Claiming my Inner Bitch

Moving my Life Along

I'm quitting my job. I have decided. I figured it was probably safer to blog about this here than on No Ordinary Princess, which has, historically, had a wider "readership," including some hits which are local to me. It's amazing what a mention on a popular blog can do for your stats, though. Things have gotten considerably busier here since last evening. Thanks, Bitch | Lab!

I've been at my hospital for nearly three years. I knew early on this would not be the place from which I would retire. It's become painfully obvious in the past year just how bad a fit we are, though, me and my institution. I've resisted the impulse to walk out with an immediate resignation for many months.

This will not come as a surprise to my nurse manager. When she approached me in February about taking a position on the hospital's Nursing Practice Council (usually a two-year stint), I informed her I wasn't going to be there long enough to serve the term. She urged me to hang in there a bit with the expectation that a position would be created soon for an Emergency Department/Information Services Liaison Nurse, someone to communicate between the health care professionals in the ED and the IS people regarding the computer documentation program our health system is purchasing.

I hung in there until March, when I attended an introduction to the program three days before my dad died. I hung in there through April, when I was invited on a site visit to a Lancaster County hospital which utilizes the program. I've been hanging in there as the time frame keeps being pushed back; now we're talking roll-out in early 2007. I cannot even get a firm estimate of when the position will be posted or what my standing might be as a candidate. My hanging in there time is up.

I'll be spending a few days at the Jersey Shore next week to "sit with" my decision but think I will be contacting the nurse recruiter at the little community hospital two blocks from home about meeting next Friday to see what they have to offer. I don't really think I need time to sit with my choice but it's a good excuse to high-tail it to the shore for a few days. : )


Changes haven't come easily to me. I've been resistant to change and, subsequently, to growth for much of my life. I've come to be less afraid. I am strong enough to do what I want, where I want and with whom. Change doesn't always have to be difficult, just different, and sometimes that's just what you need.

Right now, I feel that what I need is a nap on this muggier-than-Hell Pennsylvania day.

Ahhhh...two years of therapy....priceless!

Technorati tags: bitchy / blogging / life / middle-age / nursing / work

posted by Cheryl @ 2:00 PM