Not the WOW I was hoping for

I just spent the morning at the hospital with Respiratory Therapists (RTs). It was interesting and I got a chance to visit different areas and talk to people, but since it was a fairly slow day, it was hard to get a sense of whether it was right for me or not. I was hoping I would get a clear, “yup, this is me” feeling, but it didn’t happen. I didn’t get an “ugh this job sucks” feeling either so it’s left me unsure.

I got a chance to see a few operations in the OR and see what happens in the ICU and ER. The OR was interesting, but there was a lot of waiting around as the RTs mostly help out when a patient is being put under anaesthesia or when waking up (if the patient is a child). From what I saw, the RTs prep the OR for the anaesthesiologist and assist them during the anaesthesia process. I was able to attend most of a little girl’s (4-ish) operation to have tubes put in. Poor little thing was doing great right before she entered the OR... once she was on the stretcher she started to cry as she was obviously scared. No one tried to reassure her and that made me a little sad. :-( I also saw a lobectomy (operation to remove the lobe of a lung) being performed. The RTs are called in to the surgery room if the anaesthesiologist has to leave for whatever reas... like having to go to the washroom, which was the case today. They let me actually look in to see what the surgeon was doing. It was surprisingly really clean! I was expecting blood everywhere, but it wasn’t the case.

In the ICU the RTs have specific patients who are on respirators or have certain pulmonary “issues” (for lack of a better term). There’s a lot of checking of the machines, making notes, doing consultations and likely making decisions (although that wasn’t very obvious to me). In ICU I also had a chance to attend rounds where the doctor, nurse, RT, physiotherapist, nutritionist and occupational therapist discuss each patient. This was particularly interesting as I had been interested in both physio and nutrition. However, their role in these cases seemed quite limited. The nutritionist asked if each patient was eating and that’s about it. The physiotherapist discussed the height of one patient’s bed and his mobility. Overall, the RT and the nurse had the most interesting stuff to report. Of course, this could just be today in particular. I have been told that physio is very repetitive and that nutrition can be frustrating because you always see patients who refuse to listen to you. If nothing else, today’s job shadowing reaffirmed that physio and nutrition probably isn’t for me.

So for now, all I can do is wait till Tuesday and see how job shadowing in Radiology goes. If I’m still unsure, I guess I’ll have to do more research or I’ll go back to the drawing board. *sigh*

Call me wacko, but I really believe that something will guide me in the right direction. If I didn’t get the wow feeling today, it might be to make my decision to do something else easier.

I have faith that I will eventually find my path, I just have to keep searching.

Speaking of – my sister told me a few months ago that the song Put Your Records on by Corinne Bailey Rae reminds her of me. Now, every time I hear it, it makes me smile because I know that I’m gonna find myself somewhere, somehow. :-)

A few excerpts from my new theme song:

Three little birds, sat on my window.
And they told me I don't need to worry.
Summer came like cinnamon
So sweet,
Little girls double-dutch on the concrete.

Maybe sometimes, we've got it wrong, but it's alright
The more things seem to change, the more they stay the same
Oh, don't you hesitate.

Girl, put your records on, tell me your favourite song
You go ahead, let your hair down
Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams,
Just go ahead, let your hair down.

You're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow.

...........

'Twas more than I could take, pity for pity's sake
Some nights kept me awake, I thought that I was stronger
When you gonna realise, that you don't even have to try any longer?
Do what you want to.

Girl, put your records on, tell me your favourite song
You go ahead, let your hair down
Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams,
Just go ahead, let your hair down.

Oh, you're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow