I have been waiting to write a post for a while now. The reason/excuse I have not had the time or know what exactly I wanted to say. So here I go with a try:
Work: WOW!!! Mount Carmel is a good place to work. During the first day of orientation they really emphasized the fact that it is a faith-based hospital. They really got into talking about the crucifixion and how that was the base for the nuns to start a hospital. I have worked for other organizations that are own/operated by Christians or proclaimed to be a religious organization. Though this is thr first place that has openly proclaimed their “Christianity” in such a public way and not apologize for it.
The second and third days of “orientation” I was at my site hospital, New Albany Surgical Hospital (NASH from now on). I got all my passwords and sign-on for the many computer accounts that I have. We, the four new employees at NASH, got really familiar with NASH. There only about 400 total employee at NASH, so it is like a big family where everyone “knows” each other. When I worked at Riverside Hospital there were thousands of employees. At NASH I see a lot of the same people and starting to form relationships with them.
NASH is a specialty hospital. There is no ED (Emergency Department), no L&D, nor any cardiac units. The only surgeries that are preformed are orthopedics. The average stay for a patient is 2-3 days. Since of the specialty of the hospital all new medical staff has the chance to observe a surgery as part of orientation. Therefore on Friday of that first week I got to observe a total knee replacement! It was very exciting to watch!
Also as an employee of the Central Sterile Dept. (CSD), which is assocated with surgery, I can observe a surgery whenever I want to. Since that first surgery I have been able to observe one more, a cervical spine implant.
I have been training in CSD. I have been signed off on processing, which is wrapping casket (case) in a blue wrap to be sterilized. Also putting instruments, casket, and other equipment in a large roll-in sterilizer.

Spine Set
This past week I was assembling instrument in to their respectable cases. Since NASH only does ortho surgical cases there are a lot of big instruments and casket. One of the larger caskets to assemble is the total spine casket. My first attempt took about 1.5 hours and was a mess. The second attempt (photo:) took a little less then an hour and looked much better. The most difficult part is learning the names of the instruments (some are the same from surg tech school, but have a different name). I am now down to about 45-mins putting a total spine casket together (my trainer can do it in about 20 minutes).
I was hired only to work 10-hours a week. Praise the Lord, this past week I was told that I will be able to get more and right now will be working about 20-hours a week. 20-hours a week will as much as I can work with school. So it works out perfectly. Again, Praise the Lord.
I think for the first time in my working-life I have now have the weekends off!!! No on call, no every-other weekend, nothing! This is great because I have two days off together without work or school. Before I would work the weekend and go to school during the week. Also I can now go to church and to friends house to watch OSU games!!!
School starts on Tuesday. I am looking forward to getting back into the routine, lab, and just learning more about surg tech. I will have a new teacher so that will be interesting too!
I have found a new author that I like, Noel Hynd. He writes “spy/government” type book with a Christian base. I read the “Hostage in Havana” first, which is a first book in a new trilogy “The Cuban Trilogy”. I did not know that the main character, Alexandra LaDuca, was in the first three books too. So now I have gone back and started on those three books “The Russian Trilogy”, which all three books can be purchased together with the book called “The Russian“.
Well that is about it from here. I hope you all are having a relaxing and restful weekend!