Changes

Yes, it's January, and everything changes, if you're on  a calendar year cycle.

Health insurance changes for many people. I saw the first few people in my office looking for the department that handles that this week. How they get that deviated  (we're not even close to the office they need to go to) is crazy.

One of my friends from my master's program received a pink slip right before Christmas. His/Her health care organization needed to stop spending money, so they just laid off everyone in his/her unit. The equation seems to be: if the company loses millions, the employees have to suffer.

I have thought about changing jobs at the Hotel for the last year or so, but I think, I've finally decided to give up on most anything posted on our jobs site. Our HR department may or may not be run by actual humans, because every job post I've responded to and gone to interviews (two so far)  have not been anything like the job posted online. This job mentioned working from home and flexible hours. The first things they mentioned was that neither of those were true. Big red flags flew up and continued flapping in the breeze as my other favorite thing was uttered, "Oh, well, this isn't just a 40 hour a week job." To me, it sounds like a whole bunch of mandated overtime. Funny, that's what I thought it was, so thanks for clarifying that little detail.

As a result, I think if I want a new job, it will be outside the Hotel, and with a company that actually posts accurate job listings as not to waste my time and theirs (in this last interview, I spoke to the chief executive of that area, who had to make time for me) in my interview. When I think of the waste this was, I'm mad. Not just for me, but for him/her.

Happy weekend all! I'm going to enjoy it. Hope you do too, wherever you are.

Bringing home the Bacon

Yes, I'm very thrilled that Dahey has a new job, but the manglement at his employer, Overlord Contracting, leaves a little bit to be desired.

Dahey and I met at PrivateU, when his dreams consisted of being an industrial labor specialist. Throughout his career, he has successfully worked with lots of unions, crafts people, engineers, truck drivers, secretaries, and yes, even the occasional nurse.

Recently, the Overlord people were not amused when he asked about bringing home this Bacon, as in Davis-Bacon Act.

So, after the brouhaha in the break room died down, they made all of the employees hired recently come to a meeting. Telling people they will not get prevailing wage and appropriate overtime as dictated by law is really not a good thing, Dahey said.

Moments later, after much fidgeting, and several calls to the Overlord corporate office, they apologized. Bonehead Recruiter made a mistake.

And that is why I love him. 

Ah, snow!

It's coming. From the way the weather folks at the local RehabLand television stations put it, we're looking at potential snowmaggedon.

This is always fun at the Hotel. Patients don't come in for our outpatient clinics, and they miss tests. Inpatients get grumpy when their relatives can't come into visit. Thankfully, the grounds of the Hotel are cleaner than any roads in the area.

Nursing staff loves snow because it usually means you get to work overtime, since some of your coworkers never ever make it to work.

We do have something to look forward to...none of this should last. The temperatures will be above freezing by the weekend.

And the snow will go, go, go...stay tuned.

Winding down

It really was a crazy day today, not unlike my regular Tuesday schedule.

First, I get to work and try to catch up on the e-mails I meant to send yesterday.
Next, I go to the network admin's PC and mess with some specialty software for my school project. (He is the best, and doesn't care if I use his computer when he's out). I go to the staff meeting, all is good, I work for an hour or so before the next meeting, and our patient ditches us.

What's more fun: a beehive full of bees or a pissed off surgeon who's supposed to evaluate a patient for surgery and the patient doesn't show up? Hmm...

After that fun thing, inhale lunch, then sit in the boss's office for a conference call (because we have to stop using up all those unnecessary lines at lunch when we can eat quietly in peace). Thankfully, it was over much more quickly than they said on the agenda.

As a result of that meeting, I get an assignment. Not just any assignment, but one that requires I finish it before I leave...an hour late.

At least, I have one less thing hanging over my head! Stay tuned...it's never dull at the Hotel.

Happiness abounds...

When you get lucky and some people actually want to work overtime. I was aghast when Madame Butterfly, one of our night shift nurses, called in sick. She left me in a lurch until another nurse (who wanted our rare OT) came in so I could go home.

Yes, I am a happy camper!

Not so late

Thankfully, everyone showed up for the night crew. I was warned in advance because as a rule, the charge nurse must stay over if anyone is missing from this shift. Since our charge had already volunteered to work as the fourth person, if someone called in, I'd have to stay. (We have other people who could, but usually they decline or have already left by the end of shift...which is a whole other story). Alas, this did not come to pass.

I found out from Dahey that his uncle passed away in another state. He debated going to the wake today, but was not up to driving 10 hours total in order to get back in time for work. With a kindergartener in the car, this is a LONG trip! One of these days, we'll have to get a portable DVD player, but since our car trips have been few and far between, we don't need one yet.

I ended up with three patients, administering the IVPBs and I picked up another patient until midnight when our 12 hour LPN went home at 2000. Everyone was pretty good, but Mr. R. was needy again. His O2 sats were good, but I think he's finally realizing the gravity of his situation and grasping for straws. He was fairly reasonable, but would complain that "you keep escaping." even when I'd tell him a ballpark amount of time that I'd be gone to work with the IVs and the other patients. Most likely, he will leave us to be closer to his family this week, but that remains to be seen. Nursing homes have a habit of losing spots for some of our people. Hopefully it helps that the first of the month is Wednesday.

My other patients were good. I got one of Mr. R.'s other roommates, and he is a delight. He's no trouble at all. I fed him and got his bowel program going and then I cleaned up and got Mr. R's dinner ready. (He was tired and didn't want to eat right away.) Mr. AB #1 was my other patient and he was relatively quiet, too, which was nice. He's hoping to get sent back west once he gets the clearance from the surgeon, since his family is all out that way. Happily, I had help watching the IVs, since K the LPN and our charge M., turned off some when I couldn't get to them.

Bubba and Dahey went to the pumpkin patch today with C. and C. We'll go to my friend's house a little later so Bubba can see her kids and get ready to visit on Friday, when he'll spend his first night away from home without Mom and Dad. It should be interesting!

More later.