I have a new short term job at Oregon Health and Sciences Univ (OHSU) Hospital for a couple of months. This job kind of makes me laugh because I am doing two things I thought I would never do. 1) I work in Information Technology. I may seem kind of techie to the general public, after all I do own an internet business but some of you also know that I am trying to sell my business because I don't like the tech side of the business but then I go and get a job in tech support. 2) I work at the hospital. I am REALLY squeamish. I can't even watch TV shows like CSI or ER. I can't stand the sight of blood so I decided to take a job testing computers in hospital rooms. Today I was in ER trauma. I know, crazy.So, what's my job as tech support at the hospital entail? Well, I walk around the hospital all day testing computers to make sure they are configured correctly for the new electronic charting software, called EPIC, that the inpatient hospital will soon be using. Once the new software "goes live" next week, I will be assigned to one floor of the hospital working with the doctors and nurses to resolve any computer software glitches that come up. You can imagine how detrimental it would be if the nurses can't chart the patients information while they are trying to give care. I free the care givers up to take care of the patience while I resolve the computer problems. You may be thinking that I must be an expert on EPIC. Actually, I don't even know how to use it yet. I am starting my EPIC classes this week and I hope I know just a little bit more than the hospital users. I think it will be challenging but I am excited about being able to help the care givers be more efficient in caring for their patients with this new program.
One thing I don't like about this job is that the hospital is only 4 miles from my house but it can take me up to an hour to get there sometimes because I have to take the bus. There is no parking up there for employees. It's such a problem that a tram was built from the downtown waterfront to the hospital. My friend Julie calls it the Silver Tic Tac and it's fun to ride (tourists have to pay $4 to ride it and get the spectacular view) but we get to ride it everyday for free.
Another problem is that I work the same shift that the hospital staff works, 12 hour shifts from 7am to 7pm. I have to be thankful that I don't have to work the 7pm to 7am shift. That would be really hard. All in all, I'm thankful for the job and be able to something for a little while that's new and challenging.
