I feel like with my new nursing position, I am sort of on the inside looking out.  That doesn't even make sense, but it does to me, so we'll go with it.

See... for the average person, they go to the hospital for one reason or another.  Get some antibiotics, get some blood drawn, have their vitals monitored, and then someone deems them worthy to go home and they leave. 

Today I was "behind the scenes", and I have to say, it was so fascinating.  I work with gynecologic cancers.  Once a week, some doctors, some lab pathologists, and a whole lot of medical residents get together and review patients.  On one side of the screen is the patients stats: diagnosis, labs, treatment, etc.  The other side is a beautiful pattern of circles in a lovely shade of purple.  The smart people call those tumor cells.  Same thing.

Anyhow, as I sat in on this meeting, the amount of time spent on each case analyzing every little detail...EVERYTHING....it was so amazing!  Sad, yes, because each case was a person who was very, very sick, but all of these people stopped what they were doing to get everyones point of view on the diagnosis and the treatment.

I'm a nerd, I realize this, but I thought it was SO cool.

Then MY job after this is over, is to take notes on what the diagnosis is, along with a possible plan of treatment, and hang on to it, so that when the patient follows up and meets with the doctor to learn of their sad diagnosis, I will be one step ahead and be getting all the ducks in a row, so to speak.

Out-patient nursing is VERY different.  I'm only on week two and I feel like I have learned so much!  ...but I also feel like I have so much more to learn and that's a teensy bit overwhelming.  I'm getting there, though.