Claiming my Inner Bitch

New Job Coming Soon to a Hospital Near Me (I hope)

Well, I was finally able to connect today with the nurse recruiter at the community hospital that's within walking distance of my apartment. We weren't able to connect in person, however, because, "It's a little crazy here today." Crazy. In the HR department. Go on down to the ER there some evening or come to the ER where I currently work if you wanna see "crazy," Hon.

Anyway, I was able to gather some valuable information by phone today. Because this hospital is part of the larger health system for which I presently work, I will be considered a transfer rather than a new employee. Hopefully, this will make the transition go a little more smoothly. There doesn't seem to be a position that exactly fits my needs in the ER at present but there is a full-time position (three 12-hour shifts per week, like my current position) in the Critical Care Float Pool. This nurse floats between the ER, the ICU and the Telemetry floor. I've never worked in an ICU so that experience would be valuable. ER, of course, I have pretty much down pat. And Telemetry is nothing more than a regular, medical-surgical nursing floor with cardiac monitors. Cake.

The position we discussed is on night shift, again not a problem, at least for the short term. I worked nights for almost 20 years up until two years ago. I have no trouble sleeping during the day (well, no more trouble than I have sleeping at night) and I've always liked the culture of night shift...the atmosphere is generally more relaxed and collegial, permanent night shift staff is usually a little more left-of-center and autonomous than their counterparts on days and night nurses really know how to party! By that I mean there's always an excuse on night shift for people to bring in food...wonderful, fat-filled, calorically-overloaded, delicious party
food.


Mary's having hot flashes? PARTY!

Susan's baby pooed on the big-boy potty? PARTY!

Cloris got the house in the divorce settlement? PARTY!


I've found the night shift people I've worked with over the years tend to work in a more collaborative and less competitive manner. That might just be my experience but I think it's probably not purely anecdotal. When you're working the lowest-staffed shift on a nursing unit and in a hospital, you come to rely more on your co-workers to cover your back and they usually do. The ability to think on your feet autonomously is revered by night nurses but cooperation and interdependence are almost equally respected. You also get to know people better on night shift as there are so many fewer people to get to know while, when there is downtime on a unit, it's much easier to engage in meaningful conversations than during the hustle-bustle of an afternoon. Night shift workers generally play well with others, IME.

So what if the shift will negatively impact my life expectancy a bit. With 20 years of it under my belt already, I figure the damage is already done...and that's not even mentioning my nicotine addiction.

A float pool position would also be interesting and might be a welcome relief from working in the same environment with the same people every single workday. I like getting to know people and meeting different folks. It'd be great to have three units' worth of new peeps to interact with. I also won't have to be entirely vested in one unit as I always have been in my career. I think I like the idea of being a little more shallow-rooted for a while.

So, wish me luck. I discovered that I may fill out an application online and will be brushing up my resume over the weekend so the recruiter can return on Monday to be dazzled. Let's hope she doesn't overindulge over the weekend so the dazzlement will be welcome. With luck, I will have an appointment next Thursday to meet with the recruiter and, maybe, a nurse manager or two meaning, in a month or so, I can be trading my current position for one that's a little more stress- and hassle-free.

Too bad there isn't an all-in-one shampoo and conditioner for employment and careers, huh?

I've come to realize I've been in a fairly depressed cycle the past two or three months. Some of it is job-related but a lot has been due to the loss of my father in March and my personal growth, especially that catalyzed by Dad's death. I haven't been paying bills regularly. I haven't cleaned my apartment in months. I've blogged a lot and gardened a fair amount but have been pretty well holing up outside of interacting with a friend or two. My "hermitting" has not just been an effort to beat the blazing Philly summer heat and humidity.

For the first time in many weeks, I feel relatively relaxed. This week wasn't necessarily any "easier" than any other at work recently, but I felt better about it. It's amazing what making a decision and taking a little action can do. It's amazing what believing in yourself enough to take a little risk will do.

Yes, I'll apply for the job and do some resume tweaking this weekend. I'll also pay my bills in time to get them out in the mail before noon tomorrow. I will hopefully make it down to the shore early next week because I feel the need for a salt breeze on my skin and the tang of the sea in my nostrils like an almost pulsating yearning. I will draft my letter of resignation.

I'm not promising anything about cleaning, though.

If only I had a nice middle-aged girlfriend with a hankering for vacuuming.

Or not.

Technorati tags: bitchy / career / humor / life / nursing / work

posted by Cheryl @ 3:31 PM