The Chronicles of Kortman: April 2010

I just wanted to blog today about what I do at work. I graduated in May of 2003 from Provo College after obtaining my Associate's Degree in Applied Science in Medical Assisting. It took me about 18 months. I enjoyed my 3 semesters of Anatomy and Physiology the most and studied my freaking butt off to earn the A's that I scored! I graduated at the very top of my class of about 85 students and got to speak at graduation! (I had to toot my own horn there). My first Medical Assisting Job I landed was at the same facility that I did my externship at: New Beginnings Certified Nurse Midwifery Clinic in Orem, Utah. I loved working in the happy environment of obstetrics. But I was very limited in what I could do there. It got a little boring at times because we constantly had an extern with us and he or she did most of the blood draws, urine testing, etc. I was mainly in charge or doing "New Intake" appointments where I had the pleasure to meet with new patients and give them goody bags of tons of stuff for baby, and fill out paperwork, explain what our clinic was all about, etc. I loved first time Mommy/Daddy teams, they were always the most excited/freaked out. I even had my own "office" there in the back of the clinic where I got to decorate a large corkboard with pics of my family. I quit working there about 1 month before Gage was born because we moved to Salt Lake City.

After a brief time of being unemployed and full time stay at home mommy, I decided to get a part time job that was convenient for my lifestyle of being a stay at home mom. So I scored a job that worked for me. It was at Metamorphosis in Murray, Utah. I basically worked from 5 AM- 9AM (4 hours/day 5 days/week). The hours were pretty sweet, but early yes! I worked in the dosing room most of the time with the LPN who constantly poured out measured doses of liquid Methadone for each patient. It was all computerized. The front desk girl automatically entered each patient in the computer each morning when he/she would come through the door, then they would get in line. Once they were entered in the computer, the patient's pic and information would show up on the nurses monitor and a machine would pour out the dose into a cup, and the patient had to drink it in front of her. I will forever think of liquid methadone each time I eat twizzler nibs, they taste like methadone smells. I was in charge of drawing blood on all new patients which sometimes posed challenges. For example: our patients were druggies and some of them had no veins left to obtain blood from! Other patients were in major drug withdrawal and were very sick and shaky. We had 2 doctors completing residency who rotated in the clinic who had office hours for 2 hours/day- one was commonly referred to as Dr. Dreamy. The main lesson I learned is that drug addicts come from all walks of life and I was surprised to see what some drug addicts looked like (professionals, stay at home moms, cute, clean cut young women, etc.) I was a little bugged that the clinic did not offer health insurance and there came a day when I decided that I needed to get health insurance for my family. My husband is self-employed and I don't qualify for health insurance due to my pre-existing condition, so the only way I can get insurance is through a group plan.

So it was time to return to my Intermountain roots because I can get health insurance coverage only working 24 hours/week. I ended up getting a job at the Sandy Kidscare. The only problem I had with that was the 30-35 minute drive there and the fact that it was a Kidscare only (without an Instacare), so the hours were M-F 5-10 and Sat-Sun 12-10. So I had to travel there multiple times/week to get my hours. I absolutely loved the Sandy Kidscare staff and we all really bonded during those slow summer days! (I love you Polly, Shannon, Jaime, Amy, Paula, Trinh, John)if you ever read this. Winter was soon approaching and I became stressed about icy roads and the long commute. So one night, I called Bountiful Instacare and found out the manager's name. So I decided to email her and tell her that if there was ever a medical assistant opening, I would like to be considered. I think about 1 month later, a position opened up and I got the job!!!!!!! Oh my gosh, it was kind of an answer to my prayers because it was only about a 9-10 minute drive for me and very convenient. And I loved the fact that I could get my 24 hours/week working only 2 days (12 hour shifts). My first day was HORRIBLE. The nurses and doctors seemed like such "mean" people. I laugh now when I write this - because they're quite the opposite. But the staff I worked with my first day were very different personalities from the more laid back personalities at Sandy. I have grown to love and respect most of my co-workers (that includes the docs). Some of them have some kooky political points of view, but what do you expect from people who live in the Aves (the most liberal part of Utah)? lol.......... :) :)

Stuff Tif gets to do:

Blood Draws
Perform I-stat blood tests, CBC blood tests, Mono Spot Blood tests
Urine dip stick tests, Urine Pregnancy tests
Send various bodily fluid samples: blood, urine, boogers, poop, "stuff" that the docs squeeze out of abscesses, etc.
Splint extremities with pre-made splints or custom make splints out of orthoglass
Administer Tetanus shots in the deltoid or Toradol shots in the gluteus maximus
Swab throats for the Rapid Strep Test
Bandage wounds
Snip out sutures
Administer an EKG
Manhandle some young children to keep them still while they get stitched, shots, suctioned, or "cathed"

etc, etc.