I think six months is the longest I've ever gone without posting since this blog was started. It's been a rough, tough two years of pandemic and honestly that's just taken the wind out of my posting sails. I can't promise I'll get any better at it, but I don't consider this blog officially deceased just yet so it shall straggle onwards until further notice.
Honestly there's been a lot going on at work. We've lost four ER supervisors in the past two years, all of whom were excellent, to either retirement or other jobs. In the interim, we've gained four new supervisors. Two are absolute hot garbage, the kind who took the job because it's the next step up to administration and who genuinely don't give a shit about day to day ER life - you know, the very thing you're supervising. One struggled to get his footing for a bit but ended up being a great advocate for us and then had to suddenly move for family reasons. The last one is a brand new hire that we're all incredibly excited for as she's one of us - a bedside staff RN turned charge nurse from our department who absolutely wants the best for the ER.
I mention this because there were a few months of weird indecision where, when all this supervisor turnover was happening, I thought maybe I should apply for the job. There were a bunch of people in the department who thought I'd be good for the role, and at the time we had only two other supervisors who are both terrible. I applied, informally interviewed, and had a long talk with our ER director - who is great, by the way. She encouraged me to only take the position if it was something I truly wanted, not because our department deserved someone who gave a shit. After more thought, I ended up withdrawing my application. I'm content with that decision, because while I think I'd actually be good at it and good for the department, I don't think I would be happy. Admin isn't my dream, and I still enjoy being charge and bedside.
The rest of the department life is going as well as can be during COVID times. Our core staff of people is a solid group, and nightshift has some real winners. A few of our new grads are absolutely incredible, and I'm super excited to get to watch them flourish. Funny moments still happen on the regular, and I always have good stories to tell about the weird dumb shit that happens.
I'm in a good spot in my personal life too. My husband and I are both healthy and doing well. We've managed to find a balance between COVID precautions and normal life, and the anxiety over the unknown is at a minimum currently. Our core group of friends and family are all vaccinated which has helped immensely - especially since many of us have gotten sick in past months though all fortunately escaped serious illness. I've been running and doing yoga, and have progressed well. I'm signed up for a half marathon (at Yosemite NP!) in May and yoga has become both a challenging workout and intensely soothing mental exercise. My gardening has taken off as well. I started an absolutely ridiculous number of tomato and pepper seeds last week, so will have a ton of them plus many more to give away. I've got big plans for the yard with more vegetables, more flowers, more perennials, and also blackberries for the first time. I find gardening so incredibly relaxing, even when it's a lot of work. As for home improvement projects, we still have work to do but it is progressing.
Overall, I'm in a good place. That could change in a minute with the way things are going in the world, so I've really tried to be more thankful and mindful of all the positives I do experience. I didn't set any specific new years resolutions as I wanted to focus on something to work towards, not a goal to pass or fail. So, mindfulness and thankfulness it is for the year and on.
Hopefully the few of you that still check this blog are also doing well, and y'all stay safe and happy out there.
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*okay I lied. I did set one New Years resolution - I am going to learn how to do that piercing two finger whistle that you see old ranchers and southern mamas and NYC taxi cab-hailers do. I'm GONNA learn. This is the year!
Please let us know if you get the whistle down. I have never been able to do that. I had wondered how you had faired through COVID. I'm glad that you are doing well.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that TX hospitals still have people like you and that you are healthy and doing well!
ReplyDeleteOne of the most rewarding moments in my nursing life was when I received an evaluation that documented that I was unsuited for administration because of my focus on bedside care. That whistle thing could be a valuable skill, a sure fire way to garner attention.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you and your husband are doing well!
ROWYBS.
ReplyDeleteCOVID has sucked the wind out of everyone's sails.
But if not us, who? Both the job itself, and the bloggage of same.
There are, AFAIK, very few ER nursing blogs, just like when I started. Which still stumps me, but it is what it is.
Hang in there, and best wishes.
Happy to hear you are alive and doing so well during this dumpster fire of the last 2 years. I have enough stories to write an encyclopedia, but lack the motivation (and perhaps the angst). But, like you, not quite ready to pull the plug. Meanwhile, keep working on that whistle! It is enormously handy for gaining the attention of people who have left the ER without their discharge instructions, cab voucher, phone, or spouse. I didn't learn to do it until I was 18, and am still able to do it at nearly 67
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you are OK over there in Texas! Would love a pic of the garden! Covid has been a bummer hasn't it? I have been wondering how you are.
ReplyDeleteWarmest wishes from Australia (where it's very, very warm with a heatwave at the moment!) Cheers from Sue.