Personal Reflection On The Crucible

Down the middle isle are the rodent treatments. On the top shelf there is a yellow box with mouse poison. The green box is for rats. Above them there are the snap traps. Below them are the Haveahart traps. On the hook to the right hangs the sticky paper. In this aisle, at Harvey’s Hardware, I learned all I needed to know about problem solving and building customer trust.
Diagnosing rat infestations started with simple questions, ‘Do you have open food? Do you leave your doors open?’ Occasionally, these questions alleviated the issues and no further treatment was needed. However, when the unassuming problems were already addressed, a more in-depth resolution was needed. I assessed where the rodents were seen, asking questions to invoke the homeowner to consider patterns. Without doubting their recollection, I reassured them a solution was possible. We discuss their concerns with each method of treatment, I answered their questions, and offered guidance for use. From the middle isle, I recommended a poison in the yellow or green boxes. The poison,

My skills were immediately put to the test on my initial days of the job. I was terrified of my first 911-call on the ambulance. Would I know how to assess the patient? Would I miss a major sign? I was concerned my initial patient care giving skills would be insufficient to provide the patient care expected of a trained first responder. However, something clicked on my first call. On arrival, I found an elderly man grasping his chest screaming in pain. However, when the patient told me he was taking Coumadin, I immediately reverted back to my days on the sales floor selling warfarin to kill mice. This patient was not suffering from a rodent infestation, but he did need me to ease his concerns. I knew the anticoagulant was used to treat blood clotting, likely indicating this patient had a previous history of blood vessel