Friday, January 25, 2013

New Year, New Resolve

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.