Finally got the job I went to college for...now what?

[KelJu]

Just when I had given up on looking for a better job, one landed in my lap. About a month ago I was sent out to Louisiana to assist a hospital with getting their information systems department up and running. The hospital board decided that their hospital would die in the next 5 years if they didn't get moving on their EMR projects.

So, they purchased a quarter million dollar system from our company which they have no idea how to use. I had to go install it, and get them up and running. It was a tough week. They had no IT staff whatsoever, and I had to try and make a 20 year old infrastructure work. Long story short, I pulled out a flawless victory, and the site was impressed. They offered me a job to come start their IS department.

As far as my industry is concerned, I just fast tracked my career 10 years. The pay is double what I was making. I have no boss other than a board of trusties to answer to. This is a very exciting time for me.

However, I am scared shitless. This is a massive undertaking, and I have the opportunity to show that I can handle a tremendous amount of responsibility. When you are low on the totem poll, all you can think about is making it to the top. Well, I am pretty close to the top, but now I am fearful. I don't start this job for another week, and I am already obsessed with the job. I have so much planned. I am troubleshooting problems that haven't happened. I am going through disaster scenarios so that I will be prepared.

I am scared I will walk in their, unplug one cable, and smoke is going to start coming out of the server. FUCK! I have to learn to deal with stress and pressure at a whole new level.

 

[Dark Geared God]

well in any job your going to have bosses but your near the top of the food chain this can be very good job wise or very bad.. just get the right people in there your building the it dept right from the ground up that more than anyone could want go for it just think about 5 or 10 years from now$$$$$

 

[ZECH]

Congrats man!

 

[Little Wing]

you didn't get here by being a dumbass. RELAX. TRUST YOURSELF. you will do fine. it's just performance anxiety and MOST things that make us anxious NEVER happen.

i just channel john h

btw. congrats .

 

[Doublebase]

That's awesome man. You will do fine. Now go buy a house, get married and have a couple of rugrats BTW how much you making?

 

[DOMS]

Even though you've come a long way, you still worry too much about some things.

Having said that, the first thing you should (if you haven't already as part of your setup) is make sure that the server data is backed up, as well as the files on the PCs of C-level people.

Then try to restore.

If you can do all that, take your time and plan it out.

Congratulations, you luck prick.

 

[DOMS]

Now go buy a house, get married and have a couple of rugrats

He's just getting the good stuff going, don't get him to screw it up.

 

[Kathybird]

Congrats!

Heavy is the head that wears the crown...
The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials...
The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests...

etc. and so forth.

 

[danzik17]

Congrats.

What kind of projects are they interested in pursuing right now, or do you have cart blanche to make recommendations?

 

[KentDog]

Congrats, Kelju! I am happy to hear good things are happening for you.

 

[Hoglander]

My wife does that kind of work on the the software end for a regional hospital. What it amounts to is replacing a patient's chart with paperless charting through computing. Doctors' orders instantly get to the right places etc etc.

So doctors get all worried if something gets mixed up and she saves the day because the doc made a simple mistake. Her fixing of simple mistakes makes her a freaking savor to far more educated coworkers. She also makes very good money.

 

[KelJu]

Even though you've come a long way, you still worry too much about some things.

Having said that, the first thing you should (if you haven't already as part of your setup) is make sure that the server data is backed up, as well as the files on the PCs of C-level people.

Then try to restore.

If you can do all that, take your time and plan it out.

Congratulations, you luck prick.

This will be the easy part. The system is fully automated. It backups up to tape at 2:00am every morning, and also to NAS every 4 hours. Worse case, you will lose 3:59 worth of data.

I know this system inside and out. Hell, I wrote some of the shell scripts that run the thing. I know almost every database file. I know the data flow, and I have troubleshot these things for 40 hours a week for the past 2 years.

The hard part is going to be implementation of technologies that the users don't understand. I have until 2015 to turn this hospital from pencil, paper, and hand written charts to a 100% electronic medical record system. We will replace clipboards with mobile touchscreen chart carts. We will replace doctor signatures with e-sign. I have to go in a tell a doctor how he now has to do his job.

I am going to have to teach users how to use the system, and I suck on the clinical side. I am going to have to tell the same nurse a 100 times how to do their job using virtual charts and touch screen computers until I can hire a clinical coordinator.

Also, my networking is not up to snuff. I work exclusively with servers. I am going to have to dive back into the cisco books. If a switch goes down, I will have to be able to fix it on the fly.

This is massive.

 

[KelJu]

BTW how much you making?

Alot!

 

[Curt James]

I am scared I will walk in their, unplug one cable, and smoke is going to start coming out of the server. FUCK! I have to learn to deal with stress and pressure at a whole new level.

You will do an amazing job, the trustees will love you...

This.

I went from an assistant manager at an American Eagle retail store selling jeans and t-shirts for $100 a day to a long-term substitute art teacher position at $185 a day back in 2001.

Was afraid I couldn't do the job at all, but my confidence increased daily and I was hired full-time by another school district in 2002.

You have experience and knowledge. Confidence will follow.

Congratulations!

 

[Hoglander]

What's the software? The wife uses Epic. I know a hell of a lot about it from helping her.

 

[danzik17]

Lucky - you're going to be doing a lot of cool stuff.

Are the staff computers generally linux or windows based?

 

[Hoglander]

Anyhow, if it ends up being Epic......... I sure she would help you with any builds. I already asked her.

: )

: )

 

[KelJu]

Lucky - you're going to be doing a lot of cool stuff.

Are the staff computers generally linux or windows based?

Staff computers are XP or Vista.
Server is Red Hat Enterprise.
The virtual environment is Red Hat Xen.

 

[KelJu]

What's the software? The wife uses Epic. I know a hell of a lot about it from helping her.

The hospital system will probably be 100% CPSI.
CPSI: System Overview

 

[theCaptn']

congrats mate, welcome to the real world . . .

 

[maniclion]

Hope you have fun with it, don't freak out and be glad these infernal contraptions come naturally to you. Watch out for the stress levels or you'll turn to bad habits, any time you have off cherish it and relax.....

Before I even graduated my teacher and I started our own solutions firm, installed a complete system at a golf resort wiring, server, workstations, Point of sale systems, from the bottom up. I had 6 figure executives eating out of the palm of my hand because I had brought them out of the dark ages, they'd been on 133's and dial up since the mid-90's. The only draw back was 16-18 hour days, on top of 1.5hr commute each way. Even back then I knew eventually I would need more time to dedicate to my writing so I said fuck it. Money or my ultimate goal in life? Happiness trumps financial security. Luckily I found the Solar Electric job I have now, it still challenges my intellect and pays well enough, but at least I have some free time...

 

[Doublebase]

Alot!

move out of the ghetto yet>?

 

[DOMS]

TThe hard part is going to be implementation of technologies that the users don't understand. I have until 2015 to turn this hospital from pencil, paper, and hand written charts to a 100% electronic medical record system.

Good luck. I worked in a very progressive hospital, and they still did a lot of things with paper. Most people in the med field feel more comfortable with a written paper trail.

Also, my networking is not up to snuff. I work exclusively with servers. I am going to have to dive back into the cisco books. If a switch goes down, I will have to be able to fix it on the fly.

Join a forum of network people. That stuff pays off.

This is massive.

No doubt, but it's nice to be near the top, and, like you said, it bumped you 10 year ahead of schedule--maybe more.

Plus, the perks for working at a hospital are sweet.

Good going, you luck fuck.

 

[DOMS]

move out of the ghetto yet>?

Good question. So have you, KelJu?

 

[Big Smoothy]

However, I am scared shitless. This is a massive undertaking, and I have the opportunity to show that I can handle a tremendous amount of responsibility. When you are low on the totem poll, all you can think about is making it to the top. Well, I am pretty close to the top, but now I am fearful. I don't start this job for another week, and I am already obsessed with the job. I have so much planned. I am troubleshooting problems that haven't happened. I am going through disaster scenarios so that I will be prepared.

go for it, Kelju,

Nothing ventured; nothing gained.

 

[KelJu]

move out of the ghetto yet>?

I am flying out of town until Thursday. Friday is my last day, but I think I will use my last vacation day to rent a car and drive to Louisiana to house/apartment shop.

 

[Mudge]

Sounds pretty awesome! Just remember some of the key words you used above like flawless. If you weren't capable, would you be using words like that? Nope!

Ergo, one can surmise that you will have no problem - the only thing to fear is fear itself, certainly in your case. So put away the fear because you obviously can handle things just fine. They have confidence in you, and so should you have for yourself also.

 

[Dark Geared God]

I am flying out of town until Thursday. Friday is my last day, but I think I will use my last vacation day to rent a car and drive to Louisiana to house/apartment shop.

Dude the big easy is so much fun.. You'll be a local now...let the good times roll..

 

[soxmuscle]

Good luck, my man.

 

[tucker01]

Congrats!!! Kick Ass.