The nurses rocked in the ER. I'm glad I eventually bought them all junk food and strawberries as a way of saying thanks. I never took vitals. I ACE wrapped only when I wanted to. Suture trays were set up for me in advance. I gave one shot in 6 weeks. They collected and cleaned up urine and spilled urine...it was plush. It was such a well-oiled machine that for me to disrupt the system by trying to help out, would create an inefficiency. And, I was busy doing other important things, I rationalize, like diagnosing Lower Back Pain Not Otherwise Specified.

In the prison, I will be the triage nurse, medical assistant, charge nurse, clerk, and PA student. In addition to the history, physical and charting we'll be doing all the vitals, medications, scheduling of patients, transporting of patients to rooms, EKGs....I might put in a few hours at the cafeteria making mashed potatoes so I can round out my curriculum vitae.

I am pretty excited about this diversification of duties, actually. Lots of procedures to be done here, like toenail removals and cryotherapy. I had a 30 second patient encounter today that involved simply having the patient stick his arm through the small latched window from the suicidal isolation room so I could inject his deltoid with some medicine. It felt a little funny. No introductions, no eye contact. Just grab that deltoid, poke it, and walk away.

Great to be home in sunny Portland with the wife and puppy. I hope this 6 weeks goes by nice and slow!