where are the stirrups?

So after much anticipation, I survived my first day at CentralMed clinic here relatively well!  It is a busy place, 2km from downtown Tauranga, near the hospital.  Open about 10 years to help take pressure off of the hospital.  There are about 12-14 MDs, all General Practitioners, many who have some sort of specialty-sports med, women's health, travel med, etc.  Reminds me a great deal of Group Health at Riverfront as there is also a lab, radiology, pharmacy and PT on site.  Physically a smaller space and all rooms are being used all the time!  Staff are incredibly welcoming and kind, also like GH!  Here's where the analogy breaks down:  Each MD has their own office which also double as their exam room.  WHen a pt arrives, it pops on my schedule as such and then I go out to waiting area and call that pt back to the room.  No vitals are taken unless I take them, or ask the Nurse to do so, even after the visit.  RNs on the other hand are able to do so much more here-like PAPs!!!  They also take care of much of the chronic disease management as we are used to, but seems they are more involved.  In my room there is one exam bed, dressed neatly with a pillow and real sheet, and when asked where the stirrups are, turns out there are none!!! I have yet to do a proper pelvic exam (they charge much more for the MD to do it, so many will wait for the RN), but I'm sure I'll figure it out.  The biggest difference is the medications, same drugs but different names and they not only have generics, but then many meds are govt funded with little or no cost to pt so ideally those are the ones to prescribe.
I get 15" for each pt and the EMR is solid, still figuring it all out.  Seems record keeping is more terse, notes are not nearly as long as what we keep back  home, truly just the basics.
And everyday at 10 and 3 there is 15" carved out for tea break, and they take this very seriously!  If one can't get upstairs to share a cup, the nurse may ask if she can bring something down for you.  How much do I love this!!  And they supply the tea, coffee, milk, and sugar if desired.  Seems to bring everyone together more, there is conversation, laughing together, sets a nice tone all around.  Great way to build camaraderie, team spirit!  Something to consider for GH maybe???
At the moment they have me scheduled for 4 days work/week, 2 more days than I was hired for, but a good way to jump right in.  Days start at 8 sharp and we are there until about 6.
Boy are then left to get themselves to school and back by bike rain or shine.  School yesterday for them seemed no problem, even a bit easier than they expected.  Two more weeks until school holiday and then we can revisit their situation.

Sunday we took a jaunt to the beach two blocks from here and before I knew it all of them were in the water, Noah on the new boogie board, Jack in his underwear and Maggie fully clothed, playing in the waves!  TIme to get some wetsuits for this gang and a few more boards.

Hope to send a few more pics but internet is slow today.  Full moon is coming, isn't it the Harvest moon? looking forward to a beach walk under that!