Serendipity
Do you ever have times in your life where everything just seems to fall in your lap? I mean, we all have those times when everything seems to go to hell in a handbasket, but it seems like the reverse is either less common or gets less recognition.
I've been a 'float nurse' at the local hospital for sixteen years. For the first almost four of those years, I was full time, day/night rotating shifts. After I had my first son, I switched to evening shift from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m., part-time, and that is where I've been for the last thirteen years.
I like my job. I'm good at my job. The 'floating' gives me a huge spectrum of experience - I'm certified in Advance Cardiac Life Support (along the lines of Basic Cardiac Lifesupport like you might learn from the local Red Cross, with more techy-stuff.) I go to the Cardiac unit, the Oncology unit, Birthways, Pediatrics, Surgical, Skilled Care, Rehab, Adolescent and Adult psychiatry, and even the Intensive Care Unit. I've got sixteen years of experience and sound assessment skills crammed into my noggin.
I'm tired of working evenings/nights. Tired of working weekends and holidays. Tired of missing tons of my kids' sporting events, concerts and activities because of work. Tired of not being home to help nag/check over homework. My husband is an AWESOME guy, my soulmate, love of my life, and he is absolutely brilliant at managing all this stuff when I'm at work - but I'm tired of missing out!
Ethan, our youngest of four kids, started pre-Kindergarten for half-days this year. For years, now, David and I have said that as soon as he was in school full-time, I'd look for a 'real hours' kind of job. This year, my oldest son starts Junior High and has many more sporting events as well as more homework right out of the starting gate.
Two weeks ago, my husband said, "If you see a posting for the job you want, apply now, don't wait any more."
The next day I went to work, and our Short Stay/Ambulatory Care/Same-day-surgery unit had a job posting. Part-time, which is all I want. This is THE Unit I would love to work on more than any other, when considering the 'day-shift' hours sort of thing. They almost NEVER have openings because the staff love their job so much that they have very low turn-over.
I submitted an interdepartmental transfer form.
The next day, I was called for interviews.
The interviews went extremely well. They won't make a decision until the end of next week, but I've floated to that unit before, too, and the Nurse Manager of the department has known me since I started at the hospital. Better, still, they have recently combined all their outpatient services into one 'Ambulatory Care Center'. I'm quite probably the only applicant who has already worked in all three combined units - Short Stay Surgery, Outpatient Cardiac Services (like angiograms and such) and GI services (where they do the various colonoscopies, gastroscopies, etc.)
So, my big concern when I got home was what to do with Ethan if I get the job? It would be only 2-3 days a week, but we've always been very committed to not having our children in daycare, which is why we were going to wait one more year. But I live in a very tiny community (about 1200 people) and know many people now by virtue of my kids who are in school. One woman whom I have come to know well owns and runs an in-home daycare. She is a lovely person and in very high-demand, which means she almost never has openings. She is also about the only person I would trust to have my 'baby' for these 8-12 hours/week.
I called her today to see if she had any openings. She DOES!
I can't help but feel that this has all fallen from the sky right into my lap. No hassle, no fuss, slick as you please. I'm sooooo hoping to get the job! It would be no weekends and no holidays EVER AGAIN. One evening a week, I would be responsible to work to 'close' - they officially 'close' at 8:00 p.m. Often they are done before then, sometimes it might linger to 9- 9:30.
In comparison to 3:00 a.m., this does not seem like a bad thing at all!
Now there is nothing to do but *wait*, somewhat anxiously, for a decision to be made.
I'm really hoping all this ease-of-arrangement is a 'sign' and not wishful thinking on my part. *grin*
I've been a 'float nurse' at the local hospital for sixteen years. For the first almost four of those years, I was full time, day/night rotating shifts. After I had my first son, I switched to evening shift from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m., part-time, and that is where I've been for the last thirteen years.
I like my job. I'm good at my job. The 'floating' gives me a huge spectrum of experience - I'm certified in Advance Cardiac Life Support (along the lines of Basic Cardiac Lifesupport like you might learn from the local Red Cross, with more techy-stuff.) I go to the Cardiac unit, the Oncology unit, Birthways, Pediatrics, Surgical, Skilled Care, Rehab, Adolescent and Adult psychiatry, and even the Intensive Care Unit. I've got sixteen years of experience and sound assessment skills crammed into my noggin.
I'm tired of working evenings/nights. Tired of working weekends and holidays. Tired of missing tons of my kids' sporting events, concerts and activities because of work. Tired of not being home to help nag/check over homework. My husband is an AWESOME guy, my soulmate, love of my life, and he is absolutely brilliant at managing all this stuff when I'm at work - but I'm tired of missing out!
Ethan, our youngest of four kids, started pre-Kindergarten for half-days this year. For years, now, David and I have said that as soon as he was in school full-time, I'd look for a 'real hours' kind of job. This year, my oldest son starts Junior High and has many more sporting events as well as more homework right out of the starting gate.
Two weeks ago, my husband said, "If you see a posting for the job you want, apply now, don't wait any more."
The next day I went to work, and our Short Stay/Ambulatory Care/Same-day-surgery unit had a job posting. Part-time, which is all I want. This is THE Unit I would love to work on more than any other, when considering the 'day-shift' hours sort of thing. They almost NEVER have openings because the staff love their job so much that they have very low turn-over.
I submitted an interdepartmental transfer form.
The next day, I was called for interviews.
The interviews went extremely well. They won't make a decision until the end of next week, but I've floated to that unit before, too, and the Nurse Manager of the department has known me since I started at the hospital. Better, still, they have recently combined all their outpatient services into one 'Ambulatory Care Center'. I'm quite probably the only applicant who has already worked in all three combined units - Short Stay Surgery, Outpatient Cardiac Services (like angiograms and such) and GI services (where they do the various colonoscopies, gastroscopies, etc.)
So, my big concern when I got home was what to do with Ethan if I get the job? It would be only 2-3 days a week, but we've always been very committed to not having our children in daycare, which is why we were going to wait one more year. But I live in a very tiny community (about 1200 people) and know many people now by virtue of my kids who are in school. One woman whom I have come to know well owns and runs an in-home daycare. She is a lovely person and in very high-demand, which means she almost never has openings. She is also about the only person I would trust to have my 'baby' for these 8-12 hours/week.
I called her today to see if she had any openings. She DOES!
I can't help but feel that this has all fallen from the sky right into my lap. No hassle, no fuss, slick as you please. I'm sooooo hoping to get the job! It would be no weekends and no holidays EVER AGAIN. One evening a week, I would be responsible to work to 'close' - they officially 'close' at 8:00 p.m. Often they are done before then, sometimes it might linger to 9- 9:30.
In comparison to 3:00 a.m., this does not seem like a bad thing at all!
Now there is nothing to do but *wait*, somewhat anxiously, for a decision to be made.
I'm really hoping all this ease-of-arrangement is a 'sign' and not wishful thinking on my part. *grin*