kidzpca
02-02-2004, 01:05 PM
The following is the most difficult assessment I have ever had to do on myself. Hasn't come easy, or overnight. A few things finally came to light in the last two to four weeks. A shortened version will be included in my official self assessment in mid-February.
Everyone knows the struggles my family and I have gone through the past two years starting in March 2002. It hasn't been easy being a Cancer Family. Only a Cancer Family really knows what it is like. I would never wish what we have experienced on anyone. Not even my worst enemy in the World. ***special note I have been in therapy for dealing with this since July 2003 when I realized I needed to talk things out, to adjust and accept that Cancer was in MY household.*** Not an easy task or to admit.
The last two to three months I have struggled to figure out what it is I want out of my career and work experience. I know...I haven't given 100% to my work in 2003 and for that I am extremely sorry. I am going to change that.
Thanksgiving and Christmas 2003 were wonderful. Don't get me wrong. Tiffany was home, Andrew, my wife and I were able to celebrate without concern--well much. ***As for Christmas 2002 I am so greatful to my co-workers in making a difficult Christmas very special and meaningful. I know it helped in the family healing while Tiffany was still hospitalized.***
I know some people have been concerned for me as I have heard rumors. Just wish people would talk directly to me instead of "behind my back" so to speak. Especially about my work. A co-worker sat me down for just a moment and did one thing---Asked how I was doing. Me, Kevin, not Tiffany, Andrew or my wife, Maureen. But, "How are you, Kevin doing?" And indicated she knows me better than that. What a wake-up call. Yet the "PUSH" I needed.
Now to the nitty gritty: Now that Tiffany's illness is stablized (with still a long road ahead) and that my mother's guardianship (whom I have cared for off and on for 20 years) has been passed on to my brother in December 2003. I have realized through therapy that I was "angry" at what Cancer has done to my family. I can finally HEAL and concentrate more fully on my work and career as I should.
Then came January 23rd 2004 when a 10-year-old boy and his family came into pediatrics with what was thought to be xxxxxxxx. I saw the fear, terror of the unknown, and potential sense of loss that I felt in March 2002. Over the weekend I found I CAN STILL DO GREAT GOOD. This family is not much different than my own. Jen, RN knows and sees my talents to help and WE MADE A GOOD TEAM guiding this newly diagnosed cancer family.
Communication: Can't be stressed enough. I've lacked. But I vow to improve and communicate, communicate, communicate to insure that the RNs I work with understand and know I'm doing my work. I am also going to do what I can to insure that the RNs I work with understand that I too need to be informed of what they need for me to do for them and the patients.
Documentation: I try to chart within an hour of completing a task but if the time or day is a particularly busy one I chart ASAP. I need to make sure that what vitals I have gotten have transferred in the charts accurately. Thus I will improve upon it.
Teamwork: I do what I can. Some of this is the Communication between the RNs and Myself. I do try to be of help as much as possible. Have asked for help from others and offered to help others as time the opportunity arrises. ***I have found though that some RNs feel that some tasks are just the RNs and the PCA tasks are just the PCAs. Yet, I thought that such things as setting up rooms when an admit comes was everyone's job to get it done efficiently. Lately in the past two weeks I found that I was informed of an admit. I'd start setting up the room and five minutes later the patient was here. I know it happens. But last week it happened twice in the same day. And the RN I worked with didn't help one bit. And I know for a fact one of the two times she sat at the lighthouse desk and paid no mind that I was trying to settle the patient/family into the room. *** Just an observance. However, it looks bad to the patient families to see one employee bending over backwards to settle them in and the RN is just sitting around obviously not busy (reading a magazine). As one family indicated to me.
Professionalism: I am going to not bring so much of my personal baggage to work with me. It likely has affected my work/ethic.
Goals: To mend any broken fences that I have among my co-workers. Improve my skills as stated above. Now that I have realized what Cancer has done to my Family and could have done still...If I continued...Enough. Anyhow I want to continue on Pediatrics as I have. My experiences with Cancer, acknowledgement of my epiphany and much more can only hopefully make a better Employee, Colleage, Husband, Father, etc. I would like to return to school for perhaps Medical Social Work or something similar. Will have to look into it. Just difficult after a near nine year absence from school.
By the way...I am an adult too and can take what people have to say to me. I don't like when people talk behind one's backs. It isn't good. I needed a wake up call. Where was Theresa, Jeanette, Barb M, and a few others when I needed the "wake up call"? Kidding. I got the message and all it took was one person asking "How are you doing? I'm concerned and care about you." and meant it for me.
Kidzpca
I'm going to give a copy to the Nurse Educator and one Unit Coordinator on Tuesday. I hope to talk to one or both at the time I had the letter in. The Unit Coordinator can pass it on to the Nurse Manager for my view. A shortened version is being printed for my official evaluation that I will also hand in tomorrow.
Everyone knows the struggles my family and I have gone through the past two years starting in March 2002. It hasn't been easy being a Cancer Family. Only a Cancer Family really knows what it is like. I would never wish what we have experienced on anyone. Not even my worst enemy in the World. ***special note I have been in therapy for dealing with this since July 2003 when I realized I needed to talk things out, to adjust and accept that Cancer was in MY household.*** Not an easy task or to admit.
The last two to three months I have struggled to figure out what it is I want out of my career and work experience. I know...I haven't given 100% to my work in 2003 and for that I am extremely sorry. I am going to change that.
Thanksgiving and Christmas 2003 were wonderful. Don't get me wrong. Tiffany was home, Andrew, my wife and I were able to celebrate without concern--well much. ***As for Christmas 2002 I am so greatful to my co-workers in making a difficult Christmas very special and meaningful. I know it helped in the family healing while Tiffany was still hospitalized.***
I know some people have been concerned for me as I have heard rumors. Just wish people would talk directly to me instead of "behind my back" so to speak. Especially about my work. A co-worker sat me down for just a moment and did one thing---Asked how I was doing. Me, Kevin, not Tiffany, Andrew or my wife, Maureen. But, "How are you, Kevin doing?" And indicated she knows me better than that. What a wake-up call. Yet the "PUSH" I needed.
Now to the nitty gritty: Now that Tiffany's illness is stablized (with still a long road ahead) and that my mother's guardianship (whom I have cared for off and on for 20 years) has been passed on to my brother in December 2003. I have realized through therapy that I was "angry" at what Cancer has done to my family. I can finally HEAL and concentrate more fully on my work and career as I should.
Then came January 23rd 2004 when a 10-year-old boy and his family came into pediatrics with what was thought to be xxxxxxxx. I saw the fear, terror of the unknown, and potential sense of loss that I felt in March 2002. Over the weekend I found I CAN STILL DO GREAT GOOD. This family is not much different than my own. Jen, RN knows and sees my talents to help and WE MADE A GOOD TEAM guiding this newly diagnosed cancer family.
Communication: Can't be stressed enough. I've lacked. But I vow to improve and communicate, communicate, communicate to insure that the RNs I work with understand and know I'm doing my work. I am also going to do what I can to insure that the RNs I work with understand that I too need to be informed of what they need for me to do for them and the patients.
Documentation: I try to chart within an hour of completing a task but if the time or day is a particularly busy one I chart ASAP. I need to make sure that what vitals I have gotten have transferred in the charts accurately. Thus I will improve upon it.
Teamwork: I do what I can. Some of this is the Communication between the RNs and Myself. I do try to be of help as much as possible. Have asked for help from others and offered to help others as time the opportunity arrises. ***I have found though that some RNs feel that some tasks are just the RNs and the PCA tasks are just the PCAs. Yet, I thought that such things as setting up rooms when an admit comes was everyone's job to get it done efficiently. Lately in the past two weeks I found that I was informed of an admit. I'd start setting up the room and five minutes later the patient was here. I know it happens. But last week it happened twice in the same day. And the RN I worked with didn't help one bit. And I know for a fact one of the two times she sat at the lighthouse desk and paid no mind that I was trying to settle the patient/family into the room. *** Just an observance. However, it looks bad to the patient families to see one employee bending over backwards to settle them in and the RN is just sitting around obviously not busy (reading a magazine). As one family indicated to me.
Professionalism: I am going to not bring so much of my personal baggage to work with me. It likely has affected my work/ethic.
Goals: To mend any broken fences that I have among my co-workers. Improve my skills as stated above. Now that I have realized what Cancer has done to my Family and could have done still...If I continued...Enough. Anyhow I want to continue on Pediatrics as I have. My experiences with Cancer, acknowledgement of my epiphany and much more can only hopefully make a better Employee, Colleage, Husband, Father, etc. I would like to return to school for perhaps Medical Social Work or something similar. Will have to look into it. Just difficult after a near nine year absence from school.
By the way...I am an adult too and can take what people have to say to me. I don't like when people talk behind one's backs. It isn't good. I needed a wake up call. Where was Theresa, Jeanette, Barb M, and a few others when I needed the "wake up call"? Kidding. I got the message and all it took was one person asking "How are you doing? I'm concerned and care about you." and meant it for me.
Kidzpca
I'm going to give a copy to the Nurse Educator and one Unit Coordinator on Tuesday. I hope to talk to one or both at the time I had the letter in. The Unit Coordinator can pass it on to the Nurse Manager for my view. A shortened version is being printed for my official evaluation that I will also hand in tomorrow.