April 12, 2015

Long time no type

So let me bring you up to speed.

I'm in demand at work:  a lot of staff have been going out on leave of absences or taking vacations, so I've been racking up days left and right.  Most weeks I have 5 days booked; some weeks I end up with 6 days. I have to be careful not to hit OT though because while I'm in demand, they're not desperate enough to want to pay me OT.

I accepted one potentially long-term assignment, which turned out to only be a couple of months because the nurse I was covering for returned from leave early.  So they were thinking about shifting me to another long-term assignment but they only wanted to book me for a month or two at a time...which meant that when another unit requested me for a long-term assignment coming up this summer, I was available for it and said Yes.

The first unit is now kicking themselves because they had blown their chance.  The second unit is trying to adopt me.  I have a guaranteed assignment starting in mid-June through October, with the potential to continue on to a very long-term part-time assignment past that.

I admit, I am intrigued because of all the units I work on, it's one of my favorites.  But then again, I'm still deciding if I want to accept a permanent position by the fall and if I do, there's a chance I won't be able to work this.

I'm now kind of torn about getting any permanent position.  On one hand, I want the stability.  On the other hand, it'd be a major pay cut and loss of flexibility.  Right now I'm getting enough work to make staying float pool a real possibility...but it wasn't but a few months ago that things were on the famine side.  *sigh*

I'm still working inpatient NOCs at the hospital in town.  I find that I'm liking it very much, and they're liking me very much too.  The shift isn't too bad as far as family life goes either, because they're 8 hour NOCs, not 12s.   Going NOC, either as permanent staff or float pool, is also a real possibility.

And that sums up Job 1.

Job #3 remembered I existed and wants me for three weeks.  I said Yes, of course.   While Job #3 isn't quite my favorite (not enough patient interaction for my taste), I am in Job #3's system which is a very hard healthcare system to crack into.  So I will do whatever it takes to stay in it and maximize my career options.

Job 2...well, I think that's come to an end, though I haven't officially broken up with my agency.  I should do that this week.  I don't want to sever all times, but I do want to let them know that I'm off the market for now and maybe may return in the future.

I got sick.  Laryngitis.  Whee.  And I had to be coordinating nurse on the unit that NOC shift...which was fine until it was time for me to tape report.

The littler one also got sick with a stomach bug.  Not so whee as the child can vomit like the world is ending.  Seriously, he would wake up out of a sound sleep, yack, roll over and go back to sleep.   I had to call out of work for several days.

And then I got sick again...well, not sick sick.  But constantly tired, itchy, rashes on my arms, losing some more hair than usual...so I go to the doctor tomorrow for an evaluation.

Part 2 of the ER nursing class went well.  It would hectic and tough, but I got my A-.  I'm looking at when to schedule the preceptorship.

I ran a half-marathon.  Well, walked/ran.   It wasn't my best time but I finished it...and this year, I got a finisher's medal!  I already registered for next year's version.

I went on vacation to see my closest friend and her family.  I got another tattoo while I was there.

And then NTI is coming up.  I will be there in a working capacity for the forum, so if you're going and want to see what a Meriwhen looks like, here is your chance.   However, it's on you to figure out which one there is me.

Busy indeed.

I'm enjoying this weekend off because next month I won't have a single weekend free:  because of the scheduling requirements for Job 1 and the fact that Job 3 is strictly Monday-Friday, I had to put in for several weekend shifts just to meet my required availability.   The joys of per-diem life...