More fun at work
Or not, actually.
Today I got to write the report on an outbreak investigation I had nothing to do with. The person who did the investigation was more than happy to do that part, then dropped everything on my desk today while telling me this was everything I'd need to complete *my* report. While I definitely want to have more to do at work, I don't know that I want to just do the stuff nobody else wants to do, like write other people's reports. I can't write a particularly good report on an outbreak I had virtually nothing to do with. For example, I don't know why there was no questionnaire done on 8 patients--too much effort to make the phone calls? Unable to reach them? Were questionnaires mailed to these people? I didn't even talk to any of the patients or health care staff, though I did write the questionnaire that got used. I would have been happy to do that stuff, but that information was kept by the investigator until today.
I attempted to point out that I need more to do today. I have tried to point this out in the past. I have even asked what they'd like to have done that nobody has ever had the time to do. I again got told that the problem is that nobody knows what I can do, which seems to result in nobody asking me to do anything. Perhaps it's just my own goofy logic system but I would think that the way to find out what I can and cannot do would be to ask me to do stuff and I'll tell you if I can or can't do it. Rarely have I been in a situation where I cannot do something as a permanent thing. There have been many times when I haven't been able to do something at the time I was asked, but was absolutely willing and able to learn so as to get the job done. I don't expect to know everything, but I do figure that I can learn most of the stuff I need to know or find out who to ask for the stuff I can't learn (or can't learn fast enough or well enough).
I sincerely hope that I do not, yet again, have the wrong degree. Without a clinical degree or clinical license, I seem to be relegated to preparing spreadsheets, creating handouts and
writing reports. One of the comments made today was that the other staff members don't know how to do outbreaks so having them do them means they get to learn. Of course, they also don't know how to write the reports on the outbreaks, but the "learning by doing" concept doesn't appear to apply to reports. I really really hope that something develops out of the meeting on finding an epi project. Finding myself busywork to do is driving me insane and definitely draining the fun out of this job. I don't want people to get sick, but it would be nice if there was something to do besides read medical journals and textbooks online. I don't know how long it will take to train my colleagues to remember that I can, in fact, help them do things, but I hope it doesn't take more than a few months. I know everybody is busy, but I have almost *nothing* to do. It would be nice if I had a job too instead of just being the clean up person for the overflow nobody else wants.
And to think I passed up a job with the Navy (as a civilian) doing global avian influenza preparedness. I am thinking more and more that I should have changed my mind after I accepted this job and went with the Navy gig, even if it did pay less and was in Virginia Beach, where the cost of living is much higher.
*sigh*
To top off a generally dissatisfying day, NOBODY showed up for the knitting group tonight. That's pretty much my only opportunity to interact with people besides myself outside of work right now. Oh well.
Today I got to write the report on an outbreak investigation I had nothing to do with. The person who did the investigation was more than happy to do that part, then dropped everything on my desk today while telling me this was everything I'd need to complete *my* report. While I definitely want to have more to do at work, I don't know that I want to just do the stuff nobody else wants to do, like write other people's reports. I can't write a particularly good report on an outbreak I had virtually nothing to do with. For example, I don't know why there was no questionnaire done on 8 patients--too much effort to make the phone calls? Unable to reach them? Were questionnaires mailed to these people? I didn't even talk to any of the patients or health care staff, though I did write the questionnaire that got used. I would have been happy to do that stuff, but that information was kept by the investigator until today.
I attempted to point out that I need more to do today. I have tried to point this out in the past. I have even asked what they'd like to have done that nobody has ever had the time to do. I again got told that the problem is that nobody knows what I can do, which seems to result in nobody asking me to do anything. Perhaps it's just my own goofy logic system but I would think that the way to find out what I can and cannot do would be to ask me to do stuff and I'll tell you if I can or can't do it. Rarely have I been in a situation where I cannot do something as a permanent thing. There have been many times when I haven't been able to do something at the time I was asked, but was absolutely willing and able to learn so as to get the job done. I don't expect to know everything, but I do figure that I can learn most of the stuff I need to know or find out who to ask for the stuff I can't learn (or can't learn fast enough or well enough).
I sincerely hope that I do not, yet again, have the wrong degree. Without a clinical degree or clinical license, I seem to be relegated to preparing spreadsheets, creating handouts and
writing reports. One of the comments made today was that the other staff members don't know how to do outbreaks so having them do them means they get to learn. Of course, they also don't know how to write the reports on the outbreaks, but the "learning by doing" concept doesn't appear to apply to reports. I really really hope that something develops out of the meeting on finding an epi project. Finding myself busywork to do is driving me insane and definitely draining the fun out of this job. I don't want people to get sick, but it would be nice if there was something to do besides read medical journals and textbooks online. I don't know how long it will take to train my colleagues to remember that I can, in fact, help them do things, but I hope it doesn't take more than a few months. I know everybody is busy, but I have almost *nothing* to do. It would be nice if I had a job too instead of just being the clean up person for the overflow nobody else wants.
And to think I passed up a job with the Navy (as a civilian) doing global avian influenza preparedness. I am thinking more and more that I should have changed my mind after I accepted this job and went with the Navy gig, even if it did pay less and was in Virginia Beach, where the cost of living is much higher.
*sigh*
To top off a generally dissatisfying day, NOBODY showed up for the knitting group tonight. That's pretty much my only opportunity to interact with people besides myself outside of work right now. Oh well.
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