Tuesday, July 6, 2010

New Resident Orientation

For the past four months of July, I've been pestering our nurse manager to arrange for the new dermatology residents to get a formal orientation/training in our phototherapy department. At least once a month, we get a phone call from a former doctor who trained at Mayo wondering how to order phototherapy and how to dose appropriately. Shouldn't they have already learned that?

Anyway, at the beginning of June, two consultants caught on to my vision and approached me to help them come up with orientation manual and skills checklist to teach the first year residents. We decided to do a full hour in the phototherapy department to get a quick overview of the pieces of equipment and then they have to complete 2 mandatory half days of orientation treating patients, calculating doses, and assessing skin.

Today, the 8 first year residents, along with 3 second year and 2 third year residents, met me in the phototherapy department to get a quick overview. I haven't given a presentation in a REALLY long time - I can't even remember the last one I gave - and I was pretty nervous. I was glad to see the second year and third year residents join in, but it made me even more nervous. Then my nurse manager told me not to worry because she was going to be there too! That made me worry even more!! Once I realized that they really didn't have a clue about phototherapy, I calmed down (a little).

My nurse manager said it went really well and I think it did too. Everyone participated and they had a lot of questions - I'm told that this is a good thing. The hour flew by a lot faster than I thought it would. I'm glad it's done... the butterflies are finally settling in my stomach... but now I don't have a project.... and I really want a project.... what next?!?