October 15, 2009

First year bumps

I learned the hard way about staff-splitting yesterday...I didn't recognize it until after the fact.  Oh well.  There wasn't any harm done and my manager took me into the office to explain a few things about it to me.  Again, I didn't take it personally which still puzzles some of them.  Though I will admit that after I left work, I did feel a little stung because I made a mistake...but I reminded myself that I am in the "first year" and this is a time of experience and learning.  I'm probably brooding over it far more than everyone else is.  And mistakes happen:  everyone makes them.  As far as mistakes go, this one was rather minor--it had the potential to be major though, so I need to be more careful about how patients behave.   I think I was getting a bit too comfortable and letting my guard down...I need to tighten up my performance.

The facility hired more nurses:  most are PRN, though a couple were permanent.  Every time they do that I worry for a day or so if I'll be able to get enough hours each week.  Being PRN, I'm not guaranteed any hours period.  Then I remind myself that most of this is not under my control:  I give scheduling a list of what hours I can work and if they find the shifts for me then that's all well and good.  After all, I can't put in for hours I can't work.  And if they can't find work for me for the hours I do put in, they just can't and it's not worth stressing over.  Financially, we're all right if I don't work full-time, and if we did need extra cash I could pick up PRN work somewhere else. 

What is in my control:  my work performance--I'll just keep doing the best that I can so when they look at me they'll keep in mind my performance and that I'm a hard worker, and hopefully use me more.  Also, once my better half's own work schedule improves, I can start putting in for more of the odd hour shifts.

Actually, considering how often they ask me if I could work extra shifts, as well as the turnover rates here--many people just stay for their year's experience and then move on--I don't think there'll be any problem with me getting at least some hours every week.  So I'll finish stressing over it today, then let it go until the next batch of hires comes through.