Monday, April 16, 2012

Linked 52-Work



We are in the process of getting a new LIS (laboratory information system) in the hospital lab where I work, so the excuse I have for not getting this done on Friday is...I have been really busy. I've been ordering lab tests on fake people, then entering low normal, normal, and high normal results into our new LIS to make sure the correct reference ranges are in and that they cross into EPIC correctly. The normal reference range for some tests are the same for everyone (males and females from birth on up), while other tests have a different reference range for different ages and sex, and each component of each test needs to have a result entered and verified, then entered onto a spreadsheet. This spreadsheet is then our proof that the LIS has been tested and verified. Working as a Medical Laboratory Technician for the last 35 years, I know that we perform a great number of tests per day, and we take the LIS for granted as we all do with technology, so on the occasions that it is scheduled for maintenance or a squirrel chews through a major power cord (and dies a very quick death) or EPIC is down for one of the same reasons, we find out the hard way just how many tests we perform. (we have to call or fax every test to the units, which then slows down the turn around time and we get yelled at - literally yelled at).
Not all techs work in all departments, I am a two year tech and am not allowed to work in Blood Bank or Microbiology (even though I am able, my lack of a higher degree won't allow me). The departments I do work in are Hematology, Coagulation, and Urinalysis, and I am Lead Tech in the Sendout Department. This is the area in which I am doing the testing for our new LIS, and it is slow and tedious work, spent sitting in front of a computer, getting a headache.


This is dated March 29, because I used it for another post...I was blessed to get a second monitor, which
has made my work 100% easier. Now I can toggle between 2-3 pages/programs per monitor and not have to try and do it all on just one. So...boo hoo for me, that's my 'I'm sorry teacher, but my dog ate my homework' excuse. Not convincing?! So...how about this...

I'm also trying to finish tiling the bathroom in my basement, I have all the tile in, and Monday I'm going to grout. Then I'll install the trim and bead board, paint it and the walls, then my hubby will put in the sink,
toilet, medicine chest and lights. It all sounds so simple, but it takes forever when we only get time to
work on it after dinner.

Then, there are my gardens that are going to take a TON of work to clean up. I don't clean my gardens
in the fall, I leave them until spring (the plants have a little extra cover for the winter this way).

So...as I was taking a break Sunday from all the work I have to do, (and a whopper of a headache that kept me home from church), I wandered around my yard and took some pictures...this kind of work was a lot more fun.





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9 comments:

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Janet, where did you get your cool rocks?

Unknown said...

Someone David worked with was getting rid of a bunch of rocks and a big slate slab. We took most of it, and there were some really cool rocks in there.

Anonymous said...

Ugh. My stomach turned at the thought of manually entering all that stuff. Technology is very under appreciated most of the time. I love getting to read about your work. Glad you were able to rest on Sunday. :)

Andrea said...

Very interesting work!! (It's another job on the list in the medical world that has always intrigued me!) What would we do without all the technology in place that allows us to do our work with a bit more ease? I often wondering how I made it through college without Google and Wikipedia! HA! ;)

Unknown said...

Andrea, exactly. I'll have a clinic call and inquire about some strange test the doctor wants that I've never heard of, and if I can't find it on the Mayo Lab. website, I'll Google it to see if such a test even exists. I love Google! (I've had callers laugh when I ask them if they've Googled it...)

Heather M. said...

wow, so amazing that you've done the same thing for 35 years! good for you.

good luck with the bathroom reno!

Naomi said...

Sounds like way too much work for me! Don't even say the word EPIC...we finally got it not too long ago and I still don't know what I"m doing half the time. ha! beautiful flowers!

Heidi said...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who was a bit late with the Work post.

What a crazy amount of work you've been doing! You definitely deserved that break on Sunday. Love the nature photos.

stacey said...

So you know EPIC? :)

I hope you were able to have a nice break!