testing109

Oh NO DOUBT, I'm glad that I can be as much of a help to you and anyone else on here as you and a few others have been to me. I've taken in all of the advice and shared experiences, and it has helped me straighten out my thoughts in a big way. My wife really encouraged me to stick around and get to get passed all the negativity that was sent my way, it's like she said, you would think I WOULD be a little better at taking that sort of thing seeing how I AM in the MILITARY! You don't exactly get handled with kid gloves for sure around here. I think this site can and has been a lot of help, even the negative feed back, because all it does is push me personally that much harder to NOT give up and go the extra mile. I didn't start this journey for nothing and I know my passion lies in this field of work. I even shared a link to this particular forum on one of my social networks so that some of my fellow Corpsmen can get the same great advice and guidence that I have received. I figure, if someone was nice enough to share this site w/me, I should try to do the same for those out there that may be having the same struggles that I am having and seeking the same advice that I seek. So with a swift kick back into reality from my lovely wife who basically told me to get over myself and after stepping back and calming down for a sec, yeah I decided I'm sticking around. Besides, I told you I'd keep you up to date on my shadowing experiences when I go home in the fall, right? I know once I get there, I will prob. have a few more questions or seek a little more advice, why not come back to the few that DO want to help and encourage others? Have you started your new job yet? If so, how is it going?

side note: I just read what I posted above and as you can see, my 48+ hours of no sleep due to being on the range this week, then on call last night handling an attempted suicide, then clinic and classes today has really caught up with me and my grammer not to mention my spelling oh well, I hope you understood what I was trying to say. I will make one correction "and my friend lost a very close friend the year after she graduated due to a car accident as well", I meant my WIFE lost a very close friend of hers the year after they graduated. I guess I need some sleep in a major way!

Well said All4Seasons! I enjoyed reading your post, you made a lot of sense and a lot of good points. I especially like the last line: "the only thing I do know is that the more I learn,the more I realize I have yet to learn". I get exactly what you are saying there and I wish there were more people out there with an open mind like yours. No one "knows everything" and if they THINK they do, then they have so much more to learn. Also, you are right, forever is NOT promised and when I said that I guess I was not thinking in that sense. I too know how it feels to have somene close to you loose their lives way to young. Both my wife and I had a close friend pass away not long after he graduated high school due to a motorcycle accident, we both had a friend pass away in his early 20's due to a car accident, and my friend lost a very close friend the year after she graduated due to a car accident as well, so you would think we of all people should KNOW life isn't promised forever. I guess my point was that even though you need to follow heart and find your passion in life, you can't always have the perfect balance of career and time with family. I spend close to 3 months at a time away from my wife and children whild serving in the military. I guess my point to New2ERNursing was that I would take 3 days over 3 months anytime, because trust me, I would. You made a lot of sense and after all of the experience and years you have in this profession, your words carry a lot of weight. If no one else took anything away from your post, I did. Thank you :)

Thank you MFRANCISCO, I HAVE changed my mind on leaving the forum. Both my wife and New2ERNursing have made very valid points and encouraged me to stick around and now w/your words as well, I think it WILL be beneficial to stay! Thanks :)

You know what is so ironic, my wife JUST SAID THE EXACT SAME THING ABOUT LEAVING HERE. After she suggested that I move to Blogger, she also said that I would not receive the great feedback that I have from a few of you. She seems to think that the past 50 postings, as you said LOL, between you and I have been in some way beneficial and I more than likely won't find that once I leave. You are correct, I need to have a thick skin about this, but I have just been taken back by the extreme negativity. My post last night wasn't about competition and "who is better" it was about unprovoked disrespect as a whole. I never once put down anyone and nor will I. I never once said I was superior and nor will I. I never once said that my training here is equal to or better than the training of a civilian RN. I am very aware of the transfer out into the "real world" and I am very aware of the education I will need to continue to persue to end up where I want to be in the medical field. I don't know, maybe I will just stay here and keep my discussions and questions limited to a you and a few select others. My wife seems to think that is a good idea but also encourages me to blog as well, simply because it all helps.

How about this, I apologize to YOU New2ERNursing for "highjacking" your thread seeing how that's what I've been informed that I was doing. I believe this site is just not for me, it appears to be more like "allattitudes" instead of "allnurses". I came looking for guidence and for insight on how I can improve myself in this profession and to get tips on different roads I could take, but I am seeing now, esp. after my post last night which only a select few seemed to understand what point or what concern I was trying to express. So, I think I will take a different route and try either another forum or maybe I just need something like a blog. My wife suggested blogger, so I think I will try that route out. Take care DC Collins and New2ERNursing and good luck in all you do. Thank you both for your kind words and wonderful advice!

You're welcome for my service and I am very aware of where I posted this and I believe I directed it to two specific individuals that I have had previous conversations with and I believe I stated why I posted here in the first paragraph, not that I owe YOU any kind of explanation. But thank YOU for the tip on "bad form" and "highjacking", I will go write that down!

He was planning on rotating me from multiple positions through out the hospital. Never once did I say "treat me as an RN". My point was, show me some respect and do NOT treat me like I do not belong in a hospital setting. Do not disprespect me when I have shown you nothing but respect. I am very aware of what I can and can not bring over to the civilian side of things, so where you got that I expect to be streamlined directly into a position, I do not know. Maybe that is why I do come across defensive. I was treated as though I was stepping on someones toes and had a nose thrown up at me before I could even make my way through the door. So for anyone reading this who feels like I am asking for something that I do not deserve, keep in mind my frustration is a result of direct disrespect of my skill and my knowledge as an FMF Corpsman not the fact that I feel superior to anyone that is not in the military. It seems to me that it is the other way around. I keep reading "you don't know what we all we do" and how the military is not properly trained in the medical field and that is why it does not transfer over into the civilian world. So please understand that when you have paid your dues as a hospital corpsman and you've taken the extra step to be a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman and you have EARNED the name "doc" you may have a hard time understanding the level of disrespect you receive from others who are closed minded. I went into that hospital with an open mind, and an eagerness to learn, not to be degrated. To me it seems there is a lot of hypocrisy going on.

JoPACURN, I like your style, even if you are an apple! You are welcome with the oranges anyday! I just had my wife read your posts and she told me to give you this

JoPACURN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE SAID, IT TRUELY MEANS A LOT AND IS VERY REFRESHING TO HEAR THE WORDS YOU JUST SAID. I PLAN ON GOING FORWARD, BECAUSE I AM NOT IN THE MEDICAL FIELD TO COMPETE TO BE THE BETTER PERSON OR TO RECEIVE THE "KNOW IT ALL" TROPHY. I AM HERE TO SAVE LIVES, HELP OTHERS, AND STAND BY THE HOSPITAL CORPSMAN PLEDGE THAT I RAISED MY HAND TO. THANK YOU AND BEST WISHES TO YOU AS WELL, I APPRECIATE THE COMPLIMENTS.

Really MULAN, is that right, because today I witnessed at least 3 different HIPAA violations alone from a few RN's. Man I guess this is what is to be expected from the RN community. RN = SUPERIOR and MILITARY = UNTRAINED AND UNDEDUCATED. I guess this orange is going to take it's undeducated and untrained self back to where it belongs, and thats on the front line fighting for your freedom. Stay warm in your blanket guys!

Well EmergencyNrse, I didn't realize I was the one that walked into the facility with a chip on my shoulder. If you really would like to know, I was ASKED by the staffing coordinator of the hospital to come in and do a walk through because he would like to employ me on my time off. I actually went in with an open mind and eager to learn all that I could from every aspect of the situation, being it from RN's, RT's, MD's, PA's, NP's, or any other combination of the letter of the alphabet that was working there. You say I am showing MY ignorance, well I see you share the same ignorance as the person I spoke with today by telling me I should allow another health care provider to belittle my skills due to the fact that we are what you call "apples and oranges". So thank you for your advice, it has been noted. p.s. to you, I guess whenever I become and apple, I will be welcome back onto YOUR NURSING FORUM and A CIVILIAN HOSPITAL. My apologies to everyone for being an orange.

MULAN, yeah thanks for the heads up on the transition tip, but I think I have that covered So the motto of the day is "serve our country, fight for our freedom, keep our soldiers alive, but come back to civilian life and you're nothing" I guess I should have just sat in the classroom like a good little boy. This is what is wrong with our country today.

I may need to apologize for turning this thread into something that could be perceived as a rant because I happen to take my role as a FMF Corpsman quite serious and yes I can get past it. Maybe I should explain a little more about the "attitude" I was given seeing how I did spend a lot of time explaining my job. This was NOT a young, 21 year old girl, this actually happend to be someone around my age, and I am in my 30's. I am guessing she started late in life with her career, I don't really know. But what offended me the most was the level of her arrogance and snobby attitude towards me, like I was some bum off the street that had no business being in "HER" ED. So please excuse me if you read this as a rant, but I am just as passionate about my job and what I do and the level of responsibility that it carries as the next person or RN. I just wanted to see if this is the normal response or situation that I am going to encounter frequently. I guess I just did not realize the disconnect between Civilian Providers and Military Providers, in fact I find it quite sad. For those who backed me up and understood what I was trying to say, thank you.

Thanks for the tip

hey new2ernursing and dc collins, i wanted to share a thread i just posted on both the emergency nursing forum and the government/military forum to see what both of your thoughts were on this matter. i figured since one of you is a new er rn and the other is an experienced corpsman, i could get both sides of an opinion. please feel free to correct me if i am wrong in any of this: ---thread tital: heated debate between civilian ed rn and fmf hospital corpsman --- before i begin this thread, i'd like to take a moment for those that may not be familiar with what a fmf hospital corpsman is exactly, so that there is a better understanding of my frustration: for seven boot camp-like, rifle-toting, blister-breaking weeks down south at camp lejeune, n.c., the navy and marine corps team up at field medical service school (fmss) east to mold standard navy-issue corpsmen into sailors good enough for the fleet marine force (fmf). the good ones will earn the marines' respect. the great ones earn the title, "doc." there are corpsmen and then there are 'docs.' a doc is someone you can count on. he's someone in your platoon that when something happens to one of our fellow marines, you can call on him and not have to worry. he's your buddy, a comrade in arms, a person who you count on to cover your back, to lay down fire, dig fighting holes or do whatever marines are doing. that's who a doc is. one of the first things a good fmf corpsman learns is that the very last thing he's worried about is himself. in combat it goes through your mind, 'ok, there's a guy that got shot, i can stay here and i'll be safe and if i do, that marine's probably going to die. having the self-confidence needed by a successful battlefield corpsman can grow and many of the scenarios the medical and marine corps advisors put their students through are centered on precisely that--building confidence in the sailors' knowledge and their abilities. the fmf corpsman are taught what the marine corps will demand of them from the very first day with boot camp-style inspections, relentless physical fitness training and unyielding tolerances for marine corps discipline, all the while being tested academically both in the classroom and in the field. being book- or street-smart alone isn't enough to make it as an fmf corpsman. you have to be both because being with marines means always thinking outside the box, way outside the box. navy corpsmen are one of the most combat decorated rating in the navy, and most of those medals were earned by corpsmen serving with their marines. it's a glory only a select few dare to chase. to become an fmf corpsman stems from a reputation the marine corps has for expecting a lot more responsibility from its junior personnel, especially their corpsmen and it's a character trait fmss instructors look for on the very first day of school. going greenside, fmf corpsman will have a lot more people depending on them to know what they have to do, and they will have the opportunity to do it. by serving with the marine corps they will learn more about what a corpsman ought to be sooner rather than later. as an fmf corpsman you have an immense amount of responsibility sometimes more than you really want. you have a group of marines whose medical care is assigned to you--just you. you are in charge of everything that happeneds to them and their medical records are your responsibility. fmf corpsman are in charge of making sure their marine's immunizations are up to date as well. if they get hurt you have to fix them, and if i get hurt they have to fix me. you're never going to be a leader of a group of individuals in a hospital as an e-2, but in the marine corps, when it comes to medical care for the marines, you are. and that's the most rewarding thing there is, to take a group of people like that into combat and bring them back alive. so in conclusion, the duties of a fmf hospital corpsman consist of and are not limited to: assisting in prevention and treatment of disease and injuries; caring for sick and injured; administering immunization programs; rendering emergency medical treatment; instructing sailors and marines in first aid, self aid and personal hygiene procedures; transporting the sick and injured; conducting preliminary [color=#366388]physical examinations; performing medical administrative, supply and accounting procedures; maintaining treatment records and reports; supervising shipboard and field environmental sanitation and [color=#366388]preventive medicine programs; supervising air, water, food and habitability standards; performing clinical laboratory tests and operating sophisticated laboratory equipment; taking and processing x-rays and operating x-ray equipment; filling prescriptions, maintaining pharmacy stock; serving as operating room technicians for general and specialized surgery; performing [color=#366388]preventive maintenance and repairs on biomedical equipment. so, with all of that being said, i would like to share a situation that i encountered. today, i was informed by a 1 year civilian rn that as a fmf corpsman, i was inferior to her due to the fact that she was a rn and i was merely a military medic. further more she voiced her opinion (which i found quite undeducated) that due to her "formal" class room education, she was superior to me because i am not licensed and she is, stating that my level of education and skill is only that of a basic cna. i found this to not only show her ignorance, but her extreme disrespect for our military service members who work in the medical field and put their lives on the line every day, and seeing how i am a fmf hospital corpsman and i am referred to as "doc" by my fellow marines, i took this quite personal. no i did not sit through your everyday civilian rn training and nor do i put myself above the ones that have, but by no means do i feel like my level of skill is in anyway inferior to a difference in training. so, this is what i am asking the current and/or prior corpsman out there and the current and/or prior ed rn's out there: is this the attitude that is to be expected once i enter into the civilian world? is there really no respect for the men and women who serve our country performing the same level of critical care that you do, only we put our lives on the line in a time of combat to get the job done and take care of the ones that have put their lives on the line for your freedom? i will close with a statement i heard once from a fellow service member: "to all of the civilians out there they may not respect or understand your countries military and what we are fighting for, late at night when you lay your head on your pillow and you wrap up in that warm blanket and go to sleep in peace, just remember, that blanket is called freedom which is provided for you by the same people you insult"

before i begin this thread, i'd like to take a moment for those that may not be familiar with what a fmf hospital corpsman is exactly, so that there is a better understanding of my frustration: for seven boot camp-like, rifle-toting, blister-breaking weeks down south at camp lejeune, n.c., the navy and marine corps team up at field medical service school (fmss) east to mold standard navy-issue corpsmen into sailors good enough for the fleet marine force (fmf). the good ones will earn the marines' respect. the great ones earn the title, "doc." there are corpsmen and then there are 'docs.' a doc is someone you can count on. he's someone in your platoon that when something happens to one of our fellow marines, you can call on him and not have to worry. he's your buddy, a comrade in arms, a person who you count on to cover your back, to lay down fire, dig fighting holes or do whatever marines are doing. that's who a doc is. one of the first things a good fmf corpsman learns is that the very last thing he's worried about is himself. in combat it goes through your mind, 'ok, there's a guy that got shot, i can stay here and i'll be safe and if i do, that marine's probably going to die. having the self-confidence needed by a successful battlefield corpsman can grow and many of the scenarios the medical and marine corps advisors put their students through are centered on precisely that--building confidence in the sailors' knowledge and their abilities. the fmf corpsman are taught what the marine corps will demand of them from the very first day with boot camp-style inspections, relentless physical fitness training and unyielding tolerances for marine corps discipline, all the while being tested academically both in the classroom and in the field. being book- or street-smart alone isn't enough to make it as an fmf corpsman. you have to be both because being with marines means always thinking outside the box, way outside the box. navy corpsmen are one of the most combat decorated rating in the navy, and most of those medals were earned by corpsmen serving with their marines. it's a glory only a select few dare to chase. to become an fmf corpsman stems from a reputation the marine corps has for expecting a lot more responsibility from its junior personnel, especially their corpsmen and it's a character trait fmss instructors look for on the very first day of school. going greenside, fmf corpsman will have a lot more people depending on them to know what they have to do, and they will have the opportunity to do it. by serving with the marine corps they will learn more about what a corpsman ought to be sooner rather than later. as an fmf corpsman you have an immense amount of responsibility sometimes more than you really want. you have a group of marines whose medical care is assigned to you--just you. you are in charge of everything that happeneds to them and their medical records are your responsibility. fmf corpsman are in charge of making sure their marine's immunizations are up to date as well. if they get hurt you have to fix them, and if i get hurt they have to fix me. you're never going to be a leader of a group of individuals in a hospital as an e-2, but in the marine corps, when it comes to medical care for the marines, you are. and that's the most rewarding thing there is, to take a group of people like that into combat and bring them back alive. so in conclusion, the duties of a fmf hospital corpsman consist of and are not limited to: assisting in prevention and treatment of disease and injuries; caring for sick and injured; administering immunization programs; rendering emergency medical treatment; instructing sailors and marines in first aid, self aid and personal hygiene procedures; transporting the sick and injured; conducting preliminary [color=#366388]physical examinations; performing medical administrative, supply and accounting procedures; maintaining treatment records and reports; supervising shipboard and field environmental sanitation and [color=#366388]preventive medicine programs; supervising air, water, food and habitability standards; performing clinical laboratory tests and operating sophisticated laboratory equipment; taking and processing x-rays and operating x-ray equipment; filling prescriptions, maintaining pharmacy stock; serving as operating room technicians for general and specialized surgery; performing [color=#366388]preventive maintenance and repairs on biomedical equipment. so, with all of that being said, i would like to share a situation that i encountered. today, i was informed by a 1 year civilian rn that as a fmf corpsman, i was inferior to her due to the fact that she was a rn and i was merely a military medic. further more she voiced her opinion (which i found quite undeducated) that due to her "formal" class room education, she was superior to me because i am not licensed and she is, stating that my level of education and skill is only that of a basic cna. i found this to not only show her ignorance, but her extreme disrespect for our military service members who work in the medical field and put their lives on the line every day, and seeing how i am a fmf hospital corpsman and i am referred to as "doc" by my fellow marines, i took this quite personal. no i did not sit through your everyday civilian rn training and nor do i put myself above the ones that have, but by no means do i feel like my level of skill is in anyway inferior to a difference in training. so, this is what i am asking the current and/or prior corpsman out there and the current and/or prior ed rn's out there: is this the attitude that is to be expected once i enter into the civilian world? is there really no respect for the men and women who serve our country performing the same level of critical care that you do, only we put our lives on the line in a time of combat to get the job done and take care of the ones that have put their lives on the line for your freedom? i will close with a statement i heard once from a fellow service member: "to all of the civilians out there they may not respect or understand your countries military and what we are fighting for, late at night when you lay your head on your pillow and you wrap up in that warm blanket and go to sleep in peace, just remember, that blanket is called freedom which is provided for you by the same people you insult"

before i begin this thread, i'd like to take a moment for those that may not be familiar with what a fmf hospital corpsman is exactly, so that there is a better understanding of my frustration: for seven boot camp-like, rifle-toting, blister-breaking weeks down south at camp lejeune, n.c., the navy and marine corps team up at field medical service school (fmss) east to mold standard navy-issue corpsmen into sailors good enough for the fleet marine force (fmf). the good ones will earn the marines' respect. the great ones earn the title, "doc." there are corpsmen and then there are 'docs.' a doc is someone you can count on. he's someone in your platoon that when something happens to one of our fellow marines, you can call on him and not have to worry. he's your buddy, a comrade in arms, a person who you count on to cover your back, to lay down fire, dig fighting holes or do whatever marines are doing. that's who a doc is. one of the first things a good fmf corpsman learns is that the very last thing he's worried about is himself. in combat it goes through your mind, 'ok, there's a guy that got shot, i can stay here and i'll be safe and if i do, that marine's probably going to die. having the self-confidence needed by a successful battlefield corpsman can grow and many of the scenarios the medical and marine corps advisors put their students through are centered on precisely that--building confidence in the sailors' knowledge and their abilities. the fmf corpsman are taught what the marine corps will demand of them from the very first day with boot camp-style inspections, relentless physical fitness training and unyielding tolerances for marine corps discipline, all the while being tested academically both in the classroom and in the field. being book- or street-smart alone isn't enough to make it as an fmf corpsman. you have to be both because being with marines means always thinking outside the box, way outside the box. navy corpsmen are one of the most combat decorated rating in the navy, and most of those medals were earned by corpsmen serving with their marines. it's a glory only a select few dare to chase. to become an fmf corpsman stems from a reputation the marine corps has for expecting a lot more responsibility from its junior personnel, especially their corpsmen and it's a character trait fmss instructors look for on the very first day of school. going greenside, fmf corpsman will have a lot more people depending on them to know what they have to do, and they will have the opportunity to do it. by serving with the marine corps they will learn more about what a corpsman ought to be sooner rather than later. as an fmf corpsman you have an immense amount of responsibility sometimes more than you really want. you have a group of marines whose medical care is assigned to you--just you. you are in charge of everything that happeneds to them and their medical records are your responsibility. fmf corpsman are in charge of making sure their marine's immunizations are up to date as well. if they get hurt you have to fix them, and if i get hurt they have to fix me. you're never going to be a leader of a group of individuals in a hospital as an e-2, but in the marine corps, when it comes to medical care for the marines, you are. and that's the most rewarding thing there is, to take a group of people like that into combat and bring them back alive. so in conclusion, the duties of a fmf hospital corpsman consist of and are not limited to: assisting in prevention and treatment of disease and injuries; caring for sick and injured; administering immunization programs; rendering emergency medical treatment; instructing sailors and marines in first aid, self aid and personal hygiene procedures; transporting the sick and injured; conducting preliminary [color=#366388]physical examinations; performing medical administrative, supply and accounting procedures; maintaining treatment records and reports; supervising shipboard and field environmental sanitation and [color=#366388]preventive medicine programs; supervising air, water, food and habitability standards; performing clinical laboratory tests and operating sophisticated laboratory equipment; taking and processing x-rays and operating x-ray equipment; filling prescriptions, maintaining pharmacy stock; serving as operating room technicians for general and specialized surgery; performing [color=#366388]preventive maintenance and repairs on biomedical equipment. so, with all of that being said, i would like to share a situation that i encountered. today, i was informed by a 1 year civilian rn that as a fmf corpsman, i was inferior to her due to the fact that she was a rn and i was merely a military medic. further more she voiced her opinion (which i found quite undeducated) that due to her "formal" class room education, she was superior to me because i am not licensed and she is, stating that my level of education and skill is only that of a basic cna. i found this to not only show her ignorance, but her extreme disrespect for our military service members who work in the medical field and put their lives on the line every day, and seeing how i am a fmf hospital corpsman and i am referred to as "doc" by my fellow marines, i took this quite personal. no i did not sit through your everyday civilian rn training and nor do i put myself above the ones that have, but by no means do i feel like my level of skill is in anyway inferior to a difference in training. so, this is what i am asking the current and/or prior corpsman out there and the current and/or prior ed rn's out there: is this the attitude that is to be expected once i enter into the civilian world? is there really no respect for the men and women who serve our country performing the same level of critical care that you do, only we put our lives on the line in a time of combat to get the job done and take care of the ones that have put their lives on the line for your freedom? i will close with a statement i heard once from a fellow service member: "to all of the civilians out there they may not respect or understand your countries military and what we are fighting for, late at night when you lay your head on your pillow and you wrap up in that warm blanket and go to sleep in peace, just remember, that blanket is called freedom which is provided for you by the same people you insult"

Well I am definately going to take the job, there is no doubt about that. I will have a full schedule between the Military, College Classes, and part time work but it will all be good. I don't mind taking on everthing, I have set my goals pretty high and in order to achieve those goals I already know it is going to take a lot of work and dedication. Because of the fact that we are trained to do so many things that range from the duties of a paramedic to even some things that are equal if not greater than what an RN would do, a lot of individuals that join the military as a Corpsman find themselves in a position where their abilities far out way their civilian certifications. The fact that I am VERY aware of this is the reason I have made sure to go the extra mile and take college courses as well as receive many different medical certifications that WILL transfer to the civilian side. I guess I have somewhat of an advantage by going into the military a little later in life (the cut off is 34 and I had turned 29 the month before I left for basic training) because my head is on straight, my goals are set, and I have a family that grounds me as well as supports me. Now if I DIDN'T have those things going for me, then I could have just came in, served my time and transferred back into the civilian world with just the basics. For example, I know that in my home state of NC if I didn't have these extra qualifications then the only place I would be in the medical field is an overqualified NA II and that is just NOT going to happen on my watch.

I guess in some SMALL way I understand the need to vent, I just have a very strict way of thinking when it comes to spilling out patient info, even without a name, I don't like putting peoples "business" out there. I always think how I would feel if MY information was being discussed at the end of the day over someones dinner table or ride home. The Medical field can be very stressful and at the end of the day, you do have to release that stress somehow, but what I am talking about is the catty "gossip" that can surround those small medical offices. There is a huge difference between venting over a complicated patient and spilling out information that should never leave the office. Those type of people should never be in the medical field. These patients come in and just TRUST the fact that we are there to HELP them not shatter that trust and humiliate them out of pure immaturity or just plain evilness. What joy can you get out of blasting someones sicknesses or handicaps? I can't stand by that at all and nor do I ever want to be a part of it. At the time when my ex would tell me these things, I didn't think much of it at all really, but then one day after my wife and I had gotten engaged and I was away in the military, I was informed that she had been accused of exploiting my ex over some kind of gossip that supposidly was leaked from that medical office. My wife was so upset because if you knew her, you would know it just isn't in her character to do the things she was being accused of and what she was being accused of could have ruined my ex's career because at the time she was in school to be a nurse or something. When I called home and heard the news of what was going on, it was at that moment I began to pay a little more attention to the way "medical information" was handled. How could this girl who would tell me the most awful details on people I knew when we were together turn around and accuse my wife of "tattling" on her when she never even knew what was said because I never repeated it to her! It just irritated me so bad because all I could think about was how immature that was. If you have the audacity to toss out information about others, then don't go crying to an attorney when you THINK it is coming back to bite you in the a**. I just hope that girl has done a lot of growing up since then or has made a different career choice because if you play those games your are going to win those prizes ya know? That more than likely made no sense at all, but those type of catty things are what I was referring to when I said that about some small town family practices. I guess nothing irritates me more than to hear these trusted individuals gossip or make light of these serious situations that people are going through. It has nothing to do with trusting who I talk or vent to, because like I said, my wife is my best friend and I trust her more than I have ever trusted anyone in life, it's just about morals and values to me and heck some of these people are NOT "venting" they actually have a tone of excitement and "fun" in their voice while telling these things. Those are the ones that are just twisted and I can not attach myself to a facility that is swimming with those types of employee's. Wow, sorry that was kind of a rant there wasn't it? I didn't mean to put all that out there, but I get heated when it comes to those things. Yes I did have a calm about me while I was in the NICU with our son. Don't get me wrong, I was scared to death. That was my tiny little miracle in there fighting for his life and on top of that, I almost lost my wife too. But everyone always would compliment me on how I stayed so calm and controlled. I love kids and that is why I wanted to originally be a pediatric PA. But we will see in time where I land. Everything is really starting to come together. In fact, I got even more good news this evening. One of the lead MD's here on base has offered me a part time job (aside from my military duties) in the local base hospital. He wants to take me under his wing and help me build my resume' even more, so the good news just keeps on coming.

All I can say about VICEDRN's post is "WOW" !! Although I DO agree with just about every single thing she just said because honestly I do and she made some VERY valid points, everyone has to do what is right for them and if this move to the hospital closer to your home is the right move for you New2ERNursing, then nothing anyone says or no matter how anyone feels, you will be fine VICEDRN QUOTE: "Third, the grass is never greener. There is a reason this small hospital is hiring. Be sure to consider the fact that the unit might have a high turnover, a lot of drama, be hostile or difficult to work for as a system and you might end up leaving quickly." This particular part of what she said about the smaller, closer to home ER is the EXACT reason I shy away from wanting to work at the hospital in my local area. It does NOT have a good reputation AT ALL, especially the ED!!! NO ONE in our small little town ever wants to go there and if they do get sent there, then the majority of them are pushing to be transferred ASAP. Take my wife for example, her dad has extreme heart problems and the few times he has been sent to our local ER, both her and her sister are there front and center ready to get him moved to a higher echelon of care. In fact, if our local hospital name is even mentioned, it is usually followed with a story about a negative experience. Although, like I also said, I am still exploring my options, ALL OF MY OPTIONS, and I will not close the door on any hospital, family practice, or medical office that will give me the chance to shadow or get my foot in the door to explore my options. Plus, like I said earlier, my wife has two relatives that are RN's that work there and I plan on speaking to them about my concerns. Now back to our previous conversation New2ERNursing: Thanks for the helpful advice, and that is exactly what I plan on doing. I have already spoken to many RN's and MD's in my home area and just the fact or the training that I have received here in the military as a Corpsman, let alone a FMF Corpsman, seems to make me stand out just on that alone. Also, I have sat with several of my medical officers here and they are extremely impressed with my ability to grasp new techniques and "get the job done" the way I do. I am usually the "go to" guy on just about everything. I am told that they see I am very ambitious and have a passion for the medical field. I graduated top of my class in "A" School and have received many awards from the highest of officers. I understand knowing people and having connections is not enough and that is why I plan on making the most out of every opportunity. As for Job postings, I have already been on that, even though I am still deciding which area I do want to go into, I constantly am researching job trends and openings in the medical field in my home area. So, you are very right and it is great advice, we are definately on the same page with that :) You are also correct about hospitals and family practices being very different places. In the military within my job we tend to practice both preventive care as well as emergent care. Because of my training, I do enjoy both aspects of medical care, although lately I have seemed to favor the emergent care. The only "experience" involving family practice that I can reflect on is before my wife, I dated a girl who wasn't a RN she was just a tech in a Family Pratice. Actually it's the same family practice that I spoke of earlier that I was once a patient, and where the new PA is that my wife spoke to. It seems that I can not recall a single day that my ex was not talking about some kind of catty drama between the medical staff. Along with THAT drama, she would also tell me all about personal & extremely private patient information of friends of mine or their girlfriends. NOW, with my understanding of a little thing called HIPAA, I'm just not too eager to put myself in that mix. I come from a small town with small family practices and usually everyone knows everyone, so having to hear about my friends girl having an STD, just makes me a little weary of being involved in small practices. Not that I am saying hospitals have "no drama", but that is where shadowing comes in as well. It not only lets me get a feel for the profession but for the environment I want to work in. I just want to practice medicine and I want to find the area I have the most passion for. As for the NICU and PICU, TRUST ME, I've got that covered. Once you spend 14 1/2 weeks with your 1lb son in there, you tend to get a FEEL for the environment and the bed side manner. While we were there w/our son, I pretty much handled everything and amazed my wife and the staff with my level of confidence and knowledge. They knew right away that I was in some type of medical field. I will be sure to update you after my journey and fill you in on which areas I seem to favor. Unfortunately my leave was pushed back a couple of weeks, so I will be going home the later part of September and staying to early October (about 20 days or so). I will be all over the place during that time, I made sure when it came to the hospitals, that I got a place with both night and day shifts. I just want to cover every area ya know?

Congrats on your good news and job change, I am sure you will be a lot happier now that you are closer to home and able to see your fiance' more. I will be shadowing in both Family Practices and Hospitals in my hometown and a city about 20 minutes away. I've pulled some strings and will be kind of "floating" around in the hospitals, mainly the Trauma/Critical Care areas, NICU/PICU/ED/ICU. With the connections both my wife and I have, we managed to speak to some VERY Military friendly people that understand the process I will be going through and the skills I have acquired during my enlistment. I am super excited about putting myself out there and getting a feel for what area I'd like to be in. My wife actually ran into two friends of hers last night when she went to see some band that came to town that are both PA's in our home area, one is a PA at an Orthopedic office who interned at our local Pediatric office before deciding that area just wasn't what he wanted to do, and the other is one of the new PA's at a local Family Practice which I am very familiar with and was once a patient. She did some networking with both of them as well, so thats at least two more connections I have scored! I was extremely lucky because the hospital that is further away has put a freeze on new grads right now and I am understanding it is a pretty hard place to get into, but at least I will be able to put my face out there and meet a few more people. I actually have grabbed up a pretty respected mentor in that hospital and he is extending a helping hand and sharing some very useful knowledge with me. The local Hospital is not my first choice really, simply because it does not have the best of reputations, but I still want to put my face out there and not close the door on any area or opportunity. My wife does have two relatives that are RN's there, so I plan on speaking to them about my concerns. Anyway, CONGRATS again and keep us informed on how your new job is working out.

UPDATE: GOOD NEWS FOR ME I have had AWESOME luck in arranging to shadow in a few different facilities, both hospital and Family Practices, while at home on my upcoming extended leave. Even better news is I actually landed a couple in my hometown area and a couple a little further away but not too far. I am super excited because this will give me a chance to see exactly which setting I want to be in! New2ERNursing, I took your advice and tapped into a few of my "connections" out there in the medical world for my local shadowing so we will see what comes from all of this. So any updates on your situation in deciding which direction you are going to go, meaning have you decided to stick it out at your current job or move on? I know you said you scored an "off the record" meeting, has anything came from all that? DC Collins, I looked into the ED Tech as well and have NOT counted that completely out. I am planning on getting as much information as I can while I am shadowing those few days while at home. I appreciate the tip on that!

Yes they sure are, I don't know where I would be today without my wife. Good for you for going back to school even if it was in your 40's! It is NEVER too late to go after your dream. I was 29 when I decided to join the military. Thanks again man, best wishes to you as well. :)

Thank you so much DC Collins, I really appreciate your advice and it sounds like some great advice at that! I DO understand what you are saying about PA/NP positions, that is what my wife's client was basically telling her to relay over to me, actually it was pretty much exactly what she was saying. I don't mind the longer route at all, if I did I would have never chosen to go into the military ha ha. I have the best support system at home, so I know that no matter what way I go, my wife will be behind me 100%. I never really thought about starting out as an ED Tech, but what you say makes sense. I am very aware that I will need to continue on with school to get where I want to go, but right now I am just trying to decide which road that is. Thank you again for throwing some info and thoughts my way! I am always open to suggestions and eager to learn or take in advice. I know most people go into the medical field because of having some kind of job security or because of the money, but honestly, I just want to do what makes me happy and I want to better myself. I am completely aware of the hard work and dedication anything medical comes along with and I don't mind any of it. My wife does hair for a living and one lesson she taught me is that at the end of the day, all that matters is that you love what you do and have a passion for it, not the money or the benefits. Those are nice and will cushion your life with material things, but unless you love what you do, you are cheating yourself out of a lot. My wife does not have to work, but she LOVES doing hair and making people feel great about themselves and that inspires me to find exactly what direction I want to be in and fall in love with whatever job I have. I have already began making a few calls about shadowing when I go home again, so hopefully I will find an area that grabs me.