I got the job!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got the phone call on my way to work this afternoon!  Totally made my day!  I will be the new RN on the Mother/Baby unit at Riverside!  It will be the same shift that I currently work (3-11:30pm).  I am thrilled to finally be in women's health and taking care of new mom's and babies!  I will be teaching breastfeeding and doing all kinds of fun things that I love!!!!

I will start August 22nd and I cannot wait!!! =)

New Shift

This is my first week working on my new shift and it's going well!  Well, the one day that I actually worked 3-11pm =)  On Monday, I stuck with my new schedule and then on Tuesday, I pulled a 16 hr shift to help out.  We have so many patients and not enough staff (2 people on maternity leave plus others sick) so I decided to stay and help out.  Boy was I tired and achy after that.  Probably not the best idea being 8 months pregnant =)  

Maybe I'm wanting Iris to come out early?!?  hehe

Since I worked 16hrs, I came home and slept for 10 hrs then went back in last night for an additional 4 hrs (7-11 pm) but ended up staying until 1pm *lol*

I'll try again on Friday to stick with my normal shift =)

But the 8 hrs fly by and it's nice having more days in a row b/c they try to put me back with the same patients so it's nice to stay with them during their stay!  The patients seem to like the continuity of care as well!

So, I'm staying hopeful I like the new hours and Doug and I think it will be best for us and the baby!

Shift Change!!!! *Finally* and an emotional week!

Shift change:
I picked up my new schedule last night at work and was please to see that I'm scheduled for evening shift (3pm-11pm) now!!!!  I'm so excited to get my sleep schedule back a bit and to be on a more normal schedule with the rest of the world!  I'll miss having dinner with Doug every night but knowing that I'll be able to snuggle next to him after he has fallen asleep is nice to know!  I'll also miss working with my amazing co-workers but I will still see them from 7pm to 11pm!  Just won't be the same!  My new shift starts on February 7th!!!  Can't wait!

Emotional part of my week:
This week has been a bit different at work.  We keep getting patients who are not really "cardiac" patients but it has given me some experience on treating different disease processes!  On Sunday night, one of my co-worker's had a patient that was quickly going down hill.  She was bleeding internally and eventually passed away.  The patient was aware that she probably wasn't going to make it through the night (craziness!!!) and called her family.    They changed her "code" status to only comfort care and she quickly went down hill in a matter of 12 hrs.  Towards then end, we knew it was going to happen and we watched her heart rate on the monitor slowly go from 70's to 20's then eventually...nothing!  So sad.  With the new law, 2 RN's can pronounce someone instead of needing a doctor, so I went in with my co-worker and pronounced her dead.

Never in my life have I experienced that as a nurse.  I have experienced death in the family but it gave me a different perspective to be outside helping others.  Truly amazing to be apart of something so powerful and to comfort others.

2nd day in a row....another sad case *lol*  This time I was graced with a cancer patient.  She was pretty much in her last stages of cancer and I was able to care for her.  Made me so gracious for my health and my ability to help her in simple ways as she was dealing with her disease process and pneumonia.  She definitely touched my heart a bit and was happy my shift wasn't too hectic so I could spend a lot of time making her comfortable.

Even though I complain about my job and hours and such but on days like this it makes me so happy to be a nurse and to know that I have the ability to help others in ways most people can't.  It shows that I made the right choice to be in the right profession for me! =)

I'm switching to evening shift! =)

I got a call last night from work.  I figured it was them asking me to work again (which ultimately, they did as I was getting into bed....um...I think not haha) but it wasn't the charge nurse, it was the co-worker who I was hoping to switch shifts with!!!  I let the voicemail pick up and called her back!

She needed a favor for friday.  I'm picking up 4 more hours to cover her shift then working my 12 hrs after.  16 hrs in one day and 28 weeks pregnant...what was I thinking?!?  Oh well!

But then she said she met with the manager and said that we could switch shifts whenever we wanted!!!!  I figured it would have been more formal than that but I guess that's how they do it *lol*  So, we just pick a day and swap schedules.  I asked her to wait until the following schedule comes since I already like my current schedule *lol*  Then we can swap.  The only drawback is that I will work every other weekend!!!  So sad!  I loved my every 3rd weekend and will be devastated but Doug keeps reminding me it would be more money and we need more money when the baby comes!  Boo!  So, that will take some adjusting.

This Friday will give me a preview as to what the shift is like since I'll be going in at 3pm.  (then working straight until 7am the next day...ugh!  I'm an idiot!).  It will give me a chance to try it out before we make the switch.  I'm happy to get a little preview just to make sure it's what I want to do! =)  I'm so happy to get off nights!!!!  I have been feeling bad b/c they have needed extra helps so bad the last few weeks but if I don't sleep during the day, I can't stay motivated for 24 hrs!  It's not safe to my patients or to myself.  So, I have to turn down the extra money!  But working 3-11pm, I don't have to worry about sleeping and can always pick up an extra day or stay over!

She also said that we are just a few months away from moving to days!!  yeah!  That is what I ultimately want.  I would love to go back to my 3, 12hr shifts and work from 7am to 7pm.  Once we figure out the babysitter situation and maybe find someone not as expensive as Riverside or OSU, that might be a possibility later in the year!

Job update...

At the start of my shift on Tuesday, one of the girls that works 3-11pm came up to me and asked me if I was interested in switching shifts =)  I gladly said yes and the charge nurse sent an email to the boss letting her know! Hopefully, we can switch sooner.  Our current schedule goes out to the beginning of February so hopefully on the next schedule, I might be switched.

I'm both excited and nervous at the same time.  This shift is very hard since you are coming in at one of the busiest times and the reason the girl wants to switch is to keep her sanity *lol*  But Doug and I both think this shift would be best for us both financially and for me and my crazy sleep cycle.  I will be home every night around midnight and when the baby is here, we'll just need a sitter from about 2pm to 5pm!  We are hoping to find a local sitter or a church or something to watch the baby.  Another con is that I will be working 4 days a week versus 3 and only getting 32hrs a week versus 36.  The plus side, is that I still get to keep my night shift differential =)

So, we'll see!  I'm happy to get off nights (will miss my wonderful co-workers but I do get to work with them for 4hrs!!) but nervous about the change.

Job update...

So, most of you know that I really really hate working nights!  I have been working with my boss for over a month to try to switch to day shift.  I had a little meeting with her today to see what my options are if I can't move on day shift any sooner.  It was a good little chat =)  I'm still 2 people away from moving to days but she offered me a evening shift position that might open up sooner.  I'll be working 3-11pm!  I'll still get night shift pay so that's a plus.  I'll only work 4 days a week b/c I think 5 days will require me to poke my eyes out *lol*  It's just too much in a nursing job for anyone.  But that will only give me 32 hrs.  Rarely do we ever get out on time so making up those hours won't be a problem and I can always continue to pick up extra hours at the doctor's office.

So, I think I might take the evening shift position and keep my fingers crossed that I can switch soon.  There is one girl who wants to move from evening to nights (my shift 7pm to 7:30am) so we can possibly just switch jobs and there is another girl going on maternity leave in January on evening shift (3-11pm).

With switching, I won't be so sleep deprived and will actually have an entire day off and not have to sleep half of it away!  I also made sure that moving to evenings won't hurt my chances or move my spot back from moving to day shift (7am to 7:30 pm) and she promised it wouldn't!  yeah!!!

So, maybe after the new year, I'll have a much better work schedule!  I'll miss my night co-worker's terribly but I will get to work with them for a few hours each day I'm there! =)  Doug and I think this shift will work well with the baby.  It will require 1 extra day of day care but she won't have to be there the entire day each day so that's a plus!  Just half days from 2pm to 5pm! =)

So, keep your fingers crossed it all works out!

First night...check!

I had my first night on my own at work on Monday and it went really well!  Of course it was crazy at the beginning but I left feeling so confident and was glad I had a good group!  Our census was low so I was actually asked to be "on-call" (which means I could go home and they can call me if they need me) but I told them that I needed to stay to get practice *lol*

So, now I'm off until Friday night!  I work the entire weekend which will suck but it's been so nice to have a few quiet days off at home!

Big day tomorrow...our first OB ultrasound!  I'm so excited to finally get to hear the heart beat of our growing raspberry!!!

I'm free!

I am officially out of training!  

I had my last night with my preceptor and it went really well!  I also had my 90 day evaluation and that went really well also!  Starting Monday, I'm on my own!  I'm a little nervous but excited to be pushed from the nest =)

Back to reality =(

Vacation was so much fun and I'm sad to say that it's over!!!  We both went back to work this week.  Working 4 days in a row is not a good idea after being off *lol*  I had a Riverside specific orientation on Monday so that work day was great but then I had 2 twelves afterwards and then tonight I go in at 11pm for my last 8hrs of the week!  Boy am I ready for the weekend ;)  Going from a day schedule for a week and a half to be back into nights was a little bit exhausting but I am doing the best I can!

Tuesday was my first day on the floor and my goal was to take up to 6 patients.  I was doing great trying to get my assessments done and get everyone their meds and ready for bed until midnight.  I was admitting a person at the same time a "code blue" was happening.  (not my patient...thankfully!) but my preceptor sent me to the room (it was on OUR FLOOR!!!  yikes) so I could get experience with codes.  He was an older gentleman and we tried for over 45 minutes to save him.  There were so many Dr's, residents, nurses, respiratory therapists all crammed in the room!  We are lucky to have all private rooms on our floor!!!  I just stood with the nurse manager and was running to get some of the equipment while they were doing all the lifesaving measures.  I was watching the nurses do their job and learning how to run the code!  Fun but scary at the same time!

We kept saving him and then he would go back into a deadly rhythm and eventually after 45 minutes, we called his family and stopped!  That was hard to see us stop but at the same time, it was hard to keep harming his body with every needlestick, chest pump, and shock.  So, I helped clean him up for his family.

After that the night just spiraled out of control *lol*  I couldn't keep up with everything.  I had some "needy" patients and was having trouble controlling their pain.  But I did my best.  Amanda (my preceptor) and I got out 45 minutes later.  I got home and finally went to bed around 10:30am and had to be back at 7pm that same night!  So, I just gave myself a pep talk and was determined to have a better night and I did!!!!

I was on top of it all and was finished with everything and ready for the next shift to take over at 7am this morning!!!  My preceptor was so proud of how I handled all 6 patients and was ahead of the game all night!

So, tonight I'm going in at 11pm until 7:30am.  We'll see if I can manage everything that I have to do normally in 12 hrs in 8!  haha Luckily, by the time I get there, all the meds are passed so I'll probably just take a few admissions and pray that the night goes well!

I have 3 more weeks left of orientation!  They extended it a bit since some of those weeks in the beginning I was in a classroom training instead of on the floor!