dilemas

Well, it's been an interesting week for me. I visited a couple of hospitals for possible employment. There are some really good opportunities, but with some dilema.

Hospital A: After some research on the internet, I was in contact with the nurse recruiter and she seemed very nice. She didn't seem to know a whole lot about the facility we were discussing. I did find out that Hospital A has several other hospitals in this area, and she was recently changed from recruiter for their main branch to now include this one. I went there and was able to meet with the director of the ICU there. He is also the director of their step-down unit. (CCU) The hospital itself is about 25-30 years old and has several additions to it. The people were nice, but there seemed to be no dress code, as on of their registers was wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt. The ICU handles a lot more acuity than I am used to, but desire nonetheless. I was very impressed with the teamwork I observed. They were very basic and not a lot of frills with the hospital design. It was pretty raw. I liked that! After a quick unannounced tour of the ICU, he gave me his business card and told me to call next week, where could have a more formal interview and I could have a more inclusive tour of the ICU and CCU. We were able to discuss the process of training and I was very satisfied that employment here would be an awesome learning experience and I would not be pushed in areas out of my expertise, but would also be provided with the training necessary to handle the tough cases. In order to have this next meeting, I would need to fill out the information and job application. I did. Travel time from home 20 minutes.

Hospital B: I visited the website of this facility as well. They are the biggest competitor to Hospital A, as they also have several facilities in the area. I clicked on the link to have a nurse recruitor contact me. This was on Monday. Didn't hear anything. I thought perhaps I may have entered my new phone number incorrectly, so on Thursday, I re-entered my information. Still, no contact. I was going there blindly, but optomistic. As I drove in the parking lot, I realized that this was a fairly new building. As it turns out, they opened last February. The architecture reminded me very much of Kish, my old stomping ground. Walking in the atrium, I felt as if I were walking into a sterile environment. I met with a gal from human resources, who was very kind. In order to talk to anyone or get a tour, I again needed to fill out an application. I did. Trying to keep an open mind. We talked for a bit and I gained some insight to this facility. They seem to be very much into the "healing atmosphere" of the architecture. I have some reservations, as I have learned from past experiences that often those so concerned with the atmosphere, tend to overlook the needs of the staff for their patients that they care for. I have to admit that I do not have "warm fuzzies" about this one, but I will remain open minded until I am able to see the unit for myself. They are supposed to be contacting me next week to set up a day to tour.

I have spent much time in prayer about where God wants me to go. He has taught me that I need to use the talents He has given me for His honor. Being a good nurse honors God if I am a servant for Him and not myself. But what exactly does all this mean? Through my experience, I am a good mentor and charge nurse for Med/Surg. I am an encourager. I am good at helping people believe grow in their giftings. I am also an excellent nurse to my patients. They come first, not all the hype about making the hospital look good, but being there for my patients. I guess that's where my first love in nursing is and I guess that's where I need to be.

It scares me to death. The unknown. Do I have what it takes to take care of open-heart patients? Do I have all the skills needed for quick decisions that can mean life or death for someone? The answer is "no" but I'm willing to learn.