By Tiffany Lai August 16, 2023
After applying for per diem hospital jobs for a solid year, I FINALLY got hired. This particular hospital was a county hospital in a neighborhood notorious for crime and violence. I was bracing myself victims of violent crimes and for combative patients.
The VERY FIRST patient I had on the very first day was a man who was shot multiple times in a liquor store. I went with a senior OT who was onboarding me. The patient was a large, beefy, Arnold Schwarzenegger-type guy. The moment we stepped in, he informed us of how much he did not want to see us. My onboarder tried to educate him about the benefits of OT and he started swearing at us and becoming agitated. It’s horrible, but I felt a little safer knowing he had a fractured leg. I can run faster than someone with a fractured leg.
Later I told my coworkers, “Wow, ____ county hospital really lived up to it’s name immediately!” They just laughed.
I will say, eventually this job was one of my most favorite positions. It taught me about social injustices that I wasn’t previously aware of. What you eventually enjoy may end up surprising you.