No Worries Mate!

For some reason, what I was expecting out of a phone interview with a "ward" in Australia is not quite what happened. I thought they would ask many more questions about surfing, vegemite, and my travel goals. While they did ask those questions, they also asked some clinical situation questions- who would have thought?

Corey: "You are taking care of patient X and he has central------ poly----- myelinosis. What do you need to know in order to take care of this patient?"

Me: Um, can you repeat that disease process?"

Corey: "Central ------ poly------ myelinosis."

I start to sweat balls when I realize this is not a disease process I have even heard of, let alone know anything about. I ponder if I should make some deductions based on central: central nervous system. Poly: many?. Myelinsos: Degenerative disease process of the myelin on the central nervous system? But what are the clinical indications? Is it quickly progressing? Or slow, like MS? 

I ended up taking the easy way out and saying since I clearly don't know what this is, I would have to look it up before taking part in any sort of care of this patient. 

"No worries, mate!" replied Corey.  Ha, I hope so! And I hope that is the mantra of life in Australia- no worries!

P.S. He also stated- everyone gets 6 weeks paid vacation and one day off per month! And 8 hour shifts.... And the Board of Nursing in Victoria establishes a patient: nurse ratio that cannot be exceeded. I appreciate that, and firmly believe in order to prevent unnecessary errors, every Board of Nursing should do the same. 

That's all for now! Happy St. Paddy's Day!