Work
Gosh, two really quiet nights in a row. I was charge for the night, but basically spent a lot of time working on the schedule of night shift nurses for the month of October, started a couple of IVs (a bad night, 0 for 2) and spent a lot of time helping the patient care techs clean up poopey patients.
The pic is of our new automated medication administration hardware. It's from MedSelect. The industry standard is Pyxsis (this is probably mis-spelled) but having worked with many clones, I can't tell the differene. Basically, a nurse is able to punch in a secure password, punch up a list of a patient's ordered medications, touch the screen, and small drawers packed with medications pop open. Such a time-saver, since most medications can now be dispensed soon after the physician's order, without having to wait for a run from the pharmacy. The real plus is the fact that it keeps track of narcotics use, and tracks discrepancies automatically. Thank Almighty God we actually have one now. Before, at the end of the shift, we'd have to manually count all narcotics, to make sure the amount recorded jived with the actual number of pills/vials/syringes in the drawers. A pain, especially when someone forgets to record a dose, or whose skills in arithmetic need serious work. Yes, it's usually me, which is why I always volunteer to conduct the count.
Blogs
I found another interesting blog. This specific entry includes helpful links to information about writing blogs. I hate to admit it, but I do find myself sneaking peaks at my referrer logs and site statistics. I really shouldn't. Wondering who reads me always has a (usually negative) effect on how I write me. But the guidelines are sound. The only comment I'd add as far as advice on increasing readership is to read blogs written by others, and to write comments frequently. With most blogging software able to link back to your web site, you will unfailingly get a visit from the site owner, wondering who you are. I also think the issue of trackbacks is not mentioned sufficiently. I've spoken of trackbacks before, and wish every blog had this useful tool.
Caller mis-ID
From Leo Laporte's blog: Here's a questionable web service that, for a fee, allows a client to determine what number shows up on someone's caller ID unit. The company states they will be limiting their services to companies attempting to recover debt, The way it works, a subscriber goes to the web site and enteres the telephone number to call, and the number to be displayed on the Caller ID. The phone rings and the call is initiated.
I have mixed feelings about the service, only in light of already existing laws prohibiting deceptive practices by banks and other lenders. Where we live, for a small monthly fee, we block all phone calls to voicemail unless the caller knows a password to enter. The only way anyone can get a hold of us is to set a specific time (usually via email) for a call to be made (or they ask us to call them). We have not had an unexpected call in years.
But what worries me about this new service is that my number can be displayed on someone else's Caller ID, in an attempt to get someone I know to answer the phone. I am also assuming that, by using *69, people may try to call us when we never tried to call them. The whole thing just seems wrong. I read that bigwigs in the banking industry consider the service a violation of laws prohibiting deceptive practices, but the web site's own lawyers say it's legal and so it's up and running.
Another problem: the technology used by the website may be used by others for all sorts of nefarious telephonic behavior.
More from The Register.
So if my number shows up on your Caller ID, but I didn't send you email first, don't answer.
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