Today marks my Ten Year Anniversary at my current ED, in Giant Community Hospital.
It’s been remarkably good. Initially I was a fish out of water, only a year out of training in a system where the ED is noted to Know their Stuff to this system where the ED is the Scapegoat for the Staff. It resulted in several uncomfortable moments with the consulting staff (Consults and Pain) written just 17 days into my tenure.
As time has elapsed (as it is wont to do), the ED has decreased as the Scapegoat of Record, and I’m happy as a clam in the practice of Emergency Medicine here. Though, times have changed.
When I was brought aboard a decade aboard our ED was seeing about 72k a year, and I was one of two docs hired to go from 7 to 8 Doc shifts a day. This year we’re going to exceed 100K visits easily, and are trying to go to 12 shifts a day. The facility has not changed much over time (a facelift about 5 years ago and the addition of about 7 beds 5 years ago), so we’re in hall beds daily, and sometimes all day every day. This will change within 18 months, as today we held our ED Groundbreaking for an 87 room ED, each room of which will hold two patients, so no hall patients for at least a week. At the end of 2013.
Professionally, I’m good. It takes a lot to get my pulse up, and our nursing staff remains top flight despite a fairly high turnover rate. The medical staff is good to interact with, and the ED call list is as good as it’s ever been, and way better than the dark ages of a few years ago.
Personally, I and mine are in the same home for a decade, which is a record. The Kids are off on their own (One a mom of 2, one a budding lawyer, and one who walked for Graduation this May and will graduate at the end of June, aged 20). So, we’ve been lucky as parents.
Good news for me: professionally I have new avenues (Medical Informatics) but still get to work shifts, my wife still suffers me with class and style, and I have the best EM job on earth.
I hope the next Ten are as good.
Thanks for playing.
Congratulations and best wishes for the next ten. The numbers you quote are ginormous!
So glad you’ve stayed “in the area”! Keep up the good work! ;-)
Congratulations on all the good things in your life. You DID pick the best wife for yourself! And I’m thinking that your great attitude has benefitted yourself and the whole ED. ;-)
Congrats! A great job, challenging environment and a health, happy family, it really does not get any better than this.
Steve
AND, of course, your parents are exceedingly proud. We take partial credit for your successes.
Was there an internet 10 years ago?!
I have to say I’m puzzled by this 7 to 8 shifts a day, and 12 shifts a day…
Can you talk more about how a person keeps a job in an ED for 10 years? I’m a PGY-1 and keep hearing about how many people leave their jobs and move (even cross-country) regularly. I would rather stay put somewhere near the same small-ish community. What are your tips and tricks for working happily for 10 years in the same ED?