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I managed to snag myself two weeks or 80 hours of PTO. First and foremost, I'm planning on using this time to just catch up on extra rest that I haven't gotten over the past couple of years. I've got some reorganization/cleaning to do and also want to have time to do some enjoyable activities. I might be house-searching a bit more. I want time to focus on getting my health managed, both physically and mentally. Now would be a great time to try and establish a better diet, for instance.
However, one of the things I've also honestly thought about is using some of this time to set up and go on job interviews. I want to see if there is maybe something out there that is more of a fit than what I am currently doing. I'm hoping to find something that not only has a better work/life balance but that is also a better match for the very few skills I do have. Frankly, I'm tired of being under stress all the time and feel that this is a good time to possibly make some life-changes.
I'm wondering if anyone else has gone on job interviews and/or made life-changes during their PTO/vacation time?
No job interviews yet.
However, I have made significant improvements in my diet. I've successfully cut back from 6-15 pops/soda a day to only 1 or 2. I also haven't consumed any Reese's Peanut Butter cups in the last week. Hopefully this is something I can keep up on once I return to work. Clearly, I don't really need either of those things as much as I thought I did.
SB - I have to tell you ... I think of you everytime I pop a diet Pepsi now!
And Reese's PB cups. Now is the time for their best seasonal recipe!
Don't know if you've tried them but Reeses makes their 'Take 5's. They're little oval pb cups with real peanuts in caramel with PRETZEL bits! Oh, they're sooooo good!
I had to go on leave at the end of August and at first I didn't know what to do with my time either, but by the second week I loved volunteering at the food bank and going for walks in Golden Gate Park near my apartment. I have lived near the park for months but never had time to enjoy it! It's beautiful. I used the time to catch up with friends, call my grandma a lot, learn how to cook, read, watch some shows, and find a job that will be a better fit for my mental health issues.
Now I don't want to go back to work! This is my last week off. I'm sure you will figure out how to enjoy your time off. Right now there is a huge nursing shortage, especially in acute care so I bet somewhere would train you if that's what you want. It's high stress though. Maybe clinics, dialysis, case management, insurance companies, Telehealth, MDS... lots of options!
On 10/24/2021 at 7:34 PM, SilverBells said:I've put in a couple of job applications, but I'm not sure exactly what I want. There are many jobs listed out there, but many of them would not be good matches given my current/previous experience or would not be desirable. Examples of non-matches include ICU and ER nurse positions, as I don't have the skills for either one of these settings. An example of an undesirable position would be a DON in a different SNF, as this would not lead to better work/life balance.
Well no one was born an ICU or ER nurse. Everyone currently in those areas was “ new” to those areas at some point. If those are areas you hope to work in someday start by applying for telemetry positions. Same goes for sny specialty, that’s the great thing about nursing, you can change specialties by applying for new jobs, most will train you. If a new hard can get hired in a specialty than you are more qualified than brand new grad!
No response to any of my applications yet. I applied for a few acute med-surg jobs as I thought the acuity was the next step above what I'm currently doing and was thinking having some acute care experience might be good to have, even if that's not where I stay. Is this thinking out of line? If so, what job positions would be better to consider?
In the past I had jobs where the PTO was use or lose type of thing, they would not pay you your PTO time if you quit - at my last hospital job you were only paid 1/2 of your PTO if you quit. I would have no problem using my PTO to job hunt. Heck even if I wasn't using it job hunt, if I knew I was leaving I would be asking for days off here and there to use it up.
Well, no job interviews are likely to take place during my time off. I received a generic letter letter expressing thanks for my interest but ultimately indicating they were choosing someone else. Meanwhile every once in a while I receive texts or emails asking me to consider a supervisory position in an ALF or even a DON position in a different SNF even though I've expressed no interest in those positions at all. One of those things that doesn't make much sense.
On 10/29/2021 at 4:30 PM, amoLucia said:SB - I have to tell you ... I think of you everytime I pop a diet Pepsi now!
And Reese's PB cups. Now is the time for their best seasonal recipe!
Don't know if you've tried them but Reeses makes their 'Take 5's. They're little oval pb cups with real peanuts in caramel with PRETZEL bits! Oh, they're sooooo good!
Take 5 is my fave candy ? ?
SilverBells, BSN
1,108 Posts
I've put in a couple of job applications, but I'm not sure exactly what I want. There are many jobs listed out there, but many of them would not be good matches given my current/previous experience or would not be desirable. Examples of non-matches include ICU and ER nurse positions, as I don't have the skills for either one of these settings. An example of an undesirable position would be a DON in a different SNF, as this would not lead to better work/life balance.