I'm a bit on edge right now, waiting to find out if I've gotten in to the nursing program for the Fall. The TEAS test was going to be offered twice- two weeks ago on Friday (the date I took it) and last Friday. Now that both groups of invitees have tested, the college has its entire pool of qualified applicants... I can't imagine it would take more than a few days to process the information and conduct a second lottery if necessary. I doubt that the person in charge of doing this works weekends, and today was Memorial Day, so the soonest this might happen is probably tomorrow. Nevertheless, I've been checking my email like a maniac! The next few days are going to be tough. If I don't hear anything by Wednesday, I'll probably call the school to find out when I can expect to hear more.
As I've mentioned before, I'm not totally convinced that nursing is the best career avenue for me. I work with nurses, and my front row seat to their struggles and frustrations definitely gives me pause. Med-surg nursing doesn't excite me, to say the least. But nursing is a vast profession, and I have no doubt that I can find a niche where I'll be happy and do a good job. That's all I ask for- the opportunity to find a niche where I can put my knowledge and concern for others to work, and command a decent salary in the process.
The local newspaper just featured an article about the lack of even nursing jobs (assumed by many to be a recession-proof profession) in today's tough economy. Apparently, many nurses of retirement age are postponing retirement, and many per diem workers have entered the field full time- in some cases because spouses are out of work and a full-time position comes with medical benefits. So the job outlook for new grads is a little dim at the moment, but with nearly half the workforce approaching retirement age, it's just a matter of time before the jobs start posting again. One of the interviewees in the article predicted that a turnaround would take place in 2 to 4 years... That works for me! Assuming I get in this Fall (please, please, please let me get in!), I'll be finishing up in two years.
It's off to work now... More thoughts on all of this later!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Privacy
My husband will never join Facebook. Neither will my sister. Why? Privacy. Now mind you, my sis is what my grandmother would call a gadabout- according to Merriam Websters, this is a person who "flits about in social activity"- she's very involved with other people. She has a lot of friends, many of them are on Facebook, and several have repeatedly attempted to get her to set up an account. Heck, even I've tried (and I'm not known for my sociability, ok?). It's not that she doesn't care about her friends, or want a new avenue for keeping in touch, sharing photos, etc., but she worries about the loss of privacy and the blurring of personal with public information.
My husband has been on facebook only a few times. With my oversight, he's been on my account to look at photos friends posted of our wedding and also to view a slide show created by our professional photographer.
When he saw some pictures that I'd posted of the two of us, he was bothered. He doesn't like the idea of people who may or may not be important to us sharing in both the intimacies and the trivial bits of our lives.
I've been thinking a lot about Facebook myself lately, and I get it. I wonder sometimes why I'm there- After months of feeling irritated with the divisive postings of a former friend (if you would call him that) I finally changed a setting on my account so that I don't see anything that he posts, unless it is posted directly to my wall. I did the same thing for the former co-worker who flaked on coming to my wedding. Why? I don't really care about either one of them. Why should I? And yeah, the idea of these people who don't matter being acquainted with the details of my life is a little troubling.
Then there are the cousins I was so happy to have a means of keeping up with. In reality, we don't talk much- either I'm not interested in their lives, they aren't interested in mine, or we're mutually uninterested.
Over the past week or two I've deleted nearly all of my photo albums and personal information (former employers, schooling, etc) from my account. It's no longer a platform for sharing who I am with others. Instead it's just an open line of communication that can be used by a small group of people (mostly family) if ever they do want or need to reach me. That's how I'm going to maintain it for now.
Apparently, there are politicians (and probably plenty of plain folk, too!) who use Facebook to promote a version of themselves that may or may not be based in reality. Smiling photos on the beach, witty quotations, etc. etc.- it's all carefully selected and promoted. It's marketing, really. Well, blah. I'm not into that right now.
That brings us to this blog... Too much information? Too intimate? And what of the matter of blogging in general? For me, this is like keeping a journal. It's a way to clear my head, and I don't plan to stop. I've tried to depersonalize it for the sake of my husband- eliminating our names and such. That's cool... I guess it's kind of creepy to think of anyone actually reading about us. Especially if they know us :)
I follow a lot of blogs, and what a mess that is! I can't figure out how to stop receiving updates from them. I love some blogs (my favorite two right now are written by women who live in the city I live in- they take photos and explore the neighborhoods). Some blogs are annoying (yep, I'm referring to the unnecessary quotation marks blog in particular), and others are too personal.
I need some distance! I was thrilled beyond belief to find the blog of an old friend, and I hung on every word and photo. Then she quit posting much, and I have to wonder if my zeal for her personal life played a part in that. I commented on a few postings, and became a "follower"... Did I creep her out? That's the thing about blogging.... It's a lot of fun when it's anonymous. Or when you have absolute control over who is following. But when people find you via your blog, when you may have preferred to stay hidden from them... That's a problem. So sorry N&J, for stumbling over your blog and getting way too excited about it. I guess if fate had intended for us to remain friends, we would have! I wish you well, and I wish you a measure of privacy in your blogging universe, if that's what you desire.
My husband has been on facebook only a few times. With my oversight, he's been on my account to look at photos friends posted of our wedding and also to view a slide show created by our professional photographer.
When he saw some pictures that I'd posted of the two of us, he was bothered. He doesn't like the idea of people who may or may not be important to us sharing in both the intimacies and the trivial bits of our lives.
I've been thinking a lot about Facebook myself lately, and I get it. I wonder sometimes why I'm there- After months of feeling irritated with the divisive postings of a former friend (if you would call him that) I finally changed a setting on my account so that I don't see anything that he posts, unless it is posted directly to my wall. I did the same thing for the former co-worker who flaked on coming to my wedding. Why? I don't really care about either one of them. Why should I? And yeah, the idea of these people who don't matter being acquainted with the details of my life is a little troubling.
Then there are the cousins I was so happy to have a means of keeping up with. In reality, we don't talk much- either I'm not interested in their lives, they aren't interested in mine, or we're mutually uninterested.
Over the past week or two I've deleted nearly all of my photo albums and personal information (former employers, schooling, etc) from my account. It's no longer a platform for sharing who I am with others. Instead it's just an open line of communication that can be used by a small group of people (mostly family) if ever they do want or need to reach me. That's how I'm going to maintain it for now.
Apparently, there are politicians (and probably plenty of plain folk, too!) who use Facebook to promote a version of themselves that may or may not be based in reality. Smiling photos on the beach, witty quotations, etc. etc.- it's all carefully selected and promoted. It's marketing, really. Well, blah. I'm not into that right now.
That brings us to this blog... Too much information? Too intimate? And what of the matter of blogging in general? For me, this is like keeping a journal. It's a way to clear my head, and I don't plan to stop. I've tried to depersonalize it for the sake of my husband- eliminating our names and such. That's cool... I guess it's kind of creepy to think of anyone actually reading about us. Especially if they know us :)
I follow a lot of blogs, and what a mess that is! I can't figure out how to stop receiving updates from them. I love some blogs (my favorite two right now are written by women who live in the city I live in- they take photos and explore the neighborhoods). Some blogs are annoying (yep, I'm referring to the unnecessary quotation marks blog in particular), and others are too personal.
I need some distance! I was thrilled beyond belief to find the blog of an old friend, and I hung on every word and photo. Then she quit posting much, and I have to wonder if my zeal for her personal life played a part in that. I commented on a few postings, and became a "follower"... Did I creep her out? That's the thing about blogging.... It's a lot of fun when it's anonymous. Or when you have absolute control over who is following. But when people find you via your blog, when you may have preferred to stay hidden from them... That's a problem. So sorry N&J, for stumbling over your blog and getting way too excited about it. I guess if fate had intended for us to remain friends, we would have! I wish you well, and I wish you a measure of privacy in your blogging universe, if that's what you desire.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday Morning Blues
Wow, the weekend went by in a blur. Isn't that how it always is? It's back to the grind. Until my class finishes up in about a month, my only days off are one weekend every other week. Time off is especially enjoyable right now, but also especially fleeting.
Friday, my insane day, went pretty well. After working all night Thursday, I rushed off to class Friday morning. Class let out early last Wednesday afternoon because of a power failure that prevented us from completing our quiz, so the instructor rescheduled us for 8 am on Friday morning (one hour early). I don't usually leave work until 8 am, so I was expecting to be at least 30 minutes late. But because I didn't get a lunch break at work on Thursday night, I was able to escape 15 minutes early, and ended up being only 10 minutes late to class... Excellent! I walked in during the quiz, and had only missed the first four questions.
After a busy 3 hours of lecture, I had to leave class early to head over to the local community college, where I took the approximately 4 hour long TEAS test. I spent plenty of time stressing out about it last week (particularly the math section), but it was easy. Because it is a computer based test, I got my score back immediately, and I passed with flying colors! Alas, it doesn't mean that I have a spot in the nursing class in the fall-- apparently, some students don't pass the TEAS, so the school allows more people to take it than seats are available. If the number of students who pass the test exceeds the number of seats, they conduct another lottery to decide who advances. There will be 48 seats for the fall class... Let's hope I'm part of that group! After the exam, I was finally free to head home and decompress, and that's exactly what I did for the next two days. Ahhhh, so nice!
Friday, my insane day, went pretty well. After working all night Thursday, I rushed off to class Friday morning. Class let out early last Wednesday afternoon because of a power failure that prevented us from completing our quiz, so the instructor rescheduled us for 8 am on Friday morning (one hour early). I don't usually leave work until 8 am, so I was expecting to be at least 30 minutes late. But because I didn't get a lunch break at work on Thursday night, I was able to escape 15 minutes early, and ended up being only 10 minutes late to class... Excellent! I walked in during the quiz, and had only missed the first four questions.
After a busy 3 hours of lecture, I had to leave class early to head over to the local community college, where I took the approximately 4 hour long TEAS test. I spent plenty of time stressing out about it last week (particularly the math section), but it was easy. Because it is a computer based test, I got my score back immediately, and I passed with flying colors! Alas, it doesn't mean that I have a spot in the nursing class in the fall-- apparently, some students don't pass the TEAS, so the school allows more people to take it than seats are available. If the number of students who pass the test exceeds the number of seats, they conduct another lottery to decide who advances. There will be 48 seats for the fall class... Let's hope I'm part of that group! After the exam, I was finally free to head home and decompress, and that's exactly what I did for the next two days. Ahhhh, so nice!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Oh Happy Day!
I was fully expecting to have to wait for snail mail regarding the Nursing Program... But lo and behold, when I checked one of my email accounts, there it was: an invitation to take the TEAS test! Woo hoo! This is good news.
Unfortunately, I'll have to miss a half-day of EMT class (and missed classes are required to be made up via a private tutoring session with the instructor, at a cost of more than $100- ouch!) but sacrifices have to be made. The email arrived in my alternative email account, the one I don't check every day... Boy, it's a good thing I checked it this morning! The TEAS has a registration deadline of this Thursday; had I not seen the email in time, I would have been SOL!
Ok, in the middle of writing this, R called... He got my phone message (I immediately left him a message at work). We just chatted about a variety of things, and it sounds like he's having a good day so far. However, neither of us said a single word about the Nursing Program.
I know that he's nervous... Two years of schooling (full time, no less) is a huge undertaking. But I have to make it work, somehow... I need to cast off this underachiever's mantle! It's time to achieve, baby. And this will be just a first step, because I know I won't be happy with just an ADN. A BSN- yeah, that would be ok, an MSN, now we're talking... Training in a specialty, like CRNA or NP or CNS- that's where it has to lead. I'm impatient to get on with my life as a professional.
In fact I'm annoyed I have to undertake the first two years of training at all... It's so 1996 (the year I was first accepted into a Nursing Program). I could have twelve years under my belt by now! Ah, well... C'est la vie. I wouldn't change anything, because I've enjoyed my life experiences, challenges included! And I would never, never, NEVER ever give back the two and a half years I was a student at Cal. So it's all good!
Unfortunately, I'll have to miss a half-day of EMT class (and missed classes are required to be made up via a private tutoring session with the instructor, at a cost of more than $100- ouch!) but sacrifices have to be made. The email arrived in my alternative email account, the one I don't check every day... Boy, it's a good thing I checked it this morning! The TEAS has a registration deadline of this Thursday; had I not seen the email in time, I would have been SOL!
Ok, in the middle of writing this, R called... He got my phone message (I immediately left him a message at work). We just chatted about a variety of things, and it sounds like he's having a good day so far. However, neither of us said a single word about the Nursing Program.
I know that he's nervous... Two years of schooling (full time, no less) is a huge undertaking. But I have to make it work, somehow... I need to cast off this underachiever's mantle! It's time to achieve, baby. And this will be just a first step, because I know I won't be happy with just an ADN. A BSN- yeah, that would be ok, an MSN, now we're talking... Training in a specialty, like CRNA or NP or CNS- that's where it has to lead. I'm impatient to get on with my life as a professional.
In fact I'm annoyed I have to undertake the first two years of training at all... It's so 1996 (the year I was first accepted into a Nursing Program). I could have twelve years under my belt by now! Ah, well... C'est la vie. I wouldn't change anything, because I've enjoyed my life experiences, challenges included! And I would never, never, NEVER ever give back the two and a half years I was a student at Cal. So it's all good!
Monday, May 17, 2010
EMT Ecstasy
It's been almost 15 years since I took an EMT class for the very first time... and I don't remember it being this much fun. Go figure!?
The expertise of the instructor has a lot to do with whether or not I enjoy any class, and I have to say that this one is top notch. He was a practicing paramedic for something like 6 long years... Well beyond the point of burn-out for most people, and he parlayed that into a teaching career that has spanned more than two decades. Cool! I'm loving his easy going teaching style and great illustrative stories.
When I took my original EMT class, the primary instructor was an Emergency Department RN. She was great, but there is something to be said for actually working in the prehospital environment. The field and the ED may be similar but they are certainly not one and the same. Funny thing... I'm finding myself drawn towards that prehospital environment right now. I'm even wondering if I should try to go to paramedic school. Now that's crazy. That certainly wasn't my plan when I started this class a few weeks ago.
I guess a lot hinges on whether I get into the nursing program in the Fall. Not that I'm dying to be a nurse, but I need to put my considerable medical knowledge to work in a career that pays, emotionally as well as financially. There are several options that I consider more suitable than nursing, but either the duration of the schooling or the financial resources required make those options unrealistic. And I wouldn't say that my husband is unsupportive of me returning to school, but he always says, "The mortgages have to come first." We aren't struggling right now like we were when we first bought out house, but we don't have much of a buffer, either. We need every dollar that we earn.
So anyway, like it or not, nursing is my most likely path right now. I called the local nursing program today to find out when acceptance/rejection letters will be sent out, and I was told, "Either later this afternoon or tomorrow." That's good- that means I should know in a day or two. If I don't get in again, it's back to the drawing board (and maybe paramedic school is a viable option-- who knows). If I do get in, I'll need to get the ball rolling on financial aid ASAP, because it will be a tough sell here at home. I definitely plan to keep working, but full time won't be possible, so I'll need to offset my expenses somehow.
The expertise of the instructor has a lot to do with whether or not I enjoy any class, and I have to say that this one is top notch. He was a practicing paramedic for something like 6 long years... Well beyond the point of burn-out for most people, and he parlayed that into a teaching career that has spanned more than two decades. Cool! I'm loving his easy going teaching style and great illustrative stories.
When I took my original EMT class, the primary instructor was an Emergency Department RN. She was great, but there is something to be said for actually working in the prehospital environment. The field and the ED may be similar but they are certainly not one and the same. Funny thing... I'm finding myself drawn towards that prehospital environment right now. I'm even wondering if I should try to go to paramedic school. Now that's crazy. That certainly wasn't my plan when I started this class a few weeks ago.
I guess a lot hinges on whether I get into the nursing program in the Fall. Not that I'm dying to be a nurse, but I need to put my considerable medical knowledge to work in a career that pays, emotionally as well as financially. There are several options that I consider more suitable than nursing, but either the duration of the schooling or the financial resources required make those options unrealistic. And I wouldn't say that my husband is unsupportive of me returning to school, but he always says, "The mortgages have to come first." We aren't struggling right now like we were when we first bought out house, but we don't have much of a buffer, either. We need every dollar that we earn.
So anyway, like it or not, nursing is my most likely path right now. I called the local nursing program today to find out when acceptance/rejection letters will be sent out, and I was told, "Either later this afternoon or tomorrow." That's good- that means I should know in a day or two. If I don't get in again, it's back to the drawing board (and maybe paramedic school is a viable option-- who knows). If I do get in, I'll need to get the ball rolling on financial aid ASAP, because it will be a tough sell here at home. I definitely plan to keep working, but full time won't be possible, so I'll need to offset my expenses somehow.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To...
...Get the paper. R and I have a weekend routine that consists of eating eggs for breakfast and then walking a few blocks with our dogs to buy a newspaper. Although it would be much cheaper to just subscribe to the paper, we had a bad experience with the delivery person repeatedly missing our house when we first moved in. Several calls to the paper didn't remedy the situation, so we canceled in protest. During the week, R picks it up from a machine at work, but on the weekend we enjoy our walk. Well, a funny thing happened yesterday morning-- runners! Everywhere! We noticed cones delineating a path, then on further inspection found traffic police manning the signals at Anchovy and 25th... Dying of curiosity, I asked what event was taking place. The police officer responded that it was a marathon, half-marathon, and 5K. My curiosity was sufficiently piqued, so the moment we walked in the door with our paper, I got on the internet. It's the Palos Verdes Marathon! Who knew?? One of the oldest marathons in the country, and it takes place in my neighborhood!
I think I'm giong to have to make a goal to run it. Now, mind you, I am NOT a runner. In PE class, I was always one of the fastest on "the mile", and I ran track for a year in highschool, but I was a sprinter. Distance is not my cup of tea. Growing up, my parents did a lot of 10K's, triathlons, and such (and my mom did the Solvang Century on her bicycle), and I feel bad that I ended up becoming such a couch potato. It pains me, it really does. What happened?!
As a teenager/ young adult, I used to always see the ads for the LA Marathon in the newspaper, and I would tell myself, "Someday I'm going to do that." I wanted to run a marathon. In my early twenties I volunteered my EMT skills on the course of an ultramarathon (100 miles) two consecutive years, and that made quite an impression on me as well. Compared with an ultramarathon, surely a standard marathon was within my capabilities.
Well, I had my one go at it- several years ago my mom and I did a USA Fit marathon training program to get into shape. I was living in Whittier at the time and she was in Redondo Beach, but the weekly training was in Huntington Beach and occasionally elsewhere in Orange County. It wasn't exactly convenient for either one of us, but we did it so that we could spend time together. Since we couldn't do our daily runs together, neither of us was all that consistent, but we almost always did the group run. We got into it, buying some of the parapharnalia (shoes of course, as well as fancy fanny pouches that could accomodate a water bottle, and gels). Each of us was living with one of my two grandmothers (both were experiencing health problems and needed assistance) so it was somewhat of an escape. But as the months ticked by, we started to slip on the long runs. The farthest long run we did was the half marathon. When the time came for the actual marathon, we opted to run the half rather than the full. It was a little bit disappointing, but we were glad we didn't quit altogether.
Fast forward a few years, and I developed a knee problem that required two arthroscopic surgeries. It most likely had nothing to do with running, but those months I spent wearing a knee brace and limping around really made an impression upon me. I vowed that when my knee was better I would find a way to be fit, but that I'd never again try to be a runner. Too many runners are plagued by joint problems, and the foretaste I'd had was a major turn off. I still feel that way, though my knee is more or less 100% these days. I own a bike, and I'd love to get into that. I own an expensive pair of inline skates, too. But somehow, nothing is as simple as running. Running is also a lot safer than cycling or skating.
A former coworker of mine does marathons- she's done at least a dozen. She is from Africa, approximately 60 years old and works in the patient transportation department. When she was younger and raising her kids as a single mother, she worked two jobs in EVS at two different medical centers to pay the bills. She is of humble means but has truly found a way to follow her bliss (and to travel) by running marathons. Although I don't work with her directly anymore, I see her from time to time, and I always ask her if she's been in any races lately. She gets a sparkle in her eyes and a lilt in her voice as she regales me with tales of her latest adventure. I admire her for it! She often places for her age group and has almost qualified for Boston. Hopefully she'll have that opportunity! Sometimes when I ask her about her running she tells me that she's going to retire from the full marathon and just do the half, "after one or two more." Spoken like a true running addict! We'll see if she ever stops running the full.
I enjoy living vicariously through my old co-worker, but I have my doubts about trying to run a marathon- because of the implications for my knee, and because I just don't see myself as a runner. The interest just isn't there... Well-- until now! I want to run a marathon in my new hometown! I want to run down the street just blocks from my home! There's something very attractive about that! With a full year before the next race, surely I can develop a training plan or join another training group. And surely just one year of running won't destroy my knee (especially if I lose some weight in the process). Something to think about.
I think I'm giong to have to make a goal to run it. Now, mind you, I am NOT a runner. In PE class, I was always one of the fastest on "the mile", and I ran track for a year in highschool, but I was a sprinter. Distance is not my cup of tea. Growing up, my parents did a lot of 10K's, triathlons, and such (and my mom did the Solvang Century on her bicycle), and I feel bad that I ended up becoming such a couch potato. It pains me, it really does. What happened?!
As a teenager/ young adult, I used to always see the ads for the LA Marathon in the newspaper, and I would tell myself, "Someday I'm going to do that." I wanted to run a marathon. In my early twenties I volunteered my EMT skills on the course of an ultramarathon (100 miles) two consecutive years, and that made quite an impression on me as well. Compared with an ultramarathon, surely a standard marathon was within my capabilities.
Well, I had my one go at it- several years ago my mom and I did a USA Fit marathon training program to get into shape. I was living in Whittier at the time and she was in Redondo Beach, but the weekly training was in Huntington Beach and occasionally elsewhere in Orange County. It wasn't exactly convenient for either one of us, but we did it so that we could spend time together. Since we couldn't do our daily runs together, neither of us was all that consistent, but we almost always did the group run. We got into it, buying some of the parapharnalia (shoes of course, as well as fancy fanny pouches that could accomodate a water bottle, and gels). Each of us was living with one of my two grandmothers (both were experiencing health problems and needed assistance) so it was somewhat of an escape. But as the months ticked by, we started to slip on the long runs. The farthest long run we did was the half marathon. When the time came for the actual marathon, we opted to run the half rather than the full. It was a little bit disappointing, but we were glad we didn't quit altogether.
Fast forward a few years, and I developed a knee problem that required two arthroscopic surgeries. It most likely had nothing to do with running, but those months I spent wearing a knee brace and limping around really made an impression upon me. I vowed that when my knee was better I would find a way to be fit, but that I'd never again try to be a runner. Too many runners are plagued by joint problems, and the foretaste I'd had was a major turn off. I still feel that way, though my knee is more or less 100% these days. I own a bike, and I'd love to get into that. I own an expensive pair of inline skates, too. But somehow, nothing is as simple as running. Running is also a lot safer than cycling or skating.
A former coworker of mine does marathons- she's done at least a dozen. She is from Africa, approximately 60 years old and works in the patient transportation department. When she was younger and raising her kids as a single mother, she worked two jobs in EVS at two different medical centers to pay the bills. She is of humble means but has truly found a way to follow her bliss (and to travel) by running marathons. Although I don't work with her directly anymore, I see her from time to time, and I always ask her if she's been in any races lately. She gets a sparkle in her eyes and a lilt in her voice as she regales me with tales of her latest adventure. I admire her for it! She often places for her age group and has almost qualified for Boston. Hopefully she'll have that opportunity! Sometimes when I ask her about her running she tells me that she's going to retire from the full marathon and just do the half, "after one or two more." Spoken like a true running addict! We'll see if she ever stops running the full.
I enjoy living vicariously through my old co-worker, but I have my doubts about trying to run a marathon- because of the implications for my knee, and because I just don't see myself as a runner. The interest just isn't there... Well-- until now! I want to run a marathon in my new hometown! I want to run down the street just blocks from my home! There's something very attractive about that! With a full year before the next race, surely I can develop a training plan or join another training group. And surely just one year of running won't destroy my knee (especially if I lose some weight in the process). Something to think about.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Class Fun
So far, I'm enjoying my EMT class. It's fun learning something I already know-- I get to feel especially smart (hooray for feeling smart on occasion!). The lack of sleep is a little bit frustrating... On class days I get home between 3:45 and 4:15, but I rarely get to bed before 6:00 pm, then it's up no later than 10:30 to get ready for work. It's tough, but luckily I have easy access to coffee.
The class is very opportune. Last week a team of utilization professionals from the national headquarters for the medical center I work for were in-house to analyze the monitoring system and need for monitor technicians. They're tasked with coming up with a standard for the entire organization- an excellent goal, but who knows what it means for me. If cost cutting measures prevail, it's possible that the organization might do away with humans and just rely on a paging system or phones with a screen that show nurses the abnormal heart rhythms their patients are running. I don't think such a system is ideal (for a variety of reasons), and I voiced my concerns to the professionals when they interviewed my coworker and I. A change will probably not happen right away, but changes are inevitable.
In other news, the nursing manager of the unit where I work is leaving. She has been promoted to Director of Nursing at another facility-- a great move for her, but not one that she chose for herself. A shake-down of sorts is occuring, but what does it all mean? What kind of leadership will fill the void? Specifically, what does it mean for my job? I have no idea. I have to wait and see, which is no easy feat.
My husband has already asked a friend who manages the Emergency Department about the need for EMT's, and (as I figured) the need is great. He relayed to me that even if there are no positions posted, at any given time there is a need for per diem workers and I could probably work 3 twelve hour shifts per week. That's comforting. Before the news about the nursing manager leaving broke, I was hoping to take the evening monitor tech shift. That individual will be starting a different position on June 1st. I expressed my interest to the manager. As someone with high seniority in the department, I should have no trouble transferring... But now that she's leaving, it will probably be complete chaos. I look forward to finishing up my class and having other options!
My class ends mid-June... Around that time, I will hopefully hear from the local community college about whether I've been accepted to the nursing program for the Fall. It's a lottery system, and I've been unlucky the past two tries.... but who knows, perhaps the third time will be the charm. For the rest of the month of June and into July, my plan is to do some serious review of Anatomy, Physiology, and Micro (I've been reviewing, but at a casual pace), because a month or so later (late July or early August, if I'm remembering correctly) I'll be testing on the material. I'm enrolled to take exams through Excelsior College-- testing out will enable me to apply to certain nursing programs (such as Mount St. Mary's in LA) despite the fact that I originally took those prerequisite classes more than a decade ago.
So I should be feeling pretty good about myself and my future by the time summer starts. R and I would like to take our honeymoon in a few months, and I'd like to do that without anything hanging over my head. He wants to go to a tropical locale, like Maui... Sounds fun, but I am so not bikini ready! As mentioned in a prior post, I'm no longer doing Optifast. I'd like to lose more weight, but I don't want to diet. I'd rather boost my metabolism by increasing my muscle mass. Maybe I can start going to the gym? Great plan, but it's going to have to wait. Maybe we should delay the honeymoon until Fall or Winter!
The class is very opportune. Last week a team of utilization professionals from the national headquarters for the medical center I work for were in-house to analyze the monitoring system and need for monitor technicians. They're tasked with coming up with a standard for the entire organization- an excellent goal, but who knows what it means for me. If cost cutting measures prevail, it's possible that the organization might do away with humans and just rely on a paging system or phones with a screen that show nurses the abnormal heart rhythms their patients are running. I don't think such a system is ideal (for a variety of reasons), and I voiced my concerns to the professionals when they interviewed my coworker and I. A change will probably not happen right away, but changes are inevitable.
In other news, the nursing manager of the unit where I work is leaving. She has been promoted to Director of Nursing at another facility-- a great move for her, but not one that she chose for herself. A shake-down of sorts is occuring, but what does it all mean? What kind of leadership will fill the void? Specifically, what does it mean for my job? I have no idea. I have to wait and see, which is no easy feat.
My husband has already asked a friend who manages the Emergency Department about the need for EMT's, and (as I figured) the need is great. He relayed to me that even if there are no positions posted, at any given time there is a need for per diem workers and I could probably work 3 twelve hour shifts per week. That's comforting. Before the news about the nursing manager leaving broke, I was hoping to take the evening monitor tech shift. That individual will be starting a different position on June 1st. I expressed my interest to the manager. As someone with high seniority in the department, I should have no trouble transferring... But now that she's leaving, it will probably be complete chaos. I look forward to finishing up my class and having other options!
My class ends mid-June... Around that time, I will hopefully hear from the local community college about whether I've been accepted to the nursing program for the Fall. It's a lottery system, and I've been unlucky the past two tries.... but who knows, perhaps the third time will be the charm. For the rest of the month of June and into July, my plan is to do some serious review of Anatomy, Physiology, and Micro (I've been reviewing, but at a casual pace), because a month or so later (late July or early August, if I'm remembering correctly) I'll be testing on the material. I'm enrolled to take exams through Excelsior College-- testing out will enable me to apply to certain nursing programs (such as Mount St. Mary's in LA) despite the fact that I originally took those prerequisite classes more than a decade ago.
So I should be feeling pretty good about myself and my future by the time summer starts. R and I would like to take our honeymoon in a few months, and I'd like to do that without anything hanging over my head. He wants to go to a tropical locale, like Maui... Sounds fun, but I am so not bikini ready! As mentioned in a prior post, I'm no longer doing Optifast. I'd like to lose more weight, but I don't want to diet. I'd rather boost my metabolism by increasing my muscle mass. Maybe I can start going to the gym? Great plan, but it's going to have to wait. Maybe we should delay the honeymoon until Fall or Winter!
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