I can't believe I get paid to do this

Seriously, it boggles the mind.

I love it. Love love love love it. In fact, I will probably be so sad when I transfer to the mother-baby unit. Or, maybe I'll appreciate the break from the excitement of L & D. Either way, it sounds like I'll have plenty of opportunity to float between the two units.

Everything is different from the hospital I was at this summer, but the nurses are supportive and seem to genuinely operate as a team. My preceptor is wonderful, with many years of labor and delivery experience and a wicked sense of humor.

I'm happy that much of what I learned this summer is starting to come back to me. I have to brush up and practice my skills, but I have all the confidence in the world that those will improve over time.

And, I just got paid today and found out that even though I am working day shifts during my training, I still get paid my night shift differential. How sweet it is!

An Orientation Wrap Up

My orientation was cut a day short, thanks to this freak winter storm weather we've been having. I haven't had much trouble commuting to work, although I have to drive much more slowly thanks to the ice and snow.

Our little orientation session with the hospital's legal counsel scared the bejeebers out of me in terms of what types of documents can and can't be used in a court of law. (Diaries and, I'm assuming, personal blogs can.) I haven't shared shared any personal patient details from my clinical experiences so far, but I am going to be doubly sure to be careful now.

As for the rest of my orientation wrap-up, I have continued to enjoy being the sole RN in the group. I also got my work schedule for the next couple of weeks and had another little tour of the unit from the manager. I met my preceptor, whom my manager described as being "A tough girl. Good teacher" which kind of has me shaking my shiny new nursing boots.

It's unclear whether or not I'll be starting in labor and delivery or on the mother-baby unit. I guess I'll find that out Monday morning, weather permitting -- which I sincerely hope it does, because after only two days of this I already have cabin fever!

Day 1 of Orientation

And all I can say is, I think love this place. If I feel half as welcomed on the unit as I do by everyone that's running the orientation, I will be very happy here.

I was talking to one of my nursing school buddies about how I think being new to the organization and new to the unit is scary. She pointed out that this basically means I have the chance to 'reinvent' (or in this case, invent) myself as a nurse. I've decided that I will be Robin-the Assertive Nurse. So far I'm the only nurse in our very small orientation group, which makes asking questions a lot easier because I'm not as worried about sounding stupid or inexperienced.

Tomorrow I get to learn a bit about their IV pump system, which I think is one I've actually used before... but I am so excited to get a chance to practice everything!

And maybe, just maybe, I'll find the gumption to call my manager and find out my work schedule next week.

This seems kind of cruel

One of the managers from the unit I precepted at this summer left me a voice mail today. They're considering my application for a night shift position in labor and delivery.

I was so surprised to get the voice mail -- and angry, and frustrated -- that I cried. At school. Again.

Funny thing is, I was told by two different HR representatives on two different occasions over the past week that there no positions available for new graduates in this unit -- nor would there be in the forseeable future. I, in fact, even told this HR department this week (very nicely, might I add) that I had taken a position with a different facility.

Part of me wanted to shout hallelujah and agree to the interview. I mean, even though I signed all those contracts, I didn't start hospital orientation until Monday morning, right? I could call the new hospital, explain the situation, and see where things went from there!

A bigger part of me (my egg nog latte-gut, perhaps) thought otherwise. I was raised to honor my word, and the fact remains that I was ecstatic about the possibility of working at this new hospital after my interview.

After some soul searching and talking with my advisor, I decided to buck up and call the manager back. I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to say. Like I said, part of me wanted to be effusive and thankful and take the interview. Part of me wanted to give them a piece of my mind. And the other part of me just wanted to tell the sad truth about how thankful I am for the offer of an interview, but the timing and series of miscommunications make it impossible right now.

I guess I have more time to think about it, though, because I had to leave your standard "Tag, you're it!" message. Hopefully I'll hear back from them on Monday.

Human pincushion Part II

To all my friends with children, PLEASE BELIEVE THEM when they say their arms hurt after a tetanus shot! I did my arm workouts and everything yesterday, and my left arm is still very stiff.

Anyhoo, my appointment at the hospital was more than just for the free vaccines and blood draws. I got to sign my contracts! Yes, there are more than one.

• One contract for the position of an RN in the Mother-Baby Unit.

• One contract for my position in the new graduate residency class starting in February.

• One hours-agreement contract for my position in the Mother Baby Unit for the time period between December 15, 2008 and February 2, 2009. I think I'll probably be working 12-hr day shifts.

• One hours-agreement contract for my position as a Resident RN for the time period between February 2, 2009 and April 27, 2009. I'll be working either 12-hour or 8-hour shifts during the residency.

• One hours-agreement contract for my position as an RN in the Mother-Baby Unit following the successful completion of my residency program, starting April 27, 2009. That's when I'll start working my 32-hr a week, 8-hr night shifts.

There were a bunch of other documents, too. The HR representative reviewing my new-hire paperwork with me took one look at it all and said, "My God, you have a lot to sign!" No kidding.

I also got to take my ID badge picture, which looks like a mug shot because I took my glasses off and the curmudgeonly security guard (whom everyone else was calling Sarge) didn't tell me he was taking my picture. But that's okay, because it has a nice big sticker on it that identifies me as an OB nurse -- which makes me so happy! It's kind of hard not to feel like I'm in some sort of elite nursing club.

OB nurses, unite!

Photographic evidence

Of just how excited I am to work at this hospital. I had not one, not two, but THREE pokes today. One for the flu vaccine, one for the DTaP vaccine, and one for a blood draw:


I'd like to take this time to apologize to the injection room nurses I terrorized as a kid whenever it was booster shot season. At the ripe old age of 27, I am finally able to get poked with a needle without flinching.

I'm hired!!!

I just got the call from the HR representative, and they chose ME!!!!

I don't remember all of the details, but I know I have to make some quick decisions about benefits and take a drug test -- which I'm dreading because I absolutely hate peeing on demand -- but I am so unbelievably happy. I didn't even think twice about accepting the offer.

I start with hospital orientation on the 15th, and then will have six weeks of working on the mother-baby unit before I start the official residency program on February 2, 2009. Like I said, the rest of the details are a bit fuzzy right now but I'll be sure to share them once I can think straight.

Oh happy day!

Meeting with a Midwife

I had the opportunity to meet with a midwife who is on staff here at school. She's practiced midwifery for over 30 years, and shared some wonderful stories and advice about trying to get started in the profession. She also has connections at the hospital where I precepted this past summer.

It was so easy to talk to her. I felt comfortable asking questions about her practice, how I might be more likely to find a labor and delivery position, and what it was like balancing a young family with her midwifery education and eventual practice. Oh how I would love for her (or someone much like her) to be my mentor some day!

At the end of the conversation, she offered to call the manager from my preceptorship hospital to see if she can get an answer about their hiring plans for L & D residencies. She also mentioned that the hospital that I just interviewed at isn't the "greatest" in terms of its environment and what it has to offer labor and delivery nurses. They also don't use midwives. But -- as this midwife also said -- that doesn't mean I couldn't be the person that starts to change things!

Glimmer of hope?

I caved in and called the recruiter this morning. Of course, I obsessed over the message to leave her just in case she didn't pick up the phone. I wrote a script, practiced it 20 times, and then called Andy at work and recited it for him. Twice. (The man is a saint, I tell you.) Thank God it went to voice mail. I would have freaked if she answered the phone!

The good news is, the recruiter called me back. Naturally, I was driving on the freeway when she called so I had to let it go to voice mail. (Safety first.) Here's the scoop:

• They just finished interviewing for the position.
• The manager gave the OK to check my references.
• The recruiter is working on that today.
• The recruiter hopes that she'll be able to call me in "the very near future" with "good news."
  

I actually cried when I heard her message. The job isn't guaranteed -- but it looks like I'm in the running! And I could start work as early as December 15th. At least we know I'll know by then.

P.S. I got another email rejection this afternoon. This one from UW.

Two rejection emails in two days

From two different hospitals! Rejection still stings, even though I'm getting kind of used to it.

Still no word on the position I interviewed for.

*sigh*

I wonder how long I should wait before I call the recruiter? Interviewing right before Thanksgiving has made the timing of this whole situation quite tricky.

I'm feeling much less optimistic than I was yesterday.

No word yet

Haven't heard back about the job yet, but I'm trying to stay positive. The way I see it, the longer it takes for me to hear back from them, the longer they're considering me for the position. That's the hope, at least.

If there has been any silver lining to my unemployment this semester, it has to be the "extra" time I've had to work on homework. Which, in retrospect, there hasn't been much of because it seems like I've been working full-time looking for a job. Hmm.

As for the paper that's due on Monday, I'm almost finished with a rough draft. It's not going to be a masterpiece, but it'll get done. Which is good, because I have two more papers due next Friday that I need to get started on.

I will be oh-so-happy when this semester is complete!

Am I losing my mind?

I must be more stressed out about finding a job than I previously thought, because two bizarre school-related things happened to me lately.

One: I lost a textbook. Never happened to me before. Very unlike me. Also, very expensive mistake to make.

Two: I misjudged an important deadline. I have a seemingly impossible-to-write 10-12 page paper due on December 8th. Up until yesterday, I thought it was due on December 15th.

Oh well -- at least it wasn't due December 1st!