Holy Moly! I am back in the work force. Well, I'm technically not back yet. But the contract has been signed, and I have a *tentative* start date of December 20th, because really, does credentialing and privileging ever go according to the perfect timeline that is initially given!? My guess is I will actually start just after the new year, but we shall see.
While I have thoroughly enjoyed taking off the last 2+ years off to be at home with my girls, I am thrilled to be getting back in the hospital again.
Let me back up a bit though because it's been awhile!
We moved across country to be near family when Isabella was just 6 weeks old. I had every intention of going back to work when she was around 6 months old. However, after 2 applications being sent in (1 to an pediatric urgent care, and 1 to a brand new Fertility Preservation Specialist position), and then rejected (the first was filled by an internal candidate the day after posting, the second job was removed all together b/c they didn't have all the details/funds to put it together), I had to put my job hunt on hold because I found out I was pregnant! Happy, happy surprise.
While I worked through my first pregnancy, I wasn't thrilled about the idea of looking for a job, going through the interview process, taking 3-5 months to get licensed and credentialed, and then needing to take a maternity leave very shortly after starting.
So here we are, almost 2 years later. I have had quite the extended maternity leave, and have loved (mostly) every moment of it with my two beautiful girls!
That being said, once I had my second daughter, I told my husband I would start looking for a job when she was 2 or 3 months old, because I just missed it!
Here's where it starts to get crazy. The week before my daughter turned 3 months old, I looked online for Pediatric APN jobs near my and didn't love what I was finding. I knew I only wanted a part time position, preferably 2 days a week, and knew that I didn't ever want to do nights again. Oh, and no holidays or weekends would be great as well.
Not a tall order for a nurse practitioner at all, huh!?
So as I'm describing my perfect, ideal, dream job of being a PICU nurse practitioner without having to work nights, weekends or holidays, I realized just how crazy that seemed. There are not PICU jobs like that out there. It is a 24/7 unit, and it needs 24/7 workers.
Then comes a text that would change my life. A former fellow that I worked with in the PICU in Chicago had recently taken a job at the children's hospital near me who was in great need for APNs, and he remembered that I was in the area. He text me stating that he knew I just had a baby and wasn't sure if I had even gotten a job at that point, but wanted to know if I'd be interested in a PICU position.
I thought, well I've been looking for PICU positions, but the few I have found were either all nights, or 50% nights, and of course included a holiday and weekend rotation that I wasn't interested in that. He asked what I was looking for, and I just threw it out on the table thinking it would be thrown right back in my face.
BUT it wasn't!!
I then got a call from the director of the PICU and we had a phone interview. I thought I would tell her my requirements from the get-go (2 days a week, no nights, weekends or holidays), and it would then be thrown off the table at that point.
BUT it wasn't!!
I then got an in person interview and met with various physicians and nurses in the PICU. After many of them asked if I was willing to work nights and I told them no, I thought it would be thrown off the table.
BUT once again, it wasn't!!
So here we are now...I get an offer letter with 2 days a week, of my choosing, no nights, weekends, or holidays, AND a pay increase from my previous hospital where I had 50% night shifts, 3 holidays a year, and every third weekend!
Honestly, it seemed to good to be true. Some days, despite a contract, it still seems too good to be true.
I kept waiting for the ball to fall, or something to fall through and them say, "Oh you meant two DAYS a week, we need you two NIGHTS" or something like that.
But it never did! And yes, I haven't started yet, so there is a chance that it could be a terrible place to work. But from what I hear and the people that I have talked to who work there, it seems like a great place.
Will it be a perfect job without any flaws or concerns? No. Does a perfect job that has absolutely no flaws or concerns even exist. I think the answer is no. Even my last job which had so many amazing things about it, and amazing people to work with, was far from perfect and I certainly had complaints (mostly in the scheduling department!).
So for now, while I am in the process of credentialing, I am going to enjoy my time at home with the girls. But I will also continue to be super excited for the new adventure that is ahead of me. I know that I have so much to learn, so much to catch up on, so much to take in before I step back into the PICU! Agghh, 2 years off is a long time!
But I also know that I am a fast learner, and am willing to take whatever challenge lays ahead of me.
Oh, and the other major bonus is I don't have to change the name of my blog. Because really, "Adventures of a Fertility Preservation Practitioner" just doesn't sound quite as adventurous! So here's to staying in the world of Pediatric ICU. Here's to dream jobs fulfilled. And here's to the many new adventures that lie ahead of me!
For those of you that have stuck along for the ride all these years (and through my hiatus), thank you. I hope you will continue to keep your arms in at all times, because I'm sure it will be a bumpy ride at first, but I know that it will be a fun one!
Here we gooooooo.............................................................
