So here I am, nearly 2 weeks into my Community/Public Health rotation.

My partner and I went to our assigned community agency for the first time today. It is a small converted house in a poor residential neighborhood that supports a variety of programs including childcare, social work, and drop-in personal growth/social opportunities.

Our big project with this agency is to plan, develop, and implement a handwashing/hygiene presentation for preschoolers and their parents. We will have about 6 days total to come up with the lesson plan and resources. Everything will be documented into a presentation for our peers, since different students are assigned to different agencies.

So while my partner and I were brainstorming ideas for a short presentation on handwashing, my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but it looked like my instructor, so I sighed as I reached for my phone and rolled my eyes because she had just called me......

.....until I realized it was the hiring manager for the local Emergency Department!!! Yep, the one I volunteer at :) And the one that is literally across the street from me.

I had applied for a UNE position (Alberta Health Service's position for Undergraduate Nursing Employees on a summer/temp basis) last year as well but I didn't realize how many skills I was lacking. And I went to Thailand - no shocker they didn't hire me! So this year I was really pumped when I sent in my application at the beginning of this month.

My interview is on April 14! So excited.

The core reasons I'm interested in working Emerg over the summer are because (in this particular ED, anyway) of the high degree of collaboration between physicians and nurses, and amongst the nurses themselves, the population will be all ages and sizes and socioeconomic statuses, I will see a high volume of presenting conditions and learn about how to prioritize/plan for them, and I will get to use plenty of skills.

Did I mention I was excited? :)