Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Is God Opening a Door?

It's a little bit of a story, so either bear with me or stop reading now. ;-)
As you know, I'm a nurse. An ER nurse. It's my passion...ER, that is. I love it. I am a true adrenaline junkie. I work best under pressure and stress. I'm on my 'A' game then.
I'm also PRN, which basically means that I don't receive any benefits from the hospital as far as vacation or sick time or health benefits. I get paid a higher hourly wage for that.
The way that the PRN system is set up, it's basically for the hospital to have coverage when their full time and part time staff can't fill the slots. It's supposed to be a last minute call. Well, b/c of the extreme shortage of nurses, I have been able to be PRN for several years. I've actually been able to be placed on the schedule weekly and count on the hours. I think I've been spoiled by the shortage.
Well, 8 months ago, when I went back to work from maternity leave I found myself being called off (the basically call me before my scheduled shift and cancel me) or canceled days in advance. So, I decided to give working nights a try. Turns out that I actually enjoy working nights better! Yay! I was called off a few times on nights, but not nearly as much as I was on days. Things have been going great...
Things are still going great, but I've noticed over the last month or so they've hired a bunch of new full time staff. Nights were REALLY short staffed (which is why I moved to nights)...and now once all of these people are off training, I've been afraid that they are going to take my scheduled shifts. Miguel has suggested cross training to a different department, but with my short shifts (I only work 6 or 8 hour shifts currently), that probably won't work out too well.
So, all that being said...I'm going to talk about my love for the ER. I LOVE working in the ER. If I ever left, I've always said that I would want to go to L&D and/or nursery...but I don't want to leave the ER. The only thing that I really don't enjoy about the ER is working with kids. I guess that I am intimidated by their small bodies...or maybe it's the parents looming over me as I attempt to do anything to their child. I don't know, but whatever it is, I feel extremely uncomfortable working with kids. I've been a nurse for almost 5 years, and I have been able to have someone do all of the intrusive tasks o the kids for me...how did I make it this long not doing it?
Well, the past month or so I've decided that I need to get over my kid fear and just man up and do what needs to be done myself. No more bartering. No more trading off tasks with people. I'm going to start all of my own pedi. IV's, do all of my own pedi. caths etc. So, I've been doing my own tasks. I shake. I'm nervous. I feel overwhelmed, but I'm doing it. That's right. I'm doing it.
Now, I get to the 'Is God Opening a Door' part...
I was sitting in a training class for work last Thursday. I got a phone call and then a voicemail from my MIL. I texted her back and the basic gist of what she was calling about was that she has a contact at my hospital in the nursery and pediatric department that she was talking to on Thursday morning. The woman is the head of the department, and was telling my MIL about how short staffed they are. All things said and done, my MIL mentioned that I'm a nurse in the ER and the lady told my MIL that she wants me to work for her as well and for me to call her.
I called the lady later Thursday afternoon, and left a message. She called me back on Friday afternoon, and basically, she wants me to cross train to her department. She wants me to work in the Special Care Nursery and in the Pediatric departments during the winter. She is willing to cross train me and better yet...she is willing to let me work 8 hours shifts. We don't have anything set in stone yet, she still has to talk to her director about me, but said she will call me back as soon as she does. I'm so excited.
Now, I truly truly feel that God telling me somehow to kick my pedi. skills up a notch b/c he had/has a plan. I'm so nervous, b/c I am scared of kids...but we all know that God likes to make you shine in ways that you never thought you could. So, I know that if it is God's plan for me to cross train and I end up working there, I will shine. I will do great...and who know, maybe I'll even LIKE it!

2 comments:

  1. WOW, isn't amazing how God does things like that. I want to say you are a strong woman and I know you can do this and get over your fear. Don't let the parents looming over you get to you just block them out. I will be praying for this situation and know that God will open the door he sees is best for you even if it might be hard at first!

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  2. Kristen, I am so happy this is working out for you. I do believe God's blessings come to us in all sorts of ways.
    I know you are a wonderful nurse.....wishing you well!!!

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