I started working at my present job about three years ago. The only work I could get at the time was casual, there were no positions available. Those were hard times for myself and my son, trying to make my little paycheque stretch. I couldn’t be done, in reality, but I’m making up for it now. Most of the people I knew could not understand how I could not find a full time job in nursing. There were a number of factors…
I came to this small town out of necessity and for personal reasons I’ll not get into. I came with experience in psychiatry, not acute care. I never worked a day as a graduated nurse in acute care. There seemed to be so many other options – psychiatry, community health, etc – and such a so-called “RN shortage” I felt certain I would find full time work. It didn’t seem logical to pay my dues in acute care. Maybe it was arrogant of me, but truthfully, I didn’t see the point. Acute care was not the direction I wanted to take in my nursing career. It’s easy now to say maybe I should have done acute care then at least I would not have struggled with finding work when I arrived here. There were valuable lessons learned in the struggling. I would not trade those lessons for anything.
I worked at whatever I could. I started in Extended Care. Anyone who works casual knows the fat times come and go. When a lean time came and I was not getting any calls to work, I took a job teaching the practicum portion of a residential care aide program. This was temporary as well. Eventually I got on casual in the Long Term Care facility where I presently work. This led to a full-time position, which I nabbed at the first opportunity. It was something I’d always wanted.
Fast forward, I worked that full time position for about a year, eight hour shifts, days and nights. I began to feel so beaten, so unhealthy, it wasn’t funny. My quality of life suffered seriously, as did that of my kids’. There was simply nothing left to give after giving at work. Maybe most RNs manage full time okay, but it wasn’t working very well for us.
A part time position became available, albeit temporarily, at the beginning of June of this year. I jumped on the chance. It meant a decrease in hours (mostly less night shifts) which meant a decrease on the ol’ paycheque. I am blessed (yes! really!) with 10 days off in each rotation. I feel so much better. My family life is so much better. So taking this part time position has been a lesson in self-compassion. The compassion we serve to others is less meaningful when we are unable to serve the same to ourselves. I can give more to all aspects of my life now because I put my priorities into perspective. My ducks are lined up in a row.
