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.

A word of caution... sometimes even being a clinic nurse is a gamble. My doc routinely refused to see pts that called in with urgent problems, blocked so much of the schedule it was hard to work people in who needed it...Erratic work habits pretty much kept the office in a frantic overload and state of chaos. I start a chart abstracting position next week. I am nervous about learning something new, but eager to have a desk job. However bad it gets, it will be NOTHING compared to what I just left. Also, a lot of folks have told me to "just go be a school nurse." I think being a school nurse carries a LOT of liability.. being the only medical person in a building with hundreds of people... diabetics, allergy kids.. no thanks. My hats off to school nurses. There is a lot more to it than the public realizes!

Sometimes, you really don't know until the last minute. Having children also adds potential last-minute to the mix. I can't tell you how many times my kids went to bed fine, slept fine... but woke at 6 am with a fever or vomiting or whatever. There is no way you could have worked in that condition.. and you would have spread the germs around if you had tried to.

Great article. I had every one of these issues. Putting quantities in this was especially informative (2 to 3 bad shifts per week). Yup. Done and OUT. Start new job next week.

I accepted the offer, after being told it was non-negotiable. I just really need a job, and have never before been offered a non patient care position. I feel it can open future doors for me. I would also like to become a CPC and will likely enroll in a 9 month class for that in October. I did a little inside research and was quoted 18/hr for LVN there in ER with several years' experience. I am still underwhelmed by my salary but oh well. Another interesting thing is this small community hospital just got bought out by a larger system. The change takes effect on my hire date. None of this was told to me by HR. I only know about it because of my relationship with my previous employer/MD office. I wonder if the new company will a) decide they actually do want an RN or RHIT and do away with me or b) offer me more money, more on par with someone with a license. Any thoughts?

I wondered the same thing about HR knowing I had some drama... but, the DA's office still hasn't returned my call... and I was already at the hospital and dressed up (was in for physical) so I decided I might as well take them a copy of the subpoena. Apparently, I am not the first person to have to miss the first day of orientation. They said if that happens I can just make up that day the next month. I would still much prefer doing my orientation as scheduled. I called the DA day before yesterday and no reply. Will try again today.

The update.. still no word from the DA's office. I took the subpoena to HR and they were fine with it. Said if I have to miss the first day I will just have to make it up the next orientation class. I would still much prefer to get out of going to trial that day and take my class as I am supposed to. Now, to pass the physical. Apparently checking yes to the box stating I have osteoarthritis in my back has drawn some raised eyebrows. Got sent for x rays

Back in the summer... I saw something... happen.. in my neighborhood. I had a brief conversation with the police, and thought nothing more of it!! Imagine my surprise when I was served with a subpoena to appear in court as a witness for the state.... on what is supposed to be my 1st day of orientation!! If I miss this orientation it will be another month before there is another class. I have a call into the DA's office to see if there is an alternative. It's in less than 2 weeks. I am about to go for my employment physical. I need to stop in at HR to resolve a direct deposit matter. I guess I need to tell HR?

I thought I would update .... I received the job offer for the clinical data analyst position, and start Feb 1st!!!

I would consider anywhere in the Hill Country of Texas. Lots of pretty rivers, natural swimming holes, small towns for antiquing. San Antonio or Austin would put you close enough to all of this if you wanted to live in a major city.

Hi all. I just landed a job as a chart abstractor... local hospital. Next week.. wednesday. . I go sign my offer letter. I was told sometime after that I will be scheduled for a physical. There is a problem. I have always had good attendance I am rarely sick.. my kids are teens now and at my last job of 2 yrs, I never missed a day for sick kids.. I missed one due to GI bug. However.. entire time of last job... small clinic..I was in invisalign braces. The office was laid back and did not care if I missed for orthodontist or dentist appt as long as I was there when patients were there. And I was. If we began w pts at 9.. I was at ortho at 8. I took that time unpaid and stayed late other times to get phone calls done. The current problem.. I had two severe complications.. one dead front tooth and the other with root resorption and an iffy prognosis. Ortho has watched it and hasn't wanted me to proceed with an implant because my xray have stabilized. However.. tooth is increasingly mobile. How am I going to handle possible need for more dental work during my probation? I am going to try and get worked in at ortho next week but who knows what will happen next? Do I ask HR when I complete my paper work if I can miss for appts? I am not working without a tooth!