Any words of wisdom?

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Specializes in Psych, hospice, family practice.

OK yall, my long vacation is coming to a fast halt. As several of you know, I resigned my most recent job (of 7 years) in March. The only regret I've had, is that I didn't do it sooner.

Within the first week of unemployment I had 3 interviews. All 3 ended up making offers. I had tentatively decided on one, until the 3rd called a few weeks later and made an offer I couldn't refuse.

So - on Monday I will begin my new position as Health Care Finder for Humana Military Healthcare Services. The hours are fantastic - Mon - Fri 0730-1630. I will be working at the hospital on the same base where my husband is stationed. I'm very excited!!!:D In June, I'll be going to Hampstead, Virginia for 3 weeks of additional training. Went out shopping for some new clothes today, had a haircut yesterday - you know, gotta look sharp.

Having worked primarily in psych for 12 years, this is going to be a pretty big change for me I believe, and although I have always and likely will always consider myself to be a psych nurse at heart, I'm looking forward to new challenges and experiences. I won't be dealing with any psych at all, I understand all those referrals go through an office in another state. I recently purchased the book I'd seen mentioned here - "Pathophysiology Made Incredibly Easy" to give myself a crash refresher course. I won't be doing any hands-on bedside nursing, but want to be as prepared as possible. I do feel that a LOT of the case management, triage, and crisis skills I developed during the last several years will be to my benefit in this new world.

If anyone has any suggestions, words of wisdom, etc. to offer - I'M ALL EARS!!! Thanks in advance.

Mary:D

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Congrats on your new venture, Mary! I'm sure you'll do GREAT!

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Nope, no words of wisdom (what *is* a health care finder, exactly?), but I am relating, big time! I start *my* new job as a nursing case manager for a major insurance company Monday also, and I have no case management experience. So I go for three or four weeks training, too. No nights, no weekends, no holidays, no on-call...how can I stand it?

And I bought clothes, too! Hee hee!

Well, maybe a few words, but I don't know if they're wisdom. I have to keep reminding myself that they hired me for a reason. Even with a nursing shortage, I am sure that a job such as yours or mine does not go to the first Nancy Nurse whose e-mailed resume comes across the computer screen. I have to remind myself that I will be working in a professional environment, so when I need help I can ask for it and have a reasonable expectation of getting it. I have to remind myself that I never, never, never want to go back to bedside nursing or clinical nursing management again, and that I need to do whatever it takes to make sure it doesn't happen. When pressures are swirling around and everyone wants things done yesterday, I have to keep reminding myself of a great saying I read and had posted on my office BB: "Poor planning on your part does not automatically constitute a crisis for me." I have to remind myself to do the best job I can do and let other people be responsible for themselves. I have to remind myself (frequently!) that despite my best efforts, things are not always going to happen the way I want them to happen, and to accept that this does not make me a bad nurse or a bad person. I have to remind myself that I have to spend another 20 years or so in the workplace, so it can be fun or it can be miserable--my choice.

Good luck Monday!!!

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All the patho stuff will come back easily, I wouldn't worry about it. You've got a good psych background, which I think is a good base no matter what type of nursing you do.

Congrats to you! I'll be thinking of you on Monday!

Heather

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Specializes in Psych, hospice, family practice.

Mattsmom, thanks for the encouragement and vote of confidence.

Thanks to you too Catlady. The job entails assisting beneficiaries of the military health insurance (of which I am one myself) in receiving 'specialty' healthcare through management of the referral and authorization process.

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Thank God that nursing allows us such diversity and opportunity for change! Thank God also that we are all not the same. For instance, Mary and Catlady are excited because their new jobs mean no weekends, working aprox. 8am-4:30pm, probably no holidays......here I am leaving a job with just such hours to RETURN to bedside nursing, working ALL WEEKENDS, (12 hour shifts) and OFF MONDAY-FRIDAY! Yippee! I am so excited! Finally I get "time" ..."time" to spend with the kids, the spouse, aging grandparents, and TIME for my own personal hobbies and interests. Isn't it great that although we all love nursing, we are all so different in what we want to get out of nursing? Good luck Mary and Catlady at your new positions! I start mine June 17th. After an up to three month orientation, I GET TO GO to weekends only!

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You will do just wonderful! It sounds like a great opportunity for you. Good luck and have a blast! :cool:

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Stormy, congrats to you, too! I did that weekend thing for a long time, when it met my needs. You're right about nursing being one of the few professions with this kind of flexibility.

Mary, thanks for the explanation. It sounds a lot like what I'm going to be doing, only for the military instead of the managed care company.

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Mary, I used to work in insurance before becoming a nurse. A course that I found helpful was Contract Law. It was suggested and paid for by my employer. Hopefully your employer will give you direction for any continuing education that will help you in your new position. Good luck!

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I don't have any words of wisdom, but wanted to congratulate you, Mary, Catlady, and stormy on your new positions. I'm excited for you all and to celebrate, I bought new clothes for the heck of it :) Best wishes, you'll do great!

Linda

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Best of luck to both of you! You silly, you won't be using your psych experience!!!! Oh yes you will!!!!! Keep us posted on how it goes! And Stormy, that is one of the things I love about this job is the time off to be with my family and friends. I just can never see me as a 9 to 5er. Nothing against anyone who is, but as I walk along the beach at 10 am on a wednesday with the mutt, I think "this is so cool!"

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Mary it is very exciting to have a new venture in your life. Knowing you as I do as a wonderful, warm and funny person I have NO DOUBT AT ALL that this will be a very successful career move for you.:)

They are lucky to have you and I bet they will wonder how they ever managed without ya!

Go get em girl........:cool:

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