(no subject)
A smallish (?) update re: my life at the moment.
I'm a week and a half into the jobby job. Orientation runs roughly twelve weeks, depending on how competent the orientee and his/her clinical coach judge the orientee to be on the job, and the first two weeks consists of fundamentals about the hospital and nursing policy. The woman who runs the nursing orientation is quite engaging and a great speaker, but otherwise I'm pretty sure I'd be bored shitless.
This entry will be even more disjointed than usual because I'm exhausted, even more tired than I've been since my senior year as my thesis due date loomed. Part of the reason why I took this job was because of the facility's proximity to my house. Of course, that proximity was by car more than anything else: driving (or, rather, *being driven*) has me at the hospital in twenty minutes. Unfortunately, I'm without a license or a car (or a learner's permit, but that's a rant for another day); via public transportation (three bus transfers) I can get to the hospital in about an hour and a half. Note that I'm not bitching so much as saying it as it is. Once I get off of training and start my 12-hour nights it'll be much easier to go back and forth. However, with some of the training sessions being away from the hospital and in the middle of Bumfrak, LI these people are doing me and my sleep schedule no favors. I've been forced to get up at 4:30AM (the hour for which the term "godforsaken" was coined) to get to most of the locations on-time. I feel certain that at this point my bags have bags.
Lack of sleep issues aside, orientation/training's been painless. I spent my first day on the floor yesterday, where I got to shadow a nurse. It was sort of like clinicals, except I had a permanent ID with a crappy picture, my name, and "RN BSN" tacked on. Best believe I spent a good part of the day staring down at it. I drew the line at calling it "My Precious", but I was a lot closer than I thought was possible. I figure the real agony begins next week, when I get to start on 12-hour morning shifts with my clinical coach. Gotta start somewhere.
The dark cloud hanging over the proceedings? I didn't realize that failure of the NCLEX would result in the revoking of my working permit and, therefore, the loss of my job. Talk about a fire under my ass. I'm still waiting for my ID to come in so I can sit for the test (I'm scheduled to take it next week Wednesday), but I have half a mind to push it back another week or two just so I can hunker down some more. I don't *think* I'm going to fail, but...meh, I just don't want to screw this all up. I'll give myself until Monday of next week and if the ID doesn't show up I'll *have* to reschedule anyway, so I won't feel so guilty about delaying the inevitable.
Other things that come to mind: I finished up all the Dresden books that are currently out. Still have much Thomas love. Bros and I are liking Heroes, although we're finding the lack of movement towards the actual saving of the cheerleader to be annoying. I haven't seen BSG in two weeks and, strangely, haven't had to deal with withdrawal symptoms. Oldest bro bought "Gears of War" and the consensus is that the game "kicks ass!" There was mention of chainsaw use and bloodsplatter onto the screen. Oldest bro also purchased "Transformers: The Movie" on DVD (it comes with an *awesome* 3-D card, btw) and we all spent Friday night reminiscing and singing along (seriously, Soundwave? Best Autobot EVAH). I need a paycheck, like, yesterday.
I'm a week and a half into the jobby job. Orientation runs roughly twelve weeks, depending on how competent the orientee and his/her clinical coach judge the orientee to be on the job, and the first two weeks consists of fundamentals about the hospital and nursing policy. The woman who runs the nursing orientation is quite engaging and a great speaker, but otherwise I'm pretty sure I'd be bored shitless.
This entry will be even more disjointed than usual because I'm exhausted, even more tired than I've been since my senior year as my thesis due date loomed. Part of the reason why I took this job was because of the facility's proximity to my house. Of course, that proximity was by car more than anything else: driving (or, rather, *being driven*) has me at the hospital in twenty minutes. Unfortunately, I'm without a license or a car (or a learner's permit, but that's a rant for another day); via public transportation (three bus transfers) I can get to the hospital in about an hour and a half. Note that I'm not bitching so much as saying it as it is. Once I get off of training and start my 12-hour nights it'll be much easier to go back and forth. However, with some of the training sessions being away from the hospital and in the middle of Bumfrak, LI these people are doing me and my sleep schedule no favors. I've been forced to get up at 4:30AM (the hour for which the term "godforsaken" was coined) to get to most of the locations on-time. I feel certain that at this point my bags have bags.
Lack of sleep issues aside, orientation/training's been painless. I spent my first day on the floor yesterday, where I got to shadow a nurse. It was sort of like clinicals, except I had a permanent ID with a crappy picture, my name, and "RN BSN" tacked on. Best believe I spent a good part of the day staring down at it. I drew the line at calling it "My Precious", but I was a lot closer than I thought was possible. I figure the real agony begins next week, when I get to start on 12-hour morning shifts with my clinical coach. Gotta start somewhere.
The dark cloud hanging over the proceedings? I didn't realize that failure of the NCLEX would result in the revoking of my working permit and, therefore, the loss of my job. Talk about a fire under my ass. I'm still waiting for my ID to come in so I can sit for the test (I'm scheduled to take it next week Wednesday), but I have half a mind to push it back another week or two just so I can hunker down some more. I don't *think* I'm going to fail, but...meh, I just don't want to screw this all up. I'll give myself until Monday of next week and if the ID doesn't show up I'll *have* to reschedule anyway, so I won't feel so guilty about delaying the inevitable.
Other things that come to mind: I finished up all the Dresden books that are currently out. Still have much Thomas love. Bros and I are liking Heroes, although we're finding the lack of movement towards the actual saving of the cheerleader to be annoying. I haven't seen BSG in two weeks and, strangely, haven't had to deal with withdrawal symptoms. Oldest bro bought "Gears of War" and the consensus is that the game "kicks ass!" There was mention of chainsaw use and bloodsplatter onto the screen. Oldest bro also purchased "Transformers: The Movie" on DVD (it comes with an *awesome* 3-D card, btw) and we all spent Friday night reminiscing and singing along (seriously, Soundwave? Best Autobot EVAH). I need a paycheck, like, yesterday.