PANICKED! Missed first day of ORIENTATION, is it all over???

[Jo Dirt]

I missed the first day of orientation at the hospital where I was supposed to start working. The next day is tomorrow, and then nurse orientation starts next week.

If I showed up tomorrow do you thnk they would let me make up what I missed today?

Would they still let me participate and go on with the employment process???

I was just sitting here and all of a sudden had this panic attack. I feel like I need to do something...if I show up with my hat in my hand what will they do??? I thought it just wouldn't work out but remember when that kid on A Christmas Story got put on the slide and had to turn aroiund and clammer his way back up to talk to Santa? I feel like that. Do you think the hospital will do like Santa in that movie and use the tip of his boot to push me down the slide?

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

I don't have enough insight to tell you how to live your life. In fact, living mine is pretty much a full-time job. Still, I don't see that trying to retain an employee is such bad business. Especially if they were decent enough to give you glowing references. It sounds like you haven't completely made up your mind, which is fair enough, but something you probably ought to be up front about with your prospective employer. Maybe you need more time to decide. Maybe they can give it to you. Maybe you need to forget it for now and work on getting your life where you want it, and can reapply down the road if it turns out to be something that fits. But, hey, think about this: even in nursing, these days it's pretty nice that two facilities are courting you. Not everyone has options.

Finally--and again recognizing that I don't know you--there's no doubt that there are manipulative people in the world. Some people are control-freaks toward others. I'm a bit of a control-freak regarding myself--don't like riding in the passenger seat, stayed awake for my colonoscopy (although that was mostly due to curiosity). It sounds like you may be the opposite--reluctant, for whatever reason, to take charge of your own affairs. Even if that's true, it doesn't diminish your worth as a person, but if left as it is, it could surely (and perhaps already has) impede you in pursuing your goals. Have you thought of psychological counselling or some other means to learn to empower yourself?

Good luck with whatever you decide, but it sounds like you may be experiencing a moment when not deciding really is a decision, and maybe not the one you wanted to make. So, you know, good luck with that, too.