Job Success

Recognizing success in yourself is an amazing thing. Having others reciprocate the same feeling just makes it better.

I am basically still 2 weeks behind after my time off for Shingles. But that time allowed me a much needed vacation that I haven't truly had since this past December. I came back to jump head first into a new rotation-- Children's hospital. I had never seen a pediatrics case 2 weeks ago. This week I have found my inner counselor... she had been hiding from me, and I am so VERY happy that she has decided to emerge.

Pediatric cases are very interesting because you never really know what to expect until you are in the middle of a session. So I prepare by trying to think of possible questions/ answers that could be related to the question... and I try to learn as much as possible as the doctors spit off possible tests we should be running next. But the true counseling comes in when I have to open my mouth. And I am no longer focusing on planning out everything I need to cover. I know that the certified counselor in the room will help me fill in the blanks that I am not as aware of yet (so that I will be better prepared to think of them next time), and I know that they trust me enough to let me go on my own. In return, I find myself explaining complex conditions or taking complex histories and in the middle realizing I am not going through a checklist, but truly taking the direction of the patient. Even better- when I finish and look back to see if I am forgetting to ask something... I am realizing that for the most part I did not forget anything! Wonderful.

Now, I am not anywhere near perfect. There is still much I am trying to learn and become more comfortable with. But this is such a big step for me. It makes each case so rewarding. When the counselor asks if I want to take on a new role in the session, I am finding myself say 'yes' without thinking about it. 'Why not?'

I know that I will get harsher criticism as time goes on. That there will be cases/ issues that I will struggle with as I continue in the months to come. But knowing I have done a good job, and that I am on the road to becoming the person I desire to be makes me think that harsh criticism is just another way to learn. Face value- advice is there to help me, no matter how it comes out.

If only I knew where I would be able to find a job next year, everything would be exactly on track for where I want to be!

And now I want to leave you with a quote I read yesterday that I really enjoyed:

"Home is not where you live but where they understand you" Christian Morganstein.