Boston Week Two: Welcome to LD, St. Patrick's Day, and Harvard

Monday I started working on the floor at my new job, and by Wednesday night I was working "on my own".  Traveling nursing is pretty crazy.  Somehow I managed to figure enough out in two days to take care of my own patient with only a little... or maybe a lot of help from my co-workers.  There's still a lot to get used to, mostly remembering what I don't have to do.  I seriously feel more like a tech than a nurse sometimes there.  The docs are way more hands on and there is surprisingly A LOT less paper work!  WAHOO!!!  It obviously is still work, and I know some days will be tougher than others, but overall I feel like it might be like a little vacation from work as I knew it at "The Club".  Can't complain about that!!  Some info for those that are interested, they don't do deliveries under 37wks... level 1 nursery, anyone who's really sick gets transferred out.  Everyone who gets a fever >100.4 gets dx chorio.  Serial inductions are common... very common, although inductions are rare as well.  PAs run the show under the supervision of the OBs.  There are also midwives in house and they run a birth center across the street, so anyone what turns high risk or needs pain control comes over.  On the first day I had an induction, and not once was I asked what the pitocin was running at.  Needless to say, the c/s rate is quite low.  Oh, and docs and nurses are on first name basis... every last one of them.  I've had two deliveries and both made it without epidurals... by choice.  :)

Friday I met up with a few ladies that I worked with when I lived here before.  We went to dinner in West Roxbury and had drinks.  We had a blast.  Love those girls!  They definitely made moving to a big new city and new job so much easier the first time around.  Only downfall of the night was not paying attention on the T on the way home and getting off the train one stop too early.  Fail.  Luckily, the wait for the next one wasn't too terribly painful.

Saturday was of course St. Patrick's Day... also significant as Evacuation Day holiday for Boston which commemorates the evacuation of British forces from the city of Boston following the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War.  Not sure how many of the people binge drinking yesterday knew that, but a little history lesson none the less.  Thank you wikipedia.  Anyway, we did our part in celebrating.  We started around 1pm and made our way through several different bars, but managed somehow to not make it to one single Irish Pub.  Impressive, I know.  I was proud of us though, managing to stay out until around midnight without significant drama or sloppiness.  We had a great time!

Today Debbie and I were going to head to Southie for the St Patrick's Day Parade.  Today was also supposed to be the most beautiful day of the year so far.  Unlike the rest of the US, Boston has NOT been having 70+ degree days for the last couple weeks.  We've stayed in the 40s.  Debbie and I decided to skip the parade and the crowds to enjoy the day walking through Harvard.  I've never been to the campus before.  Today was perfect.  It was 70+ degrees and sunny.  We walked all around and ended up having a late lunch near Harvard Square.  We enjoyed the fresh air (through open windows) with a delicious cheese plate, glass of wine, and great entrees.  We felt like we were on vacation.  Maybe because the weather was so drastically different than what we've been used to.  Loved it!  It was a great day to top off an amazing weekend!!