Before that I only did it for 2 ¼ years so I know I still have so much to learn. At my previous hospital I worked exclusively on a Philips machine and at the VA they have GE equipment. I’m told they are very different for the user. I will also have to learn ...

I spent most of yesterday at the VA Hospital having various tests performed and handing over copies of my fingerprints at the police station. I first met with a nice woman from HR who needed me to sign yet another form. She also informed me that I have more paperwork to complete on line. These forms seem to have no end. She then escorted me ...

Now that we are back in Florida, I am eagerly looking for a job. Thanks to a wonderful former colleague, I am now in the hiring process for a CT position at the VA Hospital. If any of you have ever applied for a government job you know it can be a lengthy process. They have told me it can take up to three months. I am trying to be patient as my ...