I used to think I had the ideal job. I am a registered nurse. My job lets me be caring and nurturing, to act out my Christianity. It's challenging in mental, emotional, and physical aspects. I have the privilege of interacting with intelligent and caring colleagues. I am encouraged to be flexible and think independently. It's a complex, interesting and very challenging profession. I try to make my decisions in the best interest of my patients. In many ways my decisions also must benefit my employer.
Lately I'm finding myself more and more frustrated with this particular job. Not because I don't love it and want to keep it, but because my HOURS are becoming so unpredictable. I work in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit. Our hospital is a very busy one. We have adequate staff, and we all work 8-hour shifts, days. Sounds great, right? But those days are getting longer and longer. We usually have a full schedule of surgeries, and many things can delay or lengthen the procedures or the time needed for a patient's recovery. Today I worked 11 hours straight. Should have been done by 5:3o, got off at 8:45pm.
If I had no social life, I wouldn't mind the longer hours, with overtime pay. My kids are grown and my husband can live without me some evenings. But I would like to be able to keep appointments in the evening. I have, in the last few years, found that I can sing well, and would like to be able to pursue this very important aspect of my life.
I would like to continue voice lessons on a weekly basis, but it is a rare voice teacher who will stay at the university to teach me in the evening. I can't schedule a regular appointment, say every Monday at 4:00, because invariably something will complicate my day at work and I won't end up getting off untill 6:00 or so. Voice teachers also usually require several hours practice each week, which is necessary for the proper development of the voice.
I would like to sing at a restaurant regularly on Friday evenings, but there's no way the owner could depend on me being there. I had planned to sing with my friends in the church choir this evening, but they were finished by the time I got off. I cannot audition for a solo, because of the likelihood of not being at rehearsal at the proper time.
All day today I was discussing this with my friends, who are almost as frustrated with the situation as I am but for different reasons. They have young children who need to be picked up from school, or who just need their Mom in the evening. Many of us have aging parents who need to be looked in on regularly, but want to be asleep by early evening.
I don't have any solution for my problem, except to take some other job-- most likely a boring desk job using my nursing education, but no interaction with patients. But it would have more regular hours.
I'm praying about it. I hope that God will open some other door for me.
Lately I'm finding myself more and more frustrated with this particular job. Not because I don't love it and want to keep it, but because my HOURS are becoming so unpredictable. I work in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit. Our hospital is a very busy one. We have adequate staff, and we all work 8-hour shifts, days. Sounds great, right? But those days are getting longer and longer. We usually have a full schedule of surgeries, and many things can delay or lengthen the procedures or the time needed for a patient's recovery. Today I worked 11 hours straight. Should have been done by 5:3o, got off at 8:45pm.
If I had no social life, I wouldn't mind the longer hours, with overtime pay. My kids are grown and my husband can live without me some evenings. But I would like to be able to keep appointments in the evening. I have, in the last few years, found that I can sing well, and would like to be able to pursue this very important aspect of my life.
I would like to continue voice lessons on a weekly basis, but it is a rare voice teacher who will stay at the university to teach me in the evening. I can't schedule a regular appointment, say every Monday at 4:00, because invariably something will complicate my day at work and I won't end up getting off untill 6:00 or so. Voice teachers also usually require several hours practice each week, which is necessary for the proper development of the voice.
I would like to sing at a restaurant regularly on Friday evenings, but there's no way the owner could depend on me being there. I had planned to sing with my friends in the church choir this evening, but they were finished by the time I got off. I cannot audition for a solo, because of the likelihood of not being at rehearsal at the proper time.
All day today I was discussing this with my friends, who are almost as frustrated with the situation as I am but for different reasons. They have young children who need to be picked up from school, or who just need their Mom in the evening. Many of us have aging parents who need to be looked in on regularly, but want to be asleep by early evening.
I don't have any solution for my problem, except to take some other job-- most likely a boring desk job using my nursing education, but no interaction with patients. But it would have more regular hours.
I'm praying about it. I hope that God will open some other door for me.
posted by mezzonurse @ 9:22 PM
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