Arrived at work as usual, expecting/planning to cover the exam rooms for the first 90 minutes, since the exam doc was busy with some change of command tasks.
Fine.
Made it clear that after that I would be covering the root canal room and they'd need to find an alternative person to cover exams.
This was, of course, not planned ahead of time, so they came looking for me.
They were surprised when I said "NO."
I then discovered a provider (who I happen to supervise) made a treatment plan for a night guard on a patient, who was placed on my book. I've briefed all the providers on several occasions on my expectations for patients scheduled on my book, including a REASON why they're being planned to have a night guard. I proceeded to take the record to the dentist, put it on her desk, and inform her that she would be seeing the patient, since she did not indicate in the record WHY the patient needed a night guard.
She took offense to my bluntness and so I apologised to her, but made it clear (once again) my expectations.
I then sent ANOTHER email to all the other dentists explaining that from now on, if patients are scheduled on my book for night guards or joint pain without a reason for the referral, I will return the chart to them and let them manage the patients themselves. I simply have too many other tasks to complete to play guess work for the other providers.
Finished a root canal and managed to get out for lunch 15 minutes early.
On the way to my office, the acting commander asked me to handle a task related to a review of a provider's charts over the last year, as well as a review of our Code Blue (medical emergency) operating instructions.
So I ate my lunch in 5 minutes and got to those tasks.
In time to start my afternoon patients.
And cover the exams for my team.
And get paged by 3 different people to cover exams for the dentist who was supposed to be back at 9:30am.
They were surprised... again... when I said "NO" and suggested they find another provider to cover their exams [there are often other dentists sitting in their offices snacking while some of us run around the clinic all day long].
I was also supposed to volunteer for an upcoming air show (I was one of the first people to volunteer) and was under the expectation I was to work the command tent; I was informed through a group-wide email today that the command tent was being run by someone else and that there were no open spots for the shift I had signed up for - but there was a shift open for late Saturday night. I more or less told them "Thanks but no thanks, I already have plans," and suggested in the future that they clarify and communicate with people who volunteer instead of making them feel like they're being blown off. They were surprised when they offered me the late shift that I said "NO." [recurring theme today]
I made my concerns on these items known to the acting commander.
I finished my patients by 3:45, attended a weekend safety briefing (4-day weekend) and then attended a meeting of the emergency response committee (the committee that handles the aforementioned Code Blue procedures).
Stopped by the commander's secretary before leaving, chatted a few, shared some music with her on the Zune, and then headed home.
I...
am tired.
*thud*
I'm looking forward to meeting the new commander when he arrives. I'll have an opportunity to share some concerns (and the acting commander asked me to do so and seemed glad that I was coming forward with some of this).
I'm racking up favors, to be sure.
I think I'm going to start collecting on a few.
Plans for the evening/tomorrow:- Turn off the alarm clock [done]
- Watch some Season 1 and 2
Babylon 5 [in progress]
- Go to clinic for a day of peace and quiet and some studies I've put off (clinic is closed tomorrow)
- Go for an afternoon or early evening swim with Collin (he's in swim lessons)
- Dom whatever the heck else I feel inspired to do (or not do)
Current Mood: 
busy
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