Monday and Tuesday

So the big issue Monday was whether I was going to be allowed to stay in my department, or whether I was going to have to move because of my vaccinations. I had asked them to let me know asap seeing as how I'd need to communicate with my school if I was expected to move... Instead I was sent to the Staff Health and given a pDiTe vaccination and sent on my way. Thus, having no other obstacles, I was shoved out into duty in my ward. There is a woman who I will call DragonLady. She is the meanest, most miserable nurse I've ever met. I found out that she has only been in her position for a mere 9 months, but the way she bosses people around you'd think she'd been doing it for decades. Here are some of our interactions.

Example 1:
I have been ordered to change the diaper on a baby, a baby who has a very active digestive system, and has managed to poop out the legs of the diaper. He also screams the second his pacifier falls out of his mouth, which happens to be while I'm standing there, up to my neck in "LYS" (Large Yellow Stool). Meanwhile, the doctor is doing the rounds with about 6 med students. As they are examining the neighbor baby, DL approaches me to say in a very sarcastic voice, "Uhm Abby? Maybe next time you could wait to change the diaper of a screaming baby until we've done the rounds?" I reply, being the dork student that wants everybody to love her, "Oh yeah, sure of course! Sorry..." Then, seeing an opportunity to quiet the baby that doesn't involve my poopy hands, I add: "Could you do me a favor?" What, she says. "Could you put the pacifier back in his mouth for me?" "No, can't you see I'm busy doing the rounds?" Fabulous, thanks so much.

Example 2:
A baby is having spasms, which means that his sheets keep coming off. He is naked from the navel up and I take his temperature - 36.5. Okay, I think, in Denmark the limits are 36.8 to 37.2. So I figure I'll ask what DL recommends I do (and I'm not looking for trouble, she's just the only non-student available at that moment). I don't know what their policy is on this and maybe they'll say turn up a heating mat, or maybe put clothes on him, maybe give him a fuzzy swaddle. Maybe a hat even.
Me: "DL (I didn't really call her that, but I better watch out or it'll slip one day), he's at 36.5, what would you recommend I do?"
DL: "What's normal?"
Me: "Well, I'm not sure. In Denmark normal is 36.8 to-"
DL: (Interrupting) "In Denmark? Where are you right now? Where are you RIGHT now?"
Me: "Sydney..."
DL: "In WHAT country?"
Me: "Australia..."
DL: "Yes, AUSTRALIA. So I couldn't care LESS about what normal is in DENMARK."
Me: "You know what, I'll go talk to Jane about it instead, thanks though."
She does that really annoying emphasis on specific words that's completely unnecessary and hostile... What a miserable woman.

Example 3:
A mother tells DragonLady that she lost a child a couple of years ago at birth. She's crying, scared at having to turn over her new baby to us, and just in general a mess. DL's response: a slap on the shoulder and a "That's too bad - now let me tell you about the general rules in our department."

I can already tell that she's going to be my archenemy. I'm generally not impressed with the nurses - there are of course some that are excellent, but many of them seem burned out. People have told me, though, that all neonatal wards are stocked with bitchy women, but that wasn't my experience in Århus. So we'll see. I'm up for the challenge though. I'm willing to be treated like a first semester student, since they don't know what I'm capable of doing, but I'm absolutely not willing to be treated like crap at the same time. This is when I'm concerned that I've been in Denmark too long - I'm not used to the idea of paying your dues or whatever. Anyways, on the way home I got to talking to one of the other girls who ended up telling me her horror stories about the same woman, which in some sad was great since it meant that it wasn't me personally she hated.

Other than that, though, I took care of my little people and just did my own thing. I have a meeting tomorrow to plan the next 9 weeks of praktik, and I intend on looking at the roster (here they plan 3 months out) and signing myself up for the same shifts as the good nurses. I'm anxiously awaiting the outcome of the election tonight in the US - Ohio better get its act together Caitlin! I won't get the news here until around 5pm Wednesday, but I hope they cover it on the news. As far as I can tell, the Sydney Morning Herald is NOT going to be my news source. I'll have to keep looking...