My First Day

I will try to write this in German later but, for now, there is too much to tell and so little time for me to sleep! <-- I will explain later.

So I realize that I have three main things to deal with and learn: culture shock, the language, and of course the job. I am in the orthopedic section, by the way.

Culture Shock:

So guess what? Men and women have the same changing room! I was getting into my very fashionable scrubs when another male nurse walked in and I almost ran to hide in an imaginary corner of the room - which is actually rather impossible, given that the square room is no bigger than your average sized two-person bathroom. I forgot that people in Europe are rather relaxed (and in my opinion, realistic) about the human body. I think I will still need a little time to get over the small embarrasement/rush of changing together. I thiiiink that nurses in America change separately?

All we say is 'you'. But they say informal you 'du' and formal you 'sie'. So who do i use the informal with, if at all? Patients? Coworkers? The boss? Apparently I can be informal with anyone, including the higher ups aside from patients.

Tools, doors, keys, even windows I have to learn about. Doors in Germany are typically locked twice, so you turn the key around three times. The windows can open up sideways, in, out, up, and down. As for doors? I found myself staring blankly at this big one for to-be-operated patients that needed to be opened via a big button. Okay, easy enough. But thanks to synonyms, there is not a button that simply says open or 'öffnen'. sI just hope I do not accidentally close a door on someone when I meant to open it! I need to learn these words...

The Language:

Okay, the above was an example. My work is a little slow not just due to learning new things but because sometimes my vocabulary is a little limited. I know basic words for say...cup = 'tasse'. But there is also a bunch of other words of course for different kinds of cups. So here is a typical Theresa-situation:

Nurse: Can you please get me a (synonym for) cup?
Theresa hears: Can you please get me a _______?
Theresa: What is a ______?

Rooms are also hard to remember because if I do not understand the basic meaning of its name and I try to ask someone where the room for _____ is, I forget what the word sounds like simply because to me it is a sound.

Despite that, I learned so many new words such as urine, radiology room, needle, work shift, intern, and way too many that I will have to repeat a little to get a little straight.

The Work:

Aside from a feces problem (which I did not have to help by...today, anyway), was hectic but so interesting I almost found it fun. These nurses have learned to walk at the pace of a slow jog. I still need to learn how to keep up. I know now how to empty and change urine bags, which really is not all that bad. I can move around and operate the beds, I have seen how blood sugar is taken (and will probably do it myself sometime), I have learned how to take people from waiting rooms to the radiology room. I know how to take someone's blood pressure. Most of all, I learned that everything is about communication, teamwork, efficiency, and getting to know the patients.

Why Coffee Will Be My Best Friend:

There are two shifts that I work. One is from 1pm to 9pm, which I worked today. The other is from 6am to 2pm, which I will work tomorrow. Okay, I need sleep. Hopefully I can squeeze in six hours.

Toodles!

(Yeah....this post might not be translated to German for a while....if at all)