It's been a good 6 months since I have posted. My life has taken a U-turn and now I am taking it back.
For anyone that is interested, continue reading. I feel I need to write this for myself:
About 6 months ago, I knew it was time for me to begin a new venture in my career. I am a RN, and as strange as it might sound, I feel I am being called into Hospice. As I looked into finding a position with Hospice agencies, I was continually turned down because I didn't have any case management experience. I have only worked in the hospital. I am a cardiac nurse. So, I thought I should also include home health positions in my search. I found an home health agency that would hire me without experience and 'train me'. I started working per diem and found I really enjoyed it but was working ALOT of hours even for per diem. I was paid by the case, not the hour. (Note to self: do not take a position that pays by the case). After a month, I quit my hospital job and became full time. I started off working 60-70 hours a week, but blamed it on my inexperience. Not too much later, we became computerized, thinking that would free up some hours....NOPE. I was becoming exhausted and beginning to hate my job, which I never wanted to feel since I love the nursing aspect of my job...not the endless paperwork. Then December came and my pt load went from 27 to 9, which is not enough to pay my bills. I put applications out all over the place, hospice, travel nursing, hospital...it didn't matter (well, it did actually). I interviewed for a travel RN position that went well. The hospital was 35 miles away, not too far, but events kept me from continuing the hiring process. I went back to my previous employer, who told me she would hire me back. That felt good, but some changes happened in the few months I was gone. Mainly, they have become unionized and I was unsettled on how that would affect me. I was holding out...knowing there was something out there for me...and there is. I start Monday with a Hospice agency. I am very excited. I've never had a RN job that I work M-F 8 to 5, occasional weekend. I can be normal, do normal things, have my life back.
