Subtitled: And a Snow Day
I might do a monthly wrap up of the past year later but at the moment, I don't want to. 2013 had some HUGE (like "OMG T-Rex GINORMOUS!") ups and downs and I'm finally finding my footing emotionally this last week and I don't necessarily want to revisit last year yet. Denial, not just a river in Africa… Also? Run-on sentences, the way I live my life.
Anyway things are looking up. Even with a foot of snow on the ground (because that would be looking down…), but more on that in a minute. I'm loving my new job so much that I'm almost to the Irish "I'm related to the Murphy's, what's going to go wrong now?" looking over my shoulder. I have a savings account. I have a retirement plan. I have renters, health, and life insurance. These all are a big weight off my shoulders. I don't want to get all political (in social class sort of way) but now that I've tasted a bit of "being poor" for the last few years, I can see why moderately wealthy to rich people don't understand the stresses of the poor. The stupid little shit that the rich don't even think about in their daily lives are gigantic problems for those without money. And it's so insanely stressful, it's not funny. I will never take any of this for granted ever again.
Back to the snow, the kids were already scheduled to be off school today so the fact that there are 12 inches of snow on the ground and a windchill of -30F doesn't really matter to them. But all this craziness means that Homeland Security (not particularly a fan but whatever) has placed travel advisories on us and the state of Indiana is pretty much just closed. At least central to northern Indiana is. Which for me just means my "non essential" clinic is closed and I "have" to stay home. Darn… *shrugs* Even though I love my job (see above), I don't really want to go out in this mess.
Happy New Year, Happy Snow Day, and keep warm.
Quote of the Day: "A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water." -Carl Reiner
Showing posts with label nursing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nursing. Show all posts
Monday, January 06, 2014
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Spin cycle
I'm trying to find my center again. This last week has been... I don't even have the words for it.
The viewing and the funeral were tough. I did a lot of crying. I gave the eulogy at Mass because it felt like something I needed to do. I miss my dad.
I'm very thankful I have my new job. I worked Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and it felt good to be finally doing what I've spent the last 4 years working towards.
I drove down to my hometown Friday after work and spent the night with my mom. She's doing amazing. It'll be a process for her but seeing her in person doing pretty well with everything helped me feel that she can do it. I'm not a worrier but I was worried A LOT about her this last week.
Yesterday was a bit of an anomaly as I went to Churchill Downs with some of my extended family and ate lunch in Millionaire's Row and bet on some horses. My aunt buys tickets to this event every year and she asked me many months ago if I could attend. (KY Colonels) It was fun and amazing and a nice break away from everything. I even won $3.50 on my first horse race bet ever.
Today... Today I feel like I just got spit out of the spin cycle. I've been up since 7am and kinda overwhelmed by getting everything back in order again. The plants need watering, the half & half for my coffee went bad, the laundry has piled up, I have a stack of new job paperwork that needs sorted, and I've gained like 4lbs since I last stepped on the scale (and since I was already 5lbs heavier the last time I checked, I'm so not happy about this, my clothes are starting not to fit at all). Oh and I think that NaNoWriMo is a bust again this year. I'm trying to take everything slow and easy to not overwhelm myself but I also know I need to get my butt in gear and tackle everything sooner than later as I have a full week of work ahead of me and the kids are back at my house tomorrow night.
Deep breaths. Take it slow. It took time to get to this place, it'll take time to get back to my normal. I can do this.
The viewing and the funeral were tough. I did a lot of crying. I gave the eulogy at Mass because it felt like something I needed to do. I miss my dad.
I'm very thankful I have my new job. I worked Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and it felt good to be finally doing what I've spent the last 4 years working towards.
I drove down to my hometown Friday after work and spent the night with my mom. She's doing amazing. It'll be a process for her but seeing her in person doing pretty well with everything helped me feel that she can do it. I'm not a worrier but I was worried A LOT about her this last week.
Yesterday was a bit of an anomaly as I went to Churchill Downs with some of my extended family and ate lunch in Millionaire's Row and bet on some horses. My aunt buys tickets to this event every year and she asked me many months ago if I could attend. (KY Colonels) It was fun and amazing and a nice break away from everything. I even won $3.50 on my first horse race bet ever.
Today... Today I feel like I just got spit out of the spin cycle. I've been up since 7am and kinda overwhelmed by getting everything back in order again. The plants need watering, the half & half for my coffee went bad, the laundry has piled up, I have a stack of new job paperwork that needs sorted, and I've gained like 4lbs since I last stepped on the scale (and since I was already 5lbs heavier the last time I checked, I'm so not happy about this, my clothes are starting not to fit at all). Oh and I think that NaNoWriMo is a bust again this year. I'm trying to take everything slow and easy to not overwhelm myself but I also know I need to get my butt in gear and tackle everything sooner than later as I have a full week of work ahead of me and the kids are back at my house tomorrow night.
Deep breaths. Take it slow. It took time to get to this place, it'll take time to get back to my normal. I can do this.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
I HAVE A RN JOB!
*big sigh of relief*
The important bits: full time, days, no holidays, no weekends, at a local health department clinic, navy blue scrubs in any style/brand of my choosing (cause that's important, hehe)
*happy dance*
And benefits and a paycheck with a whopping $.30 more an hour than the local hospital starting RN pay. (I plan to spend that extra $12 a week on something frivolous like food. Or toilet paper.)
I interviewed for the job at the very beginning of October and I guess I forgot to mention it here at the time. Lord only knows when I actually applied for the job because I've lost track of all the jobs I've applied to in my weekly 3-6 hours of 'oh my god, what the hell, must have experience, argh, nursing shortage, my ass!' online application sessions. I was then offered the position a week later but since I had to put my two weeks in at the Sewing Gig and just, I don't know, didn't want to jinx it, I again didn't mention it here. But I start tomorrow and on Friday, I did the pre-employment screening run around of a drug pee test, a TB skin test, and filled out tax paperwork so I feel it's pretty safe to mention it now.
I HAVE A RN JOB!
The important bits: full time, days, no holidays, no weekends, at a local health department clinic, navy blue scrubs in any style/brand of my choosing (cause that's important, hehe)
*happy dance*
And benefits and a paycheck with a whopping $.30 more an hour than the local hospital starting RN pay. (I plan to spend that extra $12 a week on something frivolous like food. Or toilet paper.)
I interviewed for the job at the very beginning of October and I guess I forgot to mention it here at the time. Lord only knows when I actually applied for the job because I've lost track of all the jobs I've applied to in my weekly 3-6 hours of 'oh my god, what the hell, must have experience, argh, nursing shortage, my ass!' online application sessions. I was then offered the position a week later but since I had to put my two weeks in at the Sewing Gig and just, I don't know, didn't want to jinx it, I again didn't mention it here. But I start tomorrow and on Friday, I did the pre-employment screening run around of a drug pee test, a TB skin test, and filled out tax paperwork so I feel it's pretty safe to mention it now.
I HAVE A RN JOB!
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Feeling Good Part #3
So considering all the craziness of the last few months, I find myself in pretty good spirits lately. I've been taking some steps to fix the things I can and accept those I can't. (Go Serenity Pray! And Dr. Phil)
Fixing:
Full-Time Nursing Job: Applying, talking to my contacts, picking up as many hours as possible at both the volunteer clinic and as a school nurse substitute. The sewing gig is enough (barely) but I still don't have benefits (health insurance, life insurance, 401K). I might be able to get some minimal coverage elsewhere. It's on the To Do List.
Crappy Shoe-String Budget: Not going to go into all the details but I've contacted people to work on my debt. The relief from the strain of those monthly bills is amazing.
Accepting:
Teenagers: Currently have 3 and 2 pre-teens. It's going to be a long and bumpy ride... Just gotta buckle up, white knuckle it and get through to the other side.
Crappy Shoe-String Budget: Needs versus Wants. I have a list. And a plan. And sticking to it.
Dating: Not doing it right now. I'm good with being single at the moment (I reserve the right to change this mindset in the future) It's taken some time but I'm finally cool with just being with me. Plus I have so many amazing friends and family here that any time I really want to do something, I have a great bunch of people to contact.
Townhouse: It's good enough, it's smart enough, and doggone it, we like it. I do have to fight an internal feeling of "it's not a house, it's only 1450 square feet, it's not a house!" It is a little cramped with 6 people sometimes but the other half of the month, when it's just me and the cat, it's perfect. The location is amazing and I have a gym and a garden. I love it until the kids want friends over or I have to find an alternative location for my Girl Scout Troop meetings. I miss having a guest room and I miss entertaining. The accepting is especially tricky when our current town is known for it's 4000+ square foot McMansions and we're living in 1450 square foot townhouse. We're kinda the odd family out at the moment. Like I said, I'm working on the acceptance part.
Quote of the Day: "Don't look for your dreams to come true; look to become true to your dreams." -Michael Beckwith
Fixing:
Full-Time Nursing Job: Applying, talking to my contacts, picking up as many hours as possible at both the volunteer clinic and as a school nurse substitute. The sewing gig is enough (barely) but I still don't have benefits (health insurance, life insurance, 401K). I might be able to get some minimal coverage elsewhere. It's on the To Do List.
Crappy Shoe-String Budget: Not going to go into all the details but I've contacted people to work on my debt. The relief from the strain of those monthly bills is amazing.
Accepting:
Teenagers: Currently have 3 and 2 pre-teens. It's going to be a long and bumpy ride... Just gotta buckle up, white knuckle it and get through to the other side.
Crappy Shoe-String Budget: Needs versus Wants. I have a list. And a plan. And sticking to it.
Dating: Not doing it right now. I'm good with being single at the moment (I reserve the right to change this mindset in the future) It's taken some time but I'm finally cool with just being with me. Plus I have so many amazing friends and family here that any time I really want to do something, I have a great bunch of people to contact.
Townhouse: It's good enough, it's smart enough, and doggone it, we like it. I do have to fight an internal feeling of "it's not a house, it's only 1450 square feet, it's not a house!" It is a little cramped with 6 people sometimes but the other half of the month, when it's just me and the cat, it's perfect. The location is amazing and I have a gym and a garden. I love it until the kids want friends over or I have to find an alternative location for my Girl Scout Troop meetings. I miss having a guest room and I miss entertaining. The accepting is especially tricky when our current town is known for it's 4000+ square foot McMansions and we're living in 1450 square foot townhouse. We're kinda the odd family out at the moment. Like I said, I'm working on the acceptance part.
Quote of the Day: "Don't look for your dreams to come true; look to become true to your dreams." -Michael Beckwith
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Interview #6 (and counting)
Alternate title: "Argh, give me a full time job with benefits please!"
(Follow-up from June's Nursing update)
Interview #1: Patient Care Coordinator (May) "filled position already, check back in 6 months"
Interview #2: 'Peace, Love, and Medicine' office RN (July) heard nothing, I think they went with somebody with experience
Interview #3: Long Term Care RN (July) heard nothing, but I don't think I sucked up enough during the 2 hour job shadow because I was kinda counting the minutes until I could escape
Interview #4: Substitute School Nurse, my kids' school system (August) GOT IT. Except I've only worked 1 day...
Interview #5: Full Time School Nurse, different school system (September) heard nothing (it's been 10 days now so it's probably a 'no')
Interview #6: Nights, Full Time, Med/Surg RN at hospital 40 miles away with mandatory overtime (means 4 twelves one week, 3 twelves the next week), weekends & holidays (Yesterday) at the end of the interview "filled position already, check back in a month"
And counting...
(Follow-up from June's Nursing update)
Interview #1: Patient Care Coordinator (May) "filled position already, check back in 6 months"
Interview #2: 'Peace, Love, and Medicine' office RN (July) heard nothing, I think they went with somebody with experience
Interview #3: Long Term Care RN (July) heard nothing, but I don't think I sucked up enough during the 2 hour job shadow because I was kinda counting the minutes until I could escape
Interview #4: Substitute School Nurse, my kids' school system (August) GOT IT. Except I've only worked 1 day...
Interview #5: Full Time School Nurse, different school system (September) heard nothing (it's been 10 days now so it's probably a 'no')
Interview #6: Nights, Full Time, Med/Surg RN at hospital 40 miles away with mandatory overtime (means 4 twelves one week, 3 twelves the next week), weekends & holidays (Yesterday) at the end of the interview "filled position already, check back in a month"
And counting...
Sunday, August 11, 2013
August 11th
I haven't been much in a writing mood. I've been in a 'wait and see' mode for the last few weeks. It's not been very pleasant actually.
The sewing gig is going well. It doesn't pay enough and I can't get more than 18 hours a week (I've tried and next week I'm actually only scheduled for 12). I suppose it's better than nothing. I had an interview for the MOST PERFECT RN JOB EVER* about 2 weeks ago and then I haven't received a phone call back. I did call and leave a message about a week after saying that I'd love to have the position and please call back and let me know the status. Nothing. I have another upcoming interview for an assisted living/long term care facility (the new fancy word for 'nursing home'). I don't know much about that job other than where it's located and it's a RN position. I also applied to about 10 other new job listings on Thursday and Friday.
The kids start back to school in a few days. We're buying school supplies today. And doing laundry. And waiting.
* Local (less than 2 miles away), 8am-5pm Monday-Friday, new doctor's office opening in September with a very laid back, patient centered 'peace, love, and medicine' approach. So perfect...
The sewing gig is going well. It doesn't pay enough and I can't get more than 18 hours a week (I've tried and next week I'm actually only scheduled for 12). I suppose it's better than nothing. I had an interview for the MOST PERFECT RN JOB EVER* about 2 weeks ago and then I haven't received a phone call back. I did call and leave a message about a week after saying that I'd love to have the position and please call back and let me know the status. Nothing. I have another upcoming interview for an assisted living/long term care facility (the new fancy word for 'nursing home'). I don't know much about that job other than where it's located and it's a RN position. I also applied to about 10 other new job listings on Thursday and Friday.
The kids start back to school in a few days. We're buying school supplies today. And doing laundry. And waiting.
* Local (less than 2 miles away), 8am-5pm Monday-Friday, new doctor's office opening in September with a very laid back, patient centered 'peace, love, and medicine' approach. So perfect...
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Nursing update
So I graduated nursing school back in May...
At the time I was interviewing for a local physician office job (lots of patient education, some case management, M-F, 8-5, no weekends, no holidays) and I thought I was 'in' because I had two awesome interviews with HR and I already knew the nursing hiring manager (and her boss too!). Therefore I quit my student nurse job because 1. I hated it and 2. I was super busy the month of May plus studying for NCLEX test and I wasn't getting any hours in and 3. new awesome different RN job soon, woohoo!
Uh yeah, that job fell through.
So I passed the NCLEX on June 11th (last hoop of nursing school jumped!) and I have been applying my ass off to jobs ever since. I've lost count to exactly how many positions. 50+? 75+? I've applied to the health department, many hospitals, home health companies, and physician offices. And by 'many' hospitals, I mean 7 hospital systems, probably well over 15 hospitals if you count the individual different locations within one system.
I have not heard back from any of them...
Nursing shortage? What fucking nursing shortage?
To say I'm a little disheartened is an understatement. One entire hospital system is on a bit of a hiring 'blackout'. Another announced layoffs by the end of June. The rest? Literally have 1-3 positions open. Total. Last year, one of the largest most well known hospitals in Indy had 40-ish new RN jobs listed. (I've been watching for years. I also keep on eye on housing prices and used cars. I may need a job. Oh wait...). So great, there's not a lot of open positions out there. But it gets better. All of them have the criteria of 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE.'
Side rant: I hate the phrase 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE' more than I hate people driving under the speed limit with no passing zones, my old student nurse job, and the beeping from smoke detectors when the battery has died, all COMBINED. Because generally the position requirements follow up that phrase with '1 year' of said 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE.' 1 measly year? That's not 'EXPERIENCE.' That's barely out of orientation. So WTF?!?! How the hell does one get this crappy barely counts as 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE' for 1 year if you can't get job anywhere at all because you don't have this magical bullshit 'EXPERIENCE'?
*deep breath*
I apologize for all the yelling and cursing.
I've heard it takes time, hospital HR departments are notoriously slow with hiring new nurses. I've heard it'll turn around in a few months, hospitals can't operate without nurses no matter how much they want to cut costs. I've heard it's who you know, not what you know. (Hm, I know a lot of stuff but I don't know anybody, crap.) I've heard you need to poop glittery rainbows and sacrifice kittens on the blue moon during a July snowstorm to get a job... Wait, what?
A kind mom of a friend asked me a few weeks ago "so are you excited about getting a hiring bonus?" I almost cried. Those don't exist anymore! Yeah this is so not what I expected 4 years ago when I registered for nursing school pre-requisiste classes.
On a slightly more positive note, I do have a job offer. It's part time, days at a local sewing place (they do custom fabric interior design work, mostly window treatments, pillows, etc). And while a dollar earn anywhere is a dollar earned, I'm not super excited. Because damn, I just spent 4 long years and a lot of money and heartache to earn my RN, BSN and I'm not using it now or as it seems, any time soon.
So here it is, Universe. You have until July 8th to give me some sort of encouraging move towards a RN job anywhere (phone call? email? may I dare ask for an interview?) or I'm taking the sewing gig.
#kbyethanx
At the time I was interviewing for a local physician office job (lots of patient education, some case management, M-F, 8-5, no weekends, no holidays) and I thought I was 'in' because I had two awesome interviews with HR and I already knew the nursing hiring manager (and her boss too!). Therefore I quit my student nurse job because 1. I hated it and 2. I was super busy the month of May plus studying for NCLEX test and I wasn't getting any hours in and 3. new awesome different RN job soon, woohoo!
Uh yeah, that job fell through.
So I passed the NCLEX on June 11th (last hoop of nursing school jumped!) and I have been applying my ass off to jobs ever since. I've lost count to exactly how many positions. 50+? 75+? I've applied to the health department, many hospitals, home health companies, and physician offices. And by 'many' hospitals, I mean 7 hospital systems, probably well over 15 hospitals if you count the individual different locations within one system.
I have not heard back from any of them...
Nursing shortage? What fucking nursing shortage?
To say I'm a little disheartened is an understatement. One entire hospital system is on a bit of a hiring 'blackout'. Another announced layoffs by the end of June. The rest? Literally have 1-3 positions open. Total. Last year, one of the largest most well known hospitals in Indy had 40-ish new RN jobs listed. (I've been watching for years. I also keep on eye on housing prices and used cars. I may need a job. Oh wait...). So great, there's not a lot of open positions out there. But it gets better. All of them have the criteria of 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE.'
Side rant: I hate the phrase 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE' more than I hate people driving under the speed limit with no passing zones, my old student nurse job, and the beeping from smoke detectors when the battery has died, all COMBINED. Because generally the position requirements follow up that phrase with '1 year' of said 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE.' 1 measly year? That's not 'EXPERIENCE.' That's barely out of orientation. So WTF?!?! How the hell does one get this crappy barely counts as 'MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE' for 1 year if you can't get job anywhere at all because you don't have this magical bullshit 'EXPERIENCE'?
*deep breath*
I apologize for all the yelling and cursing.
I've heard it takes time, hospital HR departments are notoriously slow with hiring new nurses. I've heard it'll turn around in a few months, hospitals can't operate without nurses no matter how much they want to cut costs. I've heard it's who you know, not what you know. (Hm, I know a lot of stuff but I don't know anybody, crap.) I've heard you need to poop glittery rainbows and sacrifice kittens on the blue moon during a July snowstorm to get a job... Wait, what?
A kind mom of a friend asked me a few weeks ago "so are you excited about getting a hiring bonus?" I almost cried. Those don't exist anymore! Yeah this is so not what I expected 4 years ago when I registered for nursing school pre-requisiste classes.
On a slightly more positive note, I do have a job offer. It's part time, days at a local sewing place (they do custom fabric interior design work, mostly window treatments, pillows, etc). And while a dollar earn anywhere is a dollar earned, I'm not super excited. Because damn, I just spent 4 long years and a lot of money and heartache to earn my RN, BSN and I'm not using it now or as it seems, any time soon.
So here it is, Universe. You have until July 8th to give me some sort of encouraging move towards a RN job anywhere (phone call? email? may I dare ask for an interview?) or I'm taking the sewing gig.
#kbyethanx
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