How much do you value your immediate work environment?

[tacom]

The majority of my caseload (building A) is quite a hike from our (new! gorgeous! sunny!) department's office space (building B). 

I will have space in both buildings regardless of where I spend my time, so I don't have to *really* decide now. But I don't want to worry about transferring protected files between offices and different computers unless I need to. I also need to set up my voicemail and should specify which # will be best to reach me by.

Options:
Building A:
Pros:

• Closer to patients and their providers. If a patient is unavailable when I go to see him/her, I can easily stop and write a note or two before trying again
• more autonomy; completely on my own for many hours every day. 
• More space for my own things - could probably get my own coffee maker, etc. 

Cons:

• lonely. Less fluid communication. If I have a question, I'm much less likely to pick up the phone and call someone than I am to lean over and start a conversation.
• it's actually a much bigger space but it feels more cramped. No window. I share with one other professional but he has things everywhere so it can sometimes be hard to get in/out. sometimes this person has entire families in his office, making it too noisy to work.

Building B:
Pros:

• Next to coworkers (awesome for answering questions, brainstorming, etc.) Specifically, I'd be right next to another coworker in my same position so we are great resources for one another
• built-in lunch partners. better sense of community. would get to meet and regularly interact with rotating students, which would be exciting for me. 
• Access to free snacks, keurig, free office supplies, treatment materials. user-friendly printer/fax/copy machine steps from my desk
• Open, airy office with a window
• closer to gym

Cons:

• going between buildings would realistically add 20ish minutes to my day. I'm not paid hourly so that is lost time. I'm working/commuting for 10 hours/day as it is, so this would make that 10.5.
• Not as accessible to staff treating the majority of my patients, but I'd always have my pager on me
• more likely to get asked to pick up extra work (but this could be good, too)

What would you pick? More pleasant office space or bare-bones with a shorter work day?

[stealthmom]

B for sure. I am an extrovert and I would be much more productive around people

[tacom]

Sept 2, 2014 20:19:12 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

Honestly? Moving case load around is NBD. I had three office spaces at one time. You adapt.

But pick the more friendly work environment if you want to pick one main space

I'm sure I could make it work, but since this is my first ever real job and there's already a lot for me to adjust to, I want to limit the opportunity for error.

[wavepool]

Like you,I like to talk to people instead of pick up the phone, so I'd choose 2. My next door co-worker and I pop in to each other's rooms all the time and I love it.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using proboards

[Deleted]

Given that you're just getting started with your career, I think the proximity to coworkers for assistance, coaching and mentoring would be really valuable. I vote location B.

[kme]

Option 2 seems better for now. If option 2 is too much, can you go back to 1?

[Deleted]

I vote for location B. I think we are working in the same type of facility (maybe?) and I still have to ask my coworkers lots of questions. Just getting oriented to the facility, where things are and their processes has been a learning experience. I did my clinical orientation there so I thought it would be easier than it has been.

[vanillacourage]

If you will have space in both buildings I don't think this is a huge commitment. I would pick B and just plan out where I spend the majority of the day based upon that day's schedule. 

Does your company have the tech to send VMs to email?  That would make it totally NBD. 

[elocrates]

B. Never underestimate the importance of windows, having coworkers available for camaraderie (or commiseration), and uninterrupted work space when charting.

Though a few things might make the logistics of the distance less cumbersome:
- Does your company (hospital?) have a secure public drive where you can store your files so you don't have to physically transport them? Or an EMR would completely negate the need for this?
- Can you use a company laptop instead of a company desktop so your work can go with you? You could work on notes on-the-go if a patient was delayed for any reason.
- Can you remotely check in to your voicemail (call into your voicemail from another number)? Then it wouldn't matter which number/ location you pick for this.

I spend a lot of time going between buildings (within walking distance, our footprint is about 3.5 city blocks). I use this time as extra physical activity time--walk quickly, take the stairs, etc. It really adds up by the end of the day.

[lilac05]

What are productivity requirements? If you have high productivity requirements, I'd choose A, but make an effort to spend at least one day a week in B (the same day, so it's easy to go to lunch, etc.)

I was always amazed at how many times my perfect schedule would get completely wrecked. There is relative little respect for what we do at times, and we tend to get bumped. Or patient is in the bathroom (5 minutes lost), family is visiting (come back later), they switched the order of meal delivery so now the person you need to see during a meal won't be eating for 10 minutes, bedding changes, radiology needs to see them, doctor stops by, etc. All of those 5-10 minute delays add up over the course of the day!

When you think about having others so accessible, remember that they're also balancing heavy caseloads and there won't be much time just sitting around and chatting (or everyone will be in the shared office, heads down, working on reports). In option A, you will likely learn how to get work done when there is a lot of noise around.

[tacom]

thanks for all the input. it seems like there is a pretty clear consensus here.

to speak to a few of the points here:
-I will have to check on sending VM to email - that would be great!
- records are all electronic but I take data by hand and always have printed/written patient identifying info.
-lilac05, we actually do not have p.roductivity re.quirements. we're expected to be busy (and we are!) but there aren't arbitrary requirements. not surprisingly, I've never worked in a facility where t.herapists were so enthusiastic about their jobs and providing quality care. I suppose I could just fit the transfer time in my schedule and see one fewer patient a day, but I feel badly about that. realistically speaking, I know I'd probably end up leaving work a little later every day. I hear you on all the wasted time though!
-I did do a placement here before and while people are pretty busy, the junior staff esp always seemed pretty available to one another to help one another out, so the location would be pretty valuable to me

[ECB]

I have my own office w/ a door and I'm pretty much left alone most of the day. Where I work - that works for me. I'm not social w/ the people around me, so... the less I have to deal with them, the better.

But - I really, REALLY miss my old job. Even 7 years later - I miss it. I worked in a cube (no privacy), people were around all the time, but I liked them, socialized with them,a dn just really enjoyed it. I liked having people to go to lunch with. And I'm an introvert - so take that into account

I MISS it. Really miss it.

[lilac05]

Sept 3, 2014 6:16:32 GMT -5 tacom said:

-lilac05, we actually do not have p.roductivity re.quirements. we're expected to be busy (and we are!) but there aren't arbitrary requirements. not surprisingly, I've never worked in a facility where t.herapists were so enthusiastic about their jobs and providing quality care. I suppose I could just fit the transfer time in my schedule and see one fewer patient a day, but I feel badly about that. realistically speaking, I know I'd probably end up leaving work a little later every day. I hear you on all the wasted time though!
-I did do a placement here before and while people are pretty busy, the junior staff esp always seemed pretty available to one another to help one another out, so the location would be pretty valuable to me

Then I change my vote!  Sounds like a great job!  Enjoy!