Tuesday, April 22, 2008

newFNP: truant

NewFNP had a whirlwind of a weekend.  


She worked on Saturday.  She was by herself for several hours as the other provider overslept and the front desk staff continued to allow walk-ins for hours before he arrived, which was pleasant.  She left clinic to catch a flight home for her family's ultra-reform Passover seder (Did the Jews really get kicked out of Egypt 'by management'?  If the gentleman with the yarmulke says so!).  She flew back to her urban metropolis the following day, her flight delayed by an hour which lead to an 11PM arrival.  And then she worked yesterday and saw 30 patients.  

So today, for the first time in almost three years, newFNP called in sick when she is, in fact, not sick at all.  

Friends, it is everything newFNP imagined it could be.  

Early morning bike ride along a scenic route - invigorating!  Trip to Korean day spa for a rub and scrub - not for the faint of heart but also invigorating!  Sitting on modern Crate & Barrel sofa at 3:30 in the afternoon, sipping cold low-fat chocolate milk - glorious!

While totally off topic, newFNP feels compelled to share some thoughts about the Korean day spa.  Not being Korean herself, newFNP's knowledge of Korean culture is limited to her infrequent day spa visits and images of Kim Jong Il on CNN.  

What she can deduce from these limited day-spa-related experiences is that for Korean ladies to have dead skin on any part of their bodies - labia included - is verboten.  NewFNP is at least 10 pound thinner after having her dead skin scrubbed off by a Korean lady wearing a black bra and panties, all while laying naked on a faux Burberry-patterned, plastic-covered slab in scissor-kick and frog-leg positions in a room full of other naked ladies in similar positions!  NewFNP is shiny and pink like a newborn babe and feeling much less self-conscious about her figure flaws.

NewFNP generally feels such guilt about leaving other providers in the lurch, but she knew that there was an extra provider at her site today and she just really, really needed time away from the drab walls and lack of natural light and scabies and uncontrolled DM.

And the best part?  Tomorrow is newFNP's day off!  Fuck, newFNP is getting giddy just thinking about not having to go back until Thursday.  Oh yeah, she is drinking two glasses of wine tonight!

A true mental health day is good for the soul.  And the skin.

5 comments:

FutureNP said...

New commenter here - LOVE, LOVE your blog. As a new RN student (BRAND new - beginning clinicals this August) and aspiring NP, I love reading your stories.

Good for you on the "mental health" day! Once in a while they can be very much called for :) Sounds like you had a lovely time!

Anonymous said...

Off topic... Today I called a large family practice office to request an appointment for my 15 yo daughter with RLQ abdominal pain. I requested a female provider, and after a lot of searching on the part of the scheduler, she said, "I am sorry, all I have left is an appt with ________ _________ our Physician's Assistant." Uggh, uggh, uggh. I volunteered that I am an NP and have no problem with mid levels and would gladly take that appt, and she seemed quite releived. Maybe if she would not apologize when she made appts for the PAs and NPs she would not get so much "resistance". GEEZ.

Stephen Ferrara, DNP, RN, NP said...

Hope you enjoyed your time off!

Anonymous said...

hey, i don't know you but i am a new FNP also. i graduated this past december and just finished my 2nd day of my first NP job today and came home and cried my eyes out. finding your blog was the only thing that put a smile on my face today. thank you and i hope you keep writing :')

Anonymous said...

Hi, I am a RN at a new job and don't have vacation days yet to take a mental health day but am strongly considering it anyway. I need to know more about this spa you went to, and how did you find it and summon the courage to check it out in the first place?

Very cool. Love your work.

Cheers!