Ben Taub was a lot different from the VA (obviously).  My first day was total chaos.  Everything in Ben Taub gets written down on paper (its like stuck in the middle ages).  People write so ugly that you can't read what it says.  I mean I write horrible but at least its ledgible.  Sometimes you can find the patient's folder.   I had to learn little things like writing lab values, reading orders, writing SOAP notes, and moving around in the hospital from one service to another to see patient. 

By friday, i felt a bit more confident about how things were working.  I realized that the Nurses are probably your best asset.  You have to make an alliance with them.  Be very courteous with them and respect them.  If you do that, they will give you hints on whats going on with the patient -- even help you read the patients records.

more details coming soon....