Well, Today marks the day that I begin
pulling my hair out.
This entire day has been so so messed up . In addition to the below time line, I started a multi dose pack of prednisone. One of the side effect is that it can make a person jittery and irritable. Good timing.
09:15 I call FHW and accept position.
10:00 I tell My Directors Secretary that I am resigning, as I can not find director.
10:30 I go and purchase 2 new pairs of scrubs since I can only wear Navy blue at my new job.
12:30 I send my Letter of Resignation email to my Director. It was a nice letter. Date Jan 17.
13:30 I get a phone call from FHW telling me that due to "restructuring" they were pulling the job the offered and
offering me nights.
I proceed to gasp for air. Finally I said that I needed to talk to the actual Manager.
14:10 Actual manager calls back. very nice, states she is not sure how long I may remain on nights. Tells me how
nice she believes the night shift to be.
I remain really angry and in a state of Shock.
14:20 I take the dog for a walk. I think and I try to figure out what I am going to do.
15:30 I come home, and make a few quick phone calls. I call the local hospital, hoping that at the very least they have a nights position open. I mean, if I am going to work nights it would help to have the job be only 2.7 miles away.
15:45: I speak to Health Central. They confirm they do have days available.
16:11 I am drinking Coffee and wondering what I should do.
Nights really isn't that bad for 3-4 months. I feel like I might have my best opportunity to move up at FH-Waterman. On the other hand, If I am going to do nights, the lure of doing a night shift, walking across the parking lot to the gym and swimming, and then going to bed is very appealing...
and then well, there is a day shift at Health Central, still don't know too much about the place, except that Tiger Woods and his MIL were treated there recently....
I'm not going to rescind my resignation. I'm ready for something new, but I am just amazed at how things are turning out. Plus the prednisone is making me so so jittery and emotional it's rather difficult for me to think at all clearly.
At least I really did need new scrubs. I'm looking forward to seeing how they look tomorrow.
This morning, I went to get my camera out of the car, and discovered that my car was locked tight and I had no idea where the Key was.
This happens to me regularly. I even once went through an entire Wal-Mart trash can (eeeeeewwwww) to discover I had left the key in a pocket of a shirt I had considered buying.
My solution is usually, believe it or not, to pray about it. God, or the focus, usually leads me to recalling where my key can be found.
Today I could not find the key in any of the regular places. I looked in the couch (Found 5 ball points) emptied a box, and discovered multiple things I had been wanting (my dresser scarf, some hair items, a matching shoe for a lone shoe...) but no key.
FInally in desperation, I called the dealer. I had only gotten one key when I bought the car and that seemed odd. Turns out a new key for the Toyota Prius costs between 175.00 and 200.00
Well. Not only that, they have to order it, and then program the car again to get it to work. And there is a charge for programming the car!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All of this would take a few weeks. During which time I would probably have to rent a car.
Back in the day, one could call a locksmith, and get a key cut to open and drive the car for like, oh, 20.00, and the service call would be about 75.00 So around the same, except that the locksmith person usually would come out that day and have you on your way in a few hours. Rather than weeks!!!!
After talking rather irately to the manager of the dealership about why did I have no key....I found my key. In a pile of Christmas cards.
I called him right away and told him I still wanted the second key. He said it had been delivered to me. He suggested I look deeply into the glove box. I said, OK.
Oddly, my second key was deeply deeply embedded in the glove box. I am a little embarrassed, but at least I told the guy Thank you in a fairly nice way.
I am really in LOVE with my Prius. I like it so so much. BUt I have to say I am not sure the electronic key system is that much of a blessing considering how much hassle it is.
(BUT! I now have my second key, safely in my home, in case I ever do get stupid enough to misplace my key again.)
It's a funny thing how technology is supposed to make life easier, but it never really seems to, instead I have more and more complications!
I finally got back in touch with the HR lady who called me. She was very friendly, in a way that I found difficult...Ie: she made small talk that was inquiring about my life. She asked if I had been at work, and I said, no...clearly if I had been at work, I would STILL be at work. But she's not really in touch with the Nurse schedule. She then asked if I was out Christmas Shopping.... And I am now trying to think of something to say. In truth I have been cleaning out my Kitchen and paying some bills.... So I finally just said, "Oh trying to get the house ready for the Holidays. Thank GOD, (really, I do thank God) she said, Oh I did a lot of that over the weekend too...So having identified with me, we moved on to the Job offer.
The bad news:
It's the Mid shift they offered. 11a-11p
The Pay is somewhat Lower than what I am getting now, due to the rural area, they don't pay quite as competitively.
The never checked current references. Very odd. However- they may have pulled off the old references in my file. I don't want to ask. I think people do realize that your chosen references are going to say pretty good stuff about one anyway.
The Good News:
The Recruiter explained that the Manager wanted to let me know that they were "Restructuring their shifts" (What does that mean? Firing people?) and that a Day Shift would open up sooner than expected. Which sounds as if they might offer me the position even before I come on, due to the month's notice I have to give. I also like the fact that it was directly acknowledged that even though I would be hired for that shift, they understand up front that I want another shift.
It could also mean that I am being considered for the Charge Nurse Position that is posted under internal jobs, but conspicuously not being filled....SO...I'll have to look lively. I could be wrong though, and definitely not ready to hatch chickens that haven't become eggs yet.
The differential on the 11-11 shift will make up for the lower pay.
Plus the not having to drive for such a huge distance each day would be super great. I guess I will save on gas.
I said I'd think it over and crunch the numbers.
After talking to my friend on the phone, I realized how lucky we are just to have any job offers...
So I think I'll be taking it, I'll call back on Tuesday and accept. I do hope the lady doesn't want to make small talk again!
Oddly I woke this morning to dense dense fog. The entire town has disappeared. Amazing.
So life's little updates.
I interviewed last thursday. It was a long process and completely unexpected! The firs tthing that happened when I came in is that the HR officer pulled up an internet test for Emergency room Nurses and told me to take it!
I was a little freaked out. But luckily I have been going to the Study group to become a certified Emergency Nurse, so I had reviewed a lot of the questions. Some of the questions were so so basic. "What is a Slit lamp used to examine" (It's eyes and only eyes, and anyone working in an Emergency dept would know that). and others were a little more complicated regarding EKG interpretation, location of heart damage, and medications. So it was a roller coaster test. I got a 92. Apparently I don't know what medicine precipitates in D5W. I usually mix stuff in Saline, sooo, I STILL don't know which medication precipitates in D5W. (Don't be scared folks, I look stuff up before I mix it, thats why we have a reference book!)
After that I had to interview with HR. It became apparent to me that she is not a nurse, and had not any idea of what a regular Emergency Department day is like. She was, however, friendly and I enjoyed meeting her.
They then sent me down to speak with the Manager who was a nice lady. We had a short conversation, discussed uniforms and patient nurse ratios, and what I expected from management. She did not give me a tour of the department which is a bit odd, but having been a traveler, I can work anywhere. I saw a little of it, and it looks very typical. The volume there is really lower than ours. they see about 130 patients daily. We see about 220. of course we have more beds and staff.
On Friday, they called and offered me a job. I was, unfortunately, involved in some horrific traffic, and did not answer the phone. I then went to a variety of MD appointments. When I called back, she was not at her desk. Soooo, I am now awaiting her to return my call.
I will probably take the job. Right before my interview, they had several meetings of the Asst Nurse Managers at my current job. During that time, they used one particular Nurse as a replacement Charge. She is a COMPLETE IDIOT. She has a face like a classic Madonna, very beautiful. She is however, inexperienced as a Nurse, and also very mean. An example of this would be: After meeting a friend who has a physical deformity at a party, she made the comment to my friend, "Dont bring that retarded guy to the Christmas party because he's weird" (This is coming from an Adult....not a 5 yr old).
She's sort of a classic "Mean girl" pretty, not too bright, but skilled at playing the game. She's grasping and she has really sort of irritated me.
Partly because I am a jealous sort. I am just not that pretty and I don't "Play the game" too well....and while I might not have wanted the job, I don't want to be taking direction from someone who has to ask me for help with a variety of procedures, and is spending more time trying to have affairs with our one sleazy MD. If she were smart and well liked by the staff, I think I would still be jealous, but would understand, but as I see it, it's a train headed for disaster.
So just with that in mind.... I think no matter what they offer me, It shall be better.
:)
It's 9:37 ad I haven't heard back, but it's monday so I am going to give the lady at least an hour to get her monday settled and then call back.
Other than that.... My left ankle is totally messed up. Looks like my achilles is/was partially torn and is trying to heal. MD put me on a steroid dose pack and signed me up for PT but told me that he expects that I will need surgery anyway. My goal is to get through the next 4-6 months and then have the surgery. It's 4-6 weeks on crutches, soooo, I would have to figure something out as my job doesn't really have a position for nurse on crutches....
the ankle area does hurt. I'm hoping the steroid and the Iontophoresis (whatever that does I'll find out) helps a lot, but no running for a long time.
Other news:
A friend of mine from South Africa is coming to Florida for the entire Month of February!!!! He is going to a conference, but decided to come early for the Space Shuttle Lauch and maybe to run a Marathon, which I was scheduled to run but clearly can't! I might coerce him into volunteering with me at the Marathon since another of my friends is coming from Utah to run it still...
This is giving me some incentive to finally get my apartment fully unpacked and put up all the art I have on the walls etc.... which is nice.
Woweee, if you read all this I am amazed.
Not a very interesting blog post, but then again, I dont have much to say!
What's the worst book you've ever read?
Well, it may not be the worst book I've ever read, but it popped immediately into my mind as one of the worst:
The First Apostle written by A James Becker. It really really stinks. It follows a Davinci Code type plot (which by the way is not one of the best books ever either). The worst part about the book is that the author feels compelled (Or was he paid?) to place brand names for laptops and cellular phones throughout the book. Me thinks he was paid.
It was trite, banal and just commercialized. I'm learning not to buy books at the supermarket.
Since I returned to Florida, it seems the weather has not cooperated with my photographic aspirations.
While blue skies peek through, but for the most part we have had a lot of rain and gray skies. This is our dry season so it's been a bit odd.
I've been out walking with the dog and hoping for good photos. The most irritating thing is that I've been seeing some new birds, rather than the same old herons and cranes. And all the pictures I have of them are horrific!!!
Grainy and noise filled. Not enough light.
ah well here are some of them.
This is an Anhinga. It's also known as a Snake bird. It does not have the oils on its feathers to help keep feather dry, so it's often photographed drying its wings. It's called a snake bird because when it swims its totally under water except for its head, and it looks like a snake....
It's supposedly a common bird here in Florida, but this was the first time I had seen one. and that photo just isn't that great...
Onwards to the next gray weather travesty.
Turtle. It's totally out of focus, and would have been such a fun shot. This may be less the gray weather and more my learning of the new camera, but I'm blaming it on the weather!!!
and the worst is my Osprey. I drove up to the Hospital where I have an interview at this week, and since it is beside a lake, I took my camera.
I found an Osprey perched on a light pole at the hospital itself.
Just look at how horrid and grainy the photo is. It's like Newsprint....
and then the Osprey did this odd thing....
I think it was thinking of flying away, but it didn't It just eventually tucked the wing up...
Just horrid light.
Well.....today started out raining AGAIN, so I gave up and decided to post these anyway as examples of what not to do......
good gracious. I have a feeling as soon as the skies clear up, the interesting birds will disappear!!!
Whew. What a Week. It was exciting, but not really a good kind of exciting!
I went back to work on Sunday which was rather uneventful. I worked triage which is nice because it's kind of removed from everyone else but the tech with you.
On Tuesday I found out with everyone else that my friend Lynn had been fired on Monday. Admittedly they said the fantastic euphanism "Moved on from the hospital" but they knew we knew and we knew they knew, etc etc. I know it's sort of a sad thing, but frankly she had become very difficult to work with and was not really promoting the mission of the hospital. It's hard to admit that about a friend, but the truth will set you free yes?
I also found out that the job at Celebration Hospital had never been a job. It was one of those myths that are posted. I had to call Human Resources and complain that I had heard nothing to get that news. The Human resource gal was extraordinarily apologetic, stating that the Manager did want to hire me but the job didn't exist. Celebration then offerred me "PRN" as needed employment. This rather stinks because that just then means they get you to work for them when they need it. No Benefits, no paid days off. I refused. I mean, the manager didn't bother to call or email. He clearly didn't care that much about me, so.
So. This week was mostly spent navigating onwards in my career.
I called the local hospital. I had interview there on November 5th. At the time the manager told me she had offered the full time days position to another and was waiting to hear back. She offered me the PRN position. So, I figured it now being a month later, the position would be filled or not filled. HR called me then next day and told me (ANd I QUOTE! "The manager has offered the position to someone and is waiting on a reply, but she really wants you PRN" Well. That hospital pays less than what I am making now, the only reason to work there is the short commute and the Health insurance bennies. PRN workers aren't eligible for those. I told the HR person no thanks. The lady then acted very surprised, stutterred and said, "Well it's just until after the holidays and something might come open" and actually begged me to keep them in mind. Clearly the PRN thing is the preferred way to go for Managers these days. They don't have to pay any benefits or commit to the growth and development of that staff person. It is definitely a sign of the times that things are not really that great with the economy.
I won't lie. I was really disappointed. Even though all the hospitals so far have offered to employ me they didn't offer the golden ticket, the Full time employment.
Oddly, I remembered that there is a 200 bed hospital, owned by my hospital system about 30 minutes from my house.
It's a rather new facility. I checked and they had 4 positions posted. I clicked on the apply for this job button and everything started to roll again.
The above photo is just about what my current job entails every day.
I have an interview on Thursday. I'm sort of hoping against hope that they actually offer me a position that I didn't apply for but I saw posted after I applied. They initially had just the 4 positions. But the next day when I was trolling around, I saw a Charge nurse position posted for Days. I would hope that within their organization they actually are planning on promoting someone and just have to post the position for legal reasons. On the off chance though that they do want to hire someone in from the outside, I am hoping it's me! It would mean a pay raise and also a chance to move up a bit, and have the ability to shape the culture of the place I am working a bit more.
I love nursing, but I am getting a little tired of being Staff Nurse sally all the time. So I am feeling positive again about things.
I really hope that this job offer comes through even for the staff nurse. I would be so so humbled if no one wants to hire me!
Nothing else really going on. Weather is too gray for good photos...I can not run, going back to the MD in 2 weeks.
TIme is just creeping away on me! BUt I gotta say my house is getting spectacularly clean....all that time not runnign translated into cleaning things!!!!
Sorry to blather on. I had to vent out the frustration somewhere. I hope you at least enjoyed the vintage Nurse pictures as much as I did!!!
The holidays are in full effect, so tell us: What's your favorite holiday song? Bonus points if you share it with us!
I Love love love Christmas. So, of course, I love Christmas Music. I think a few years ago I posted my Favorite song as "Oh Holy Night" but I have to admit this year, thinking about it, it's really different. I'm enamored with "Go tell it on the Mountain"
Go, tell it on the mountain,
While shepherds kept their watching
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.
o’er silent flocks by night,
Behold, throughout the heavens
There shone a holy li--ght
Refrain
The shepherds feared and trembled,
When lo! above the earth,
Rang out the angels chorus
That hailed our Savior's bi--rth.
Refrain
Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas mo--rn.
RefrainInterestingly this song, considered a "christian Spiritual song" Has had many positions beyond the Holiday season. It was used by Fannie Lou Hamer, during the 1960's Civil Rights Movement in America. Because of the style of the song multple lyrics have been added or subtracted to suit the needs of the singers.SO bonus points, 2 Versions! Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
And Bob Marley and the Wailers.
Sorry no photos for this one....
Everything lately has been so messy.
I am not running. I can't run. I have some trouble walking without pain. I need to go back to the Podiatrist, but, I am not very hopeful that they can fix anything without the surgery they suggest. I can't take 8 weeks off to recover. and the risk of them removing and re-attaching the achilles tendon to me seems frightening.
So, I am dealing with the fact that I am not a runner. It's so so weird. I make most of my friends through running. Running has shaped my day for years. It's shaped my vacation plans, my diet, my reading....etc.
I'm a little confused now as to what to focus on. Talking to some people over at the gym seems to be helping. They are the only people who get how oddly distressing and strange this is for me. Everyone else can't quite get it. It's going to take me some time to figure out how to rearrange things and such.
So thats pretty messed up.
I keep hoping that one day I'll just wake up and the pain will go away. BUt it is a really horrible pain, I can not ignore it away, and I have been pretty good at ignoring lots of other bad pains, the partially torn achilles, the stress fractures...
Ah well. So I am moving into what it means to be a non runner, so far, it's pretty boring.
The work situation has become even more messy. I have not heard from the boss over at the other hospital. Wild rumors have been spreading that I am leaving, and I would dearly love to leave, but indeed, there is no offer on the table yet. One of the charge nurses has taken to giving me horrible assignments each day I work with her as punishment. It is a bit unpleasant. I tried to call human resources at the hospital today but they are completely unreachable. I left a message. I filled out a complete application for the hospital I interviewed at a few weeks ago, but nothing yet. I am debating filling out for another hospital. It's the hospital that treated Tiger Woods in his last debacle. (They didn't say it was that hospital, but they showed the hospital, and it has a distinct appearance, so I am sure thats it.) Or I could try to transfer to another hospital within the FL Hosp system. the kicker there is that they only have 11a-11p or 12-12 or night positions. THis seems a little yuck to me, but...Since I am no longer a runner...it might not be so bad. but really I have never liked any shift except days.
and I dont want to add more mess.....
At any rate.
I feel like I have pretty much lost all control. I can't run, I can't seem to switch jobs. People are treating me as if I was already gone...
So I feel a little like:
I know there are many things that make up a person, but the two biggest things for me, the job and the running, are messed up so I feel very messed up.
I hope by tuesday I can get in touch with the right human resource person at the hospital. I hope whatever the decision is that I can accept it either way. I hope that I get over the running and find some other way to not be fat. And I hope that the feeling of hazy mess clears up really really soon.
Because you know that Mr Messy is not so adorable.
and I want to be adorable.
Well, I did survive Thanksgiving after all, above is the Fisherman's Memorial at Point Judith, it inserted itself there by accident!
I flew up to my parents house and had a pretty nice time. My Mom gave me the new camera and I did a lot of helping her cook and clean up for some guests...
We then left early for the RHode Island Thanksgiving.
having Breakfast here:
As is obvious the weather wasn't good.
Luckily I eventually convinced my Dad to let me drive through the yukky part, up through NY, past the Tappan Zee bridge an on to a much tamer parkway.
I hate to admit it but, my parents are not the world's best drivers.
My Dad, I swear, can not see signs well, and is used to relying on my Mom for navigation. My Mom, unfortunately is not a good navigator.
Given that their usual traffic is more like the photo below:
I can see why that was not exactly their cup of tea.
Oddly, once I arrived in Rhode Island, I managed to not really get out my camera except for one great trip to the beach with my awesome nephews.
So the photos you are missing out on are:
*My Brother in Law's 30 pound never frozen Organic Turkey...cooked and uncooked.
*The absoloute Norman Rockwell Scene of the multiple generations spanning from 91 yrs to 4 yrs.
*the washing of the china for 22 people (good lord that took forever)
* my Niece in Laws overly sparkly outfit
Instead you get my Mom and my nephews. We were able to escape for about 2 hours on Thanksgiving morning.
THe Boys were super. I love them at this age. M. is much less Brittle and more fun to hang around with at age 6.
Here he is with his test tube of sea water...a natural scientist, his teacher says.
A. is also sporting a test tube, in front of a wrecked lobster trap, which is one of the main things in this area.
In fact, many fishermen have lost their lives, causing a Fisherman's memorial to be created:
Clearly, the memorial is more active than some...
Well, I have of course 200 or so photos. Most are a little artsy, some are of enormous swans, I think I'll be a while in editing these, nost of these images were raw, unedited.
