Second to last day of reception! The little things are fun in reception....being able to drink coffee while I work (instead of putting it down, wrestle with a dog/cat, come back for a tepid sip....), and wearing fun office clothes. Not that I don't love wearing my 'pajamas' to work every day (really, who thought up the concept of scrubs, because they are my favorite person for work wear causal), but it's the girl in me that likes pinstriped dress pants.
Brought some donuts today and got to munch on one while I was doing the morning paper shuffle (making sure we have all the files for today and they have the correct information for the client, an anesthesia consent form if its surgery, and a 'travel sheet', which is basically a huge run down of everything we offer and charge for so that the vet can highlight or circle what they want the receptionists to put into the computer for chargers. Good system, actually). Nothing like a just-made chocolate icing donut and coffee. Mmm.
In terms of medicine, not much to talk about today (that I could see). No emergency surgeries or anything really spectacular. More thunderstorm anxiety calls, though, and a rash of lost pooches from the storms. Poor things.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
7/17/07
Second week of reception! I don't mind sitting and answering phones for most of the day, but I sure do miss being in surgery. I really like doing surgery work, and I'd like to get in on being a surgery tech when I get out. I'm not sure exactly what that will entail....especially since my aim is humane society work. Spay and neuter clinics? Maybe some place like BEVS would be good, too, since I really like the diversity of surgery and I think spaying and neutering would get a bit old after a while.
Nothing really too interesting in reception today except seeing a friend of mine from my old job in Stowe. Her little Jack Russell had a bit of pyoderma on his tummy and some skin irritation. Such a cute dog (for a land shark).
Nothing really too interesting in reception today except seeing a friend of mine from my old job in Stowe. Her little Jack Russell had a bit of pyoderma on his tummy and some skin irritation. Such a cute dog (for a land shark).
7/14/07
I'm a tech again! At least for today. It was sort of a slow-ish Saturday, a few vaccines, no blood draws, but lots of phone calls. I gave advice (whee!), planned rechecks, and did a bunch of tech customer service, discussing treatment options. Gave some subQ fluids to an angry blocked cat! We've had a little spate of blocked tom cats in the past few days...is there something in the air?
7/12/07
One good thing about reception is that I am strictly 8-5...and I get out mostly on time, too! I feel like a bank worker, except for the fact that I don't think they ever have people yelling at them about why we can't see their pet, yes we're sorry but we're full up and yes we understand that your pet is sick, but if it's been so sick for THREE WEEKS, maybe you should have come in sooner, maybe? Here, have the number for BEVS. Grrr. It's always the people going on vacation that have left their vomiting/diarrhea/limping/not eating/lethargic for a month dog till the night before they leave, like it's picking up that last-minute bag of charcoal. Then, of course, they get snippy with us when we're understaffed with techs, full to the gills with appointments and fit-in slots (where they come with the understanding that we'll see them....we just don't have a specific time, so they have to wait) and tech appointments. We want to help, but you gotta help us help you and not be a jackass about it. Sigh. Makes me remember why I quit being a receptionist in the first place. I'd rather wrestle with an over-eager dog any day.
On an even more frustrating side note, a kitty victim of a dog attack came in...and didn't make it. Sad, yes, but the frustrating part is that this is not the first time. These people used to have five cats. I'll give you a guess at how many they have now. Do not get cats if your dogs are cat killers! Grrr.
On an even more frustrating side note, a kitty victim of a dog attack came in...and didn't make it. Sad, yes, but the frustrating part is that this is not the first time. These people used to have five cats. I'll give you a guess at how many they have now. Do not get cats if your dogs are cat killers! Grrr.
7/11/07
My voice is back! Sort of. I could answer the phones as a marginally normal person would, but I still crack and squeak a bit. We had a lot of thunderstorm anxiety dogs coming in with all the storms moving through. Poor guys, even some that have never had an issue with them are starting to show signs. Not that I blame them, of course, all these storms would drive any pup up a wall. I spoke with a lot of clients about some things they can do to help their pooches, but I keep having to remind myself that I'm in receptionist mode, not tech mode. Can't wait to get back again!
7/10/07
First day in reception! I lost my voice last night and can't talk! Very fun!
Haha, it was actually a sort of interesting day, being a receptionist without a voice. I learned about how we fiddle with appointments, such as the criteria we ask about, how to set up the folders for incoming clients, new clients, and surgeries. I had done the scheduling part many times before, but it was good to do the rest as well.
All in all, a rather uneventful time aside from that people must wonder what sort of place they're calling when someone answers the phone in a husky whisper.
Haha, it was actually a sort of interesting day, being a receptionist without a voice. I learned about how we fiddle with appointments, such as the criteria we ask about, how to set up the folders for incoming clients, new clients, and surgeries. I had done the scheduling part many times before, but it was good to do the rest as well.
All in all, a rather uneventful time aside from that people must wonder what sort of place they're calling when someone answers the phone in a husky whisper.
7/5/07
What a day. My first full day as a surgery tech and what a disaster. We didn't get started until late, then the dog (mass removal) didn't seem to want a catheter (no veins), and then was very hard to intubate. I initially used too small of a tube, and the doctor was very nice and helpful but ended up giving me the wrong size tube (I had a bigger, but flimsier one), and so once the dog was on the table he started to wake up because he was breathing around the tube. Had to call in backup at that point, and after we got him all set up breathing-wise, we couldn't position him right. The mass was at the base of the tail on the underside, and I wanted to use tape but was outvoted....and then we ended up using tape anyhow. Frustrating. Mind you, this was all to set up a five minute surgery. So finally after I think I've just about killed this dog (heart rate, respiratory rate WAY up according to the monitors) we get him down, in and out, and I'm recovering him, trimming his toenails...and he bleeds everywhere. Longest quicks I have ever seen in a dog, and of course, had to be on this dog. At that point I gave him up as a bad job and stuck him in the kennel. Made the most horrendous sounds when he was waking up...sigh.
Next up was a cat spay...that needed to be intubated. Mid spay. On the table. Apparently its unusual to happen that the drugs don't keep them down. Figures. So, a little paranoid, I stuck close and it turns out she was pregnant. This was very cool as I got to see the doctor take out the sacks and then cut them open and see the tiny babies (about the size of a small pinky mouse, a little smaller). After we went through them one by one to make sure that they were all deceased as that would be a horrible way to wake up.
Everything else went fine after all that, did the problematic dog's go home. One of the other surgery techs, the only other one who knew what was going on, told me it was okay, that things happen and I did well. She was very supportive, especially since I wanted to throw myself out a window after all that stress.
Oh, and I diagnosed roundworms! Go parasitology!
It's a shame that I'm going to be in reception for the next two weeks, I think I learn better by jumping into the fray like that (or getting thrown into the fire, maybe). Oh well.
Next up was a cat spay...that needed to be intubated. Mid spay. On the table. Apparently its unusual to happen that the drugs don't keep them down. Figures. So, a little paranoid, I stuck close and it turns out she was pregnant. This was very cool as I got to see the doctor take out the sacks and then cut them open and see the tiny babies (about the size of a small pinky mouse, a little smaller). After we went through them one by one to make sure that they were all deceased as that would be a horrible way to wake up.
Everything else went fine after all that, did the problematic dog's go home. One of the other surgery techs, the only other one who knew what was going on, told me it was okay, that things happen and I did well. She was very supportive, especially since I wanted to throw myself out a window after all that stress.
Oh, and I diagnosed roundworms! Go parasitology!
It's a shame that I'm going to be in reception for the next two weeks, I think I learn better by jumping into the fray like that (or getting thrown into the fire, maybe). Oh well.
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