Busy Busy

It is Friday, and thank the Lord for it. This week has been crazy and busy, and I'm looking for a quiet weekend studying for the upcoming finals. (yuck!)

This week, we've got two new employees, done some staff reassignments, and had to put in for some year-end procurement (expiring monies).

Doesn't sound like much, unless you understand my job. My job is a hodgepodge of various duties and responsibilities that defy easy explaination. Job number one is software development and support. I create, update, maintain and train users to use software that automates our workprocesses. I also am the leason with our IT Department, which means any trouble calls usually go through me first. I try to take care of any problems that I can before I pass them on to our techs upstairs. I also help the other programmers in providing support to the users of our BIRTH registratoin software in hospitals around the state.

I am also deal with any telephone issues, which has been a lot busier since we started getting the Lucent i2021. We've had problems with every one we've gotten.

I also deal with administrative details of my office like determining procurement specificications for IT (and other office equpment) purchases, hasing out work-process changes, do the paperwork for creating new user accounts and so on.

Staff reassignments means moving the employee from one cubicle to another. That means coordinating with the IT unit to swap the phone, move the computer, scheduling with outside venders to move their equipment, making sure that the cubicles are set up to the requirements of the employees, and coordinating with the facilities to get any pieces that they need.

New staff means training on the software I created, and answering question after question. I like training new staff. I believe that the best way to learn is learn the "why's" not the "what's", but most people want to teach only the "what".

The procurement process involves a lot of research and investigation to try to find the "right" product to buy at the best price. It is funny how difficult that can be. There are so many different venders offering many different products that have slightly different features, all of which have pros and cons. Next is trying to write justifications for any "non-standard" equpment, and then submiting the request for approval for puchase.

All of this, plus I was made the supervisor of the Imaging Unit. So.... lots to do.