RobotNurse

Are you using a local LA-area address for your applications? If not, i recommend doing that. Also, if you can't find a staff position right away, maybe look into travel agencies for a temp assignment to get you on your feet in LA, and then network and reapply for FT staff positions when you're there. Good luck!

matcha cat! thank you so much for replying. i started to quote your first post and then realized i'd just be quoting literally the entire thing because i relate to everything you said. i'm glad you're going for nursing if that is really what you want. it's daunting for sure (also relate to your almost dropping out of the CNA program d/t anxiety- i seriously contemplated dropping out on my first day of nursing school and just turning my car around and driving back to my home state for the same reason!), but i think you'll be successful- you're already troubleshooting and problem solving (including recognizing the benefit of quiet decompression time after a shift of being "on" for hours!) and like everyone else here in this topic is saying, there is room for a variety of personalities. and your username is fantastic as well! it makes me picture a cartoon kitten lapping up matcha from a bowl.

thank you for the vote of confidence! :) i wonder if that is actually part of the problem- me trying too hard to act like everyone else, and i might be more successful interacting with people at work as (the professional/work version of) myself.

thanks for the encouragement and suggestions! i've read the first two, but haven't heard of the Elder book; will put that on my list :) Peace and Namaste Hppy

i would have to literally bit my tongue to refrain from replying "other facilities manage to have proper equipment on hand- make it happen". seriously though, report them to the ombudsman. legally the facility has to have that contact information displayed in a place where visitors/patients/employees can see it. if yours doesn't, google searching can help.

I would like to do this, but am afraid of having it used against me if people at work know. otoh, it might take some of the pressure off to explain so people don't just think i'm awkward and flat-affecty* for no reason (*not all the time, but when i'm tired or stressed or working back-to-back shifts, i don't always have the energy to constantly be monitoring how animated my facial expressions are).

that's awesome! thanks for the good ideas :) re: changing jobs/practice settings, i would actually like to eventually work as a coach for teens and adults with ASD/ADHD/LDs. i've just started a degree program that will help me with that, and my current job works with my school schedule. so i'm going to try to treat this job like part of my schoolwork- i.e. using the techniques and information i'm learning to 'coach' myself before i can start coaching others.

true, but it seems like everyone else i work with can do both- schmooze *and* do the work. this is a brilliant idea. i'm going to consciously try to do this when patients are going on about their family/health/personal problems and i don't know what to say. thanks!

thank you so much for taking the time to encourage me and give me some really good ideas to consider. i'm on break at work right now and will reply in more detail later, but i just wanted to say i did read all your replies and very much appreciate them.

can anyone relate? i don't know what i'm asking for here really, other than i guess confirmation that i'm not alone? and maybe advice on how other nurses with autism/aspergers cope and blend in? i feel like no matter how hard i try to act like the "normal" extroverted empathetic professionals around me, i still come off as weird/awkward/uncaring sometimes. an example- i work with geriatrics/older adults and I talk to them like they're...well, adults! because I assume that's what they want. Who wants to be talked to in an infantilizing way like they're children? But then other nurses/therapists/aides talk to patients in this way and the patients rave about how "sweet" and "caring" they are. So clearly I'm missing the mark here. another example- i'm very task-focused. my productivity is amazing, and i get compliments on my actual work (IV starts, etc) but i'm so focused on what i'm doing that i apparently come off as uninterested in the patient because I don't make a lot of small talk because that doesn't come naturally to me at all, so whenever I try, I feel like it sounds forced and awkward. But if I don't do it enough, then I apparently am not caring enough. "resting *****face" when i'm concentrating on something (like oh idk, actually doing my job) doesn't help. i'm good at anticipating patient needs and offering tangible/practical assistance (i.e. always being on top of pain meds and call bells, offering to take patients to the toilet instead of waiting for the aide even if i'm busy, etc) because i can do things like that, but i'm not great with making conversation, or knowing what to say/how to react when patients are upset or talking about their problems- i do try to make all the right facial expressions and say the right things, and i guess it works at least some of the time because i have had patients be like "you're such a great listener" and whatnot, but other times i feel like everyone can tell i'm just copying other people and have no idea what i'm doing when it comes to the "bedside manner" aspect of this job. it's really frustrating and exhausting to put so much energy into trying to be someone i'm not. especially when i still feel like in spite of all this effort i'm just weird and annoying.

sorry, this is more of a thread hijack, nevermind

OK you're a musician, actor, singer, dancer, model, take your pick. You're also working part time as a nurse. When you have scheduling conflicts (out of town auditions, rehearsals/ film shoots, etc) and you're scheduled to work, how many times do you think you can hound your co-workers to switch shifts with you before they get annoyed? Do you think your scheduling manager cares that you're trying to make it as a professional artist or takes that into consideration when (NOT) giving you your requested schedule? How many times do you think you can call out for those scheduling conflicts before you get fired? If you work the day job and turn down your arts opportunities when scheduling conflicts come up, how do you expect to get anywhere in the arts? If/when you're fortunate enough to get a booking agent and/or management, do you think they'll put up with you turning down auditions and potential work because "i have to work as a nurse that day"? Especially when there are loads of equally-or-more talented people who would do anything for representation, auditions, etc. and would take it more seriously than you by not blowing off opportunities for a nursing job? What if you juggle auditions and work for months and land an amazing gig in the EU - do you think your nursing job is just going to be like 'ok have fun, your job will be here when you get back in 2-3 months?' Nope! You could then 'job hop', quitting jobs every time you have a great gig and then go through the hassle of trying to find another one when you come back, but what do you think your resume will look like after a few of those? "just go PRN" - ok yeah, PRN is basically the only real way to be a nurse and a professional artist, but then you're doing 4 years of university and student debt just for a casual job with no benefits. Can you still get paid work as an artist while working a day job? Sure, but you're limited - so limited that it often can make the difference between 'needing' that day job and advancing as an artist to where you can make a living. Keep in mind my experience is in performing arts, not visual/fine arts.

don't go into nursing unless you're completely ready to give up on being a professional artist, and you're legit happy to do art as a hobby or "on the side". the OP sounds like she is, and has real interest in nursing aside from just the money, so it will probably work for her. :)

YES! when i got my acceptance letter to nursing school, i was tempted to shred it and tell my family I was put on the waitlist or not accepted. I hate nursing! I knew from day 1 that going into healthcare or anything other than art was the wrong path for me, but i felt pressured by my family, didn't have the nerve to stand up to them, and didn't yet understand that the internet and social media have made it SO much easier to launch a successful arts-based business! I also bought into the myth of the "starving artist" and didn't realize the only reason i wasn't making money is because i was trying to do things the traditional way along with all the other 2873462982 recent arts graduates in my city. as the wise saying goes, while everyone else is storming the front door, find a way to sneak in the back! don't do what everyone else is doing. find a niche, discover what makes you and your work unique, be creative and find multiple ways to monetize your talents and strengths, and think like an entrepreneur and create your own opportunities! i wish people had given me this career advice before i went into craploads of student debt and wasted 5 years in nursing. see above I very much miss being a professional artist and entrepreneur. Working for someone else, punching a freaking time clock, taking orders and following directions, etc. is NOT my thing and I feel like i've lost a lot of my ambition the longer i work as a cog in the machine of healthcare and that scares me. i didn't; I was perpetually exhausted and frustrated between getting out of work late and commuting and the job sapping my energy. fortunately i just went PRN after new year's, so i only have to work 1 shift per month. and now i'm working harder on my art than ever before because I know what's at stake! I know what kind of soul-sucking nursing jobs are waiting for me if i don't work hard and make my business successful! so that's lit a fire under my butt because i don't ever want to have to go back to nursing!

My first job after graduating was a local travel contract in sub-acute rehab. They extended me after the contract was up and then offered me a part time job, which i worked at for 2 years before going PRN (transitioning out of nursing now!) It depends on the job/practice setting, and also on your confidence and personality type. I get bored extremely quickly and learn really fast, so a travel contract was good for me right out of school. You know yourself better than anyone here. :-)