Oedgar

I can absolutely relate.

It is normal to be afraid. I probably spent my first year terrified, and the 2nd year merely nervous in certain situations. A contributing factor in my anxiety was that I trained at a small-town community hospital. My first job was in a well-known, large teaching hospital. I encountered things in the job that I had never seen in clinicals. But in time, I easily handled the multiple TPN changing on evening shift, tons of IV antibiotics, blood sugars. Good luck.

I left hospital nursing in 1994. Did some office nursing, most recently a hellish OB/Gyn office, which I left 16 months ago. I did an interesting career detour this past summer. After my husband's hours were cut, I took a job as an office cleaner. Other than the pay, the often hot work environment (98+ temps, a/c that doesn't keep up, and trips outside to the dumpster required), and some questionable coworkers.. it wasn't a bad gig!!!! My boss was super nice, worked along side us often. I would put my head phones on to something fast and loud, and do my job. It was literally zero thought or mental stress. The places were mostly unoccupied, and when they were, the people were very kind. I was paid during my meal break every shift, and encouraged to take that break. It was very nice to know nothing bad was going to happen if I did not do something perfectly. However, the physical aspect was just a bit much for my 40-something body. I have bone spurs in my back, plantar fasciitis, and am pretty heat intolerant. I began college courses towards being an administrative assistant and left that part-time job when my accounting class got intense.

No! I have worked in two different offices. In one the doc was kind, humble, low-key, and treated as as humans. Best job ever. The other was for another doc who was the complete opposite. It was the worst two years of my life.

Graduated in 1992, and remember lots of these things. I guess this makes me a crusty old bat at a few-weeks-shy of 45!

We wore white scrubs in school, 1992. For graduation we wore whites (skirts and hose). The staff nurses then wore colored scrubs, as did I from my first job on.

I am pretty sure this is in violation of labor laws, and is certainly not safe for you or the patients. My husband, who works in manufacturing/chemicals, recently worked similiar hours to this for nearly a month. Two paychecks in a row had 174 and 178 hours on them. He was limited by the rules of his company to 16 hours, but he had lots of those days.. or even mere 14 hour days, with no off days. It was a highly stressful, toxic work environment on a huge project. Given that we are in our 40s, I really feared what this would do to him. In the end, he lost 10 lbs off his already too-slim 6 ft 2 150 lb frame. He had to go on anxiety medication, and took about 3 months to even start gaining the weight back. The type of hours you are working are not sustainable. Your facility seems to be troubled and I would look for work elsewhere if this situation is the norm.

Many years ago I commuted 50 miles each way. It was just under an hour plus allowing time to catch the shuttle bus from the parking lot that was several blocks away. During orientation it was awful because I was working 12 hour shifts 7 a to 7 p. I often wouldn't get home till 8 30 p and then had to get up and leave by 05 30 the next morning. It was a long day, and I was young and single then. After orientation I worked five 8s.. eves, and we'll that sucked too. I was often asked to work a double and had to say no to a 16 hr day plus 2.5 hours extra for driving and catching shuttle. On those times I would work an extra 4 hours unto next shift.. which again made for some long days.

I have considered this before. I have room in my home, but would not want all the germs in my home. Also, as you probably know, there would need to be some pretty strict guidelines on what sorts of illnesses you would accept. Due to the pressures on working parents (and, just some crappy parents)... I picture people trying to sneak in issues such as asthmatics who really need close supervision or more care, tots with a previous hx or febrile seizure, etc.

LTCNS... may I ask generally what your salary is? My job is not paying me quite what I expected, but I took it anyway, because I felt it was a rare opportunity. If you don't want to discuss I understand.

LTCNS..... OH my wow!! Yes I recall your struggles. I think your office was even more messed up than mine! My title is Clinical Data Integrity Analyst. It is a brand-new position at the hospital, so the boss is still determining what I will be doing. So far I have been running reports on the timliness of verbal orders being signed, contact docs to please sign them, and track that I notified the docs. I am sure I wlll be tracking performance in this area... and also H&P's and having a Progress Note in the chart daily. The job posting asked for a nurse license and/or RHIT. So far I haven't done anything that uses my nurse background though.

My coworkers are all HIM people, coders, RHIT, transcriptionists. The job opening asked for RN and/or RHIT. I am LVN and have a few HIM classes done.

I began a chart abstracting job this week. I work in the HIM dept and sit in an office cubicle with a friendly bunch of coders. OMG wow! I can't get over how laid back this is compared to anything I've done. The folks in my group just sit at computers all day, work, and intermittently stop and chat. Everyone gets full lunch and 15 minute breaks.... and bathroom breaks lol. The boss is flexible and helpful. It is such a contrast from the days of running my behind off, sweating (yes even in a clinic job)... and working way past quitting time to get phone calls done. No doc breathing down my neck and secretly timing/scolding me because it took me 8 minutes to get a clean catch urine, vitals, weight, and history from the patient. Nobody in this new position is worked to death. It's just so... odd. But I'll take it!!

I would keep the license active. Even if she wants to retire... she could easily find temp/part time/occasional work in a physician office. The offices I have worked in have always been desperate for prn (as needed) nurses for vacation, sick days, etc. If she needs some extra money, I believe a doctor's office would snap her up to work occasionally.

First job... 3-11pm 5 days a week... 55 miles each way.. Plus I had to allow time to catch shuttle from contract parking to hospital. It was not fun, and this was before I had a house, husband, kids. I worked 12 hours during orientation for 3 months, and it was rough. At the ripe old age of 21, I was DONE at the end of a day on the floor and then the commute. Now my coummute will be 5 minutes (10 if it's peak traffic). I am grateful.