seeing green

Soooo, this week has been spent in orientation. I've gone from a job where I basically had no training to one where we're being oriented to the facility and there will be tons of training. I'm loving it. The facility I'm working at - orienting at - is owned by a parent corporation and I like it. I guess you can take the girl out of the military, but there's just some military-type things you can't take out of the girl. I will have no problem working for a facility that actually has their shit together. We shall nickname it the HRC (health and rehab). Once I'm done with orientation I will be on nights, working on the rehab unit.

So far it's been a bunch of training videos. You know the ones, infection control, HIPAA, blah, blah, blah. We're also having to do computer modules for CEUs. We've helped out in the dining room for lunch. It's kind of scary to me, since I don't know the residents and their needs. I'm learning though. That's one thing I like about going through orientation is it gives wiggle room to learn the ins and outs.

I actually had to buy new scrubs for this job, after just having bought the scrubs for the PO. They're what I've been wearing temporarily, but we are required to wear hunter green or white everyday, but Fridays, at which time we're allowed to wear our choice.

In family news I ended up taking both boys in to be seen last week. LB was treated for strep throat. AW has been having trouble staying awake at school for the past couple of years and evidently high school is anymore stimulating than middle school was, or so that was the thought process. Recently, as he was sleeping downstairs on the couch, I had the occasion to hear him snore like a...beast. It occured to me that maybe it was time to see if it was more than teenageritis. We ended up doing a sleep study the night we saw his PCP. As it turns out, the kid has sleep apnea. Poor thing! Soooo, we're dealing with that. We just went yesterday (had to leave orientation early) to have his x-rays done to assess his adenoids. Hopefully we'll hear soon as to what we do next.

no more crumbs!

I interviewed last week for a position at a local long-term care and rehab facility. I found out today, that I will be working there part-time nights! Woohooo!

No more PO for me!

Buhbye!

No more hunting for the ever elusive nursing job. I am so thankful for this opportunity.

that's the way my cookie crumbled

It all started oh, about 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, August 11th. Imagine that, something happening on the 11th day of any month. It is a trend in my life. I had just gotten off work and was making my way through rush hour traffic to home. As usual I'd looked at my cell phone to check for messages before I started driving. Big B had left one, "Call me".

Ought oh.

He said he had bad news and proceeded to tell me one of his co-workers had resigned, so we wouldn't be able to go on vacation the following week. Yes, just days away from a vacation we had all looked so forward to, I was hearing it wouldn't happen. I was livid. That's putting it mildly. I am a redhead and do have the temper to fit. Most times I keep it in check, but when you mess with something or someone I care about, watch out.

I arrived home and head straight upstairs to spare my family members of my wrath. I'm embarassed to admit, I was so mad that when I slammed our bedroom door, that has an over-the-door hook on it, that usually keeps it from shutting...well, I slammed it so hard, it shut.

In the end we decided, so as not to waste any money, that the boys and I would go, sans Daddy.

Yes, I'm brave. I not only took two teenage boys on a road trip for a week, but added one of their friends to the mix. ZA had already been invited that very fateful day, and they were all so excited for their Jersey shore vacation. This is all thanks to the show, Jersey Shore. They were hellbent on having their own Jersey shore experience and who am I to not let them have it? Besides, I really needed to "get away". Taking them was the lesser of two evils, those being stay and not go on vacation that I'd been so looking forward to (read as: certain nervous breakdown would surely ensue), or take three teenage boys to the Jersey shore.

Off we went. We left VA on a rainy Sunday and arrived in a splendid locale reserved by my father-in-law. We spent a couple of days on the beach and also walked the boardwalk in Wildwood. One day we spent relaxing around camp, lazing around the pool and "enjoying" each others' company. The next day we were forced to again "enjoy" each others' company since it poured rain. all. day. long. That same day LB had developed swimmer's ear, so we also spent some time in a local urgent care facility. yay.

That evening I suffered with a migraine, but was able to sleep it away that night. Thursday we set out for Seaside Heights, which is the town where Season 1 of Jersey Shore had taken place. We all wanted to check it out and you never know when you might see a cast memeber, considering they still frequent Seaside. Wouldn't you know, we turn up onto the boardwalk and there's a big crowd of people, with some police officers patrolling the scene. It was Ronnie and Snooki! They were standing in the entryway of the Shore Store, which is the store the cast worked in during Season 1.

We walked the boardwalk and bought a bunch of t-shirts. The cast has made some taglines famous and of course the retail world has capitalized on this by way of t-shirts.



I started feeling another migraine coming on, and by this time we were all shopped out and ready to head home. We make our way back to the parking lot where we paid to park, only to notice the crowd of people starting to gather. Come to find out, we were parked right across the street from the house the cast had stayed in and are currently filming Season 3. We were right there where all the action was, well, across the street from it at least. I'm thinking a sudden burst of excitement and adrenaline curbed my headache, so I was able to stand by for a while, hoping to catch a glimpse of a cast member. Alas, after about an hour or so, the headache started coming on again and the boys had become bored with watching the commotion of MTV personnel and police officers, with no sighting of any celebrities, so we headed back to camp.

"Camp" was more than a tent. We had the privilege of staying in my father-in-law's RV, and it was a biggin'. It made for a mostly enjoyable vacation, although the boys were, at times,... too much personality... in what could be a small place.

Once again I was able to sleep off the migraine, and awakened Friday with plans to hit the beach. We also headed out to dinner that night for our seafood feast at The Lobster House in Cape May. Sadly, my migraine started in again and we made it an early night. I ended up with chills and nausea and after an hour or so trying to sleep it off unsuccessfully, had LB take me to the local ER. Last time I'd felt like that was when I had mastitis after I'd given birth to AW...14 years ago.

Nine hours and a dose of Reglan, and then a dose of Toradol later, I was discharged. As all good things must come to an end, we headed back to the RV to get packed up. After a ngihtmare of an ER visit where I got little to no sleep and LB slept none, I knew we couldn't head straight back home, so we followed my father-in-law to his house where I was able to get a nap in, and then we made our way home. All the while I felt like poo.

When Monday morning rolled around I was still feeling dreadful, so I had to call in sick. Later I received a phone call from the big boss informing me I'd been taken off, and replaced, of my part-time position, and was being put on PRN status. The person who covered for me during vacation was my replacement. Why? I have yet to get a solid reason. I can say I know it's due in part to the fact that my replacement is awesome. She's a former classmate, someone I considered a friend. I know her well enough to know she's extremely comfortable in her nurse skin, whereas I don't have the experience she does, and so I'm still getting used to mine.

That's the way my cookie crumbled. I'm torn. Part of me is relieved this happened, because I wasn't entirely comfortable working there. There are a few standards of practice I don't necessarily agree with. It was experience and a paycheck though. This has been a big blow to my confidence, even so far as to make me question my worth as a nurse.

Today I have an interview for a local health and rehabilitation center (nursing home). It's exciting and daunting all at once. I welcome the opportunity to possibly be doing more nurse-like work over what I was doing at the PO. We shall see.

milestones

Without a doubt, the next few months will be filled with incredible milestones. Both boys drove off this morning, school-bound. AW was riding shotgun while LB maneuvered their way to their freshman and senior year of high school. These times are truly bittersweet.

It's exciting to see AW start high school. I'm hopeful his HS career will be um...., less dramatic than his middle school career. He is such a great kid, but he's made some very bad decisions over the past couple of years. The middle school he went to was a miserable place to be. It seems that many of my friends, who've had sons that made it out, had similar bad experiences, but their son came around and turned out for the better. This would include my eldest son, LB. He made his own share of bad decisions, but has shoved his way through and is an awesome guy.

They both make me proud. I saw a bumper sticker recently that I loved. It said "Proud parent...period". A child doesn't have to be an honor student or a gifted athlete for his or her parents to feel pride.

AW will be 14 next month. He now towers over me and has given his brother a run for his money, concerning heighth. We always knew AW would outgrow his brother. Right now, at 3 1/2 years (to the day) apart, they're within an inch of one another.

LB is a senior now and he'll be 18 in March, and with that comes many celebrations. We also have "the lasts". Today I took the last first day of school pictures of both boys. LB will head off to college next year, and although I imagine I'll take pictures each step of the way, he won't start off a new year on the same day as his brother again.

I'll have to control myself over the next several months, so I don't lose it. I feel like I haven't had enough time with my sons. Can't we go back and do like shampoo tells us, you know, to repeat? I tried telling him that I was demoting him to kindergarten. He just laughed at me.

Many friends who've had kids go off to college recently have warned me about senioritis. As sure as there are good times, there will be some bad mixed in. They're convinced that it makes it easier to part with the senior who goes off to college, or leaves home for whatever reason.

This past week is a great example of frustration with my near-adult son. That's a whole different blog post though.

sticks and stuck up

Working at the peds office (PO) has had its ups and downs. I told a couple of my co-workers Wednesday that it was indeed my favorite day of the three I work during the week. This is simply because it's just MB and I, and no other "nurse". The term is used loosely because the other person I work in patient care with is not a nurse. In the state of VA it is not required to be licensed or certified to work in a doctor's office. She is, however, certified as a phlebotomist. All that being said, she is good at her job and great with the patients. It's the way she treats those of us she works with and how she expects to be treated that I have a problem with.

We have two computer terminals in our nurses' station. She has claimed one of them, even going so far as labeling it with her name. We have three Thermoscan Ear Thermometers and three handheld pulse/pulse oximeters. Yep, one of each are labeled as well, yet they are not her personal equipment. She's also one of those who will walk into the room and in the most snarky fashion ask why something is the way it is, or isn't.

I realize there's always going to be somebody that we prefer to not have to work with. It's quite different when that somebody is one of only about ten co-workers.

Like I said, Wednesdays are my favorite days. Well, they have been. Evidently she'll be working them after school starts the 23rd. We provider match (which means when three of us are working we each work with a specific provider) and her provider will be dropping her hours down so she (the provider) can be around for her children. So rather than working to 5 p.m. 4 days a week, NFC (not favorite co-worker) will be working five and getting off earlier. Lovely.

I have my intrapersonal battles with all of this. I like my job because, well it is work, and the schedule is great. I don't have to work nights, weekends, major holidays, and so forth. But...is this what I became a nurse to do? It'll have to do for right now, because there just isn't much out there for inexperienced nurses. I figure I'll at least stick with it for the next few months, because yes, it looks like they're keeping me around for as long as I wish to stay.

Days like yesterday leave me frustrated. It was a day spent with NFC, so it was already spent overting outright frustration. Then it happened. I attempted to do a blood draw on a patient, once in each AC and the veins rolled. I'm not extremely well-practiced at this task, so I decided to stop there and go get NFC, the trusty phlebotomist. I had trouble using the safety device on the butterfly needle and going back to the days when there was no such thing, from which I was originally trained, I just decided to discard the needle in the sharps. It bounced backward and caught my thumb. Lovely.

I will say NFC was awesome about the whole event and even talked me out of my devastation over doing something so dumb. Of course, we had to go through the formalities when something like this happens, to include her drawing my blood to send off for HIV testing. Great day...not.

There seems to be a trend when certain things happen. One week was strep week. Everyone that came in seemed to be having s/s of strep throat and were of course swabbed for the rapid strep screen. This past week was let's-stick-something-up-our-nose week. One kid had stuck part of a diaper wipe up his and another had supposedly stuck a foam circle up his. We succesfully removed the former's obstruction, but had to send the latter to ENT. They found nothing.

It's all fun and games in the PO!

the little buggers

In a self-fulfilling prophecy sort of way, it seems I thought myself into an illness. Maybe I just worked my way into it. It only makes sense that if you work around germs you're going to fall to those germs eventually. I work around a bunch of little buggers, well some of them are not so little. Working in a peds office is a surefire way to come down with some sort of virus or other illness. Wouldn't ya know it, last night I started in with a headache and by this morning was feeling worse. Quite frankly, I feel icky.

It's not bad enough to be totally debilitating, but bad enough to keep from me going into DC with Big B for a Phillies/Nats game. It's pretty disappointing, but I knew I didn't want to end up feeling worse, cutting our trip short. Here I lie in bed, while he's off wandering around enjoying himself and will soon be heading to the baseball game. It figures I'm finally able to live freely, since there are no more studies to keep me down and I'm left stuck at home feeling like crud! Boohoo!

The other guys are, thankfully, amusing themselves. LB went off to a concert and AW is in his room chatting it up while playing XBOX Live.

As far as the job goes itself, it's going well...

I love the people I work with. The work has been frustrating at times. I love working with the kids, far more than I ever thought I would. It's the tasks we have to manage that frustrate me, and my fellow new co-workers. We do labs in house, at least as far as drawing blood for things that need to be sent out, simple Hgb tests, rapid strep screens, etc. It's the outgoing bloodwork that has left me wanting to rip my hair out. CBC's go in the lavendar top tube. Got it. Thyroid tests go in the tiger top tubes. OK. The more simple, more common tests are manageable. It's the crazy odd, rarely done tests that we have to draw for that leave me mad. I didn't go to medical lab tech school. It's all very challenging, but once all the other tasks come easier, and they already are, I'll be able to learn the lab tests more readily.

The frustration was compounded when MB, my former classmate who called me for this job, and I had to call in other reinforcements. Fortunately for us we just graduated with a bunch of people who have yet to find permanent jobs, so any opportunity to gain experience and get paid is worthwhile. I called on CM first, but as soon as she and I figured out we'd be on our own on different days, we decided we weren't comfortable flying solo. We called in CH.

The reason for all of this? That goes back to what I mentioned in my previous post. I was brought on to help out because the two regular employees had been granted vacation and time off for surgery and convalescence at the same time. I had one good day of training and one, um...pretty good day. We've all (not including the regular employees) been thrown in with minimal training. MB has had the most, with me coming in second, CM and CH have had little, except for what they were thrown into. CM has since been hired on at a local rehab and nursing center full-time. CH will now be working at the peds office on a PRN basis. MB is now full-time and I will be 3 days a week for August, maybe less later, maybe more.

I think if I do end up staying on permanently I'll have to come up with a nickname other than "peds office". I love working there, aside from the learning curve...zig zag. It's definitely been an experience to remember! I'll forever be thankful my girls came through for me and MB thought to call me!

first days

Good....no, GREAT news! I got a job! One of my former classmates found a job at a local pediatrician's office, that come to find out is in a bind due to short-staffing because of surgery/vacations. I was called to ask if I could help out. Who in the world would pass up such an opportunity? It's not like other opportunities are fruitful, or even exist.

The most recent:
Ms. KLS, RN,

Thank you for your interest in XX Hospital.
I have received your online applications for various RN positions. It appears that you are a new gradute RN with less than 1 year of clinical experience. We do not have any positions currently for new graduates. The next opportunity will be some time in 2011.

I wish you the best in your search.

XX, RN, MSN
Nurse Recruiter

Just the day prior they'd sent me this one:
Dear KLS, RN,

Thank you for applying to XX Hospital.
I have reviewed your online applications, and unfortunately, we are not accepting any more new graduate RNs at this time. We will hold our next new graduate fellowship in 2011.
I wish you the best in your search.

Thank you for considering XX Hospital

XX, Nurse Recruiter
XX Hospital

Yeah, cuz in 2011 I will still be considered a new grad...

Anyway!!!

I started at the peds office today and although I am beyond exhausted, I'm happy. It was a great first day. I didn't make any huge mistakes. All the children left in the same condition they had entered in. I was in awe of the nurse I trained with as I can't wait to just know so much without giving it a second thought. Of course, it'll feel nice to just not feel so "green"!

I am so thankful for this opportunity. It may not be my first choice, but it's better than doing nothing. The people are great, the hours are perfect, and it's experience. I'm not sure if I'll stay on permanently, but it looks like I may, as part-time. That's fine with me!

hmmm

Not too sure about having a background color...I actually liked having the white background, but was hoping that a colored one would make the banner stand out more.

Should I stay colored or go back to white?

certs & joiners

I'm looking at different certifications and am now pretty overwhelmed. ACLS seems to be the best bet - PALS, too. What other certs are there out there that you've found worthwhile, especially as a new nurse?

Who's joined ANA or any other organizations? I'm just curious, as to the benefits.

decipher this!

mulchthegardensscrapbookingreadingforpleasureshoppingforshoes,purses,funstuffgoingtothebeachgoingtoKDwalkingformileslosingweightpurgetheboys'clothingcleanthehouseweedthegardensbrushthedogsbrushthecatsgoouttodinnerspendtimewithfamilyspendtimewithfriendstravelclipsnooki'sclawspaintthebedroomsdesignnewblogbannerwatchmovieswatchtvshowstakeresumearoundlaminateIDcardsizedlicensegetajob!

That's my brain on free-time. Since I've passed the NCLEX there is no longer a need to study. I feel like I should be studying though. This is the first time in 11 years that I haven't had any pending school work to do, minus some breaks here and there - but there was still a degree to be finished.

The job market for new grad/inexperienced/newly licensed RNs is still very bleak. I've applied for most jobs I've come across that say nothing more than "experience preferred" or if there hasn't been a specific type of experience or certification required. One of the local hospital's nurse recruiters has called me twice now for a position I applied to, in behavioral medicine. The first call was to inquire as to if I did really want to work in that field. It's not my #1 choice, but I'd gladly take on the challenge. The second call was to inquire about my experience. Other than a degree in psychology and having worked with special needs/emotionally disturbed adolescents (which I forgot to mention) I have none. She said they'd call back if they chose to interview me. Haven't heard from them since.

I have applied for a school nurse position that I would be extremely happy to take even if the pay is minimal. The schedule would be perfect, especially considering some of the things we've gone through this past couple of years with our youngest resident adolescent. That's my silver lining to my jobless situation. I'm home for him this summer. I'm home for all my guys.

So anyway, back to free-time and having an overactive brain. I do better when I have to plan things out and schedule around things. Right now, with no job and the boys sleeping late (I let that become a habit since it helped with my need to study for NCLEX), I have too much free-time on my hands. I got out of the practice of doing a lot of things, like cleaning, and now am having a hard time getting back into doing them. Well that, and it's been hot here. harumph.

baby steps...

Maybe I'll get certified in something...take ACLS...