MY NEW ADVENTURE

After 17 years of working the night shift as a cardiac nurse in the Advanced Cardiac Care Unit, I am officially changing jobs to a new position in my company. My last shift on ACVU will be Tuesday night, September 16. I’m going to miss my co-workers a lot and want to thank them all for being my friends. I would have never lasted this long without you, and it’s been a tremendous honor to work with you all.

The details: On Friday afternoon, September 5 (while at Salt Lake Comic Con), I officially accepted the job as an analyst for the iCentra (Cerner) team. I had gone through two rounds of interviews and on August 25, I was told I unofficially had the job. Administrative delays—which left me very unsettled—prevented the official offer from coming until almost two weeks later.

My new manager will be Diane Rindlisbacher and I’m starting my new job on September 29. I will be helping to configure the new computer charting system (Cerner) that Intermountain Healthcare is going to start using in the future. I will also be a liaison between the clinical users and the programmers. It’s a day shift, and for the most part, a 9-5 kind of job.

I’ve been working in patient care on the front lines for 18 years, more like 21 counting nursing school, and I’m ready for a change. My health is suffering from working the night shift. I don’t bounce back as well as I used to. Also, I need more structure in my life, as changing from a night to a day schedule on a weekly basis is messing up my personal and writing life.

My lovely wife, Tammy, will also benefit from a more normal schedule. We’re both looking forward to a new life together where we both sleep at the same time and are on the same schedule. I think we’re both going to be happier.

I’m in desperate need of a change. The stress of being a charge nurse was really wearing me down. Taking care of extremely ill and difficult patients, and coping with all the sick calls from staff who are truly sick, or just mentally exhausted, has taken its toll on me over the past two years especially. Working short staffed, or even when we were fully staffed, in patient care is getting harder and harder.

I’ve sacrificed a lot over the years in both my personal and professional life, while working as a nurse. I feel like I’ve given enough and I’ve finally reached the point where I need to try something new.

My coworkers are amazing people and in my new job I’ll be helping to set up the new computer charting system that will hopefully make their lives easier. The transition for them and all of us will be a challenge, but I will fight for them and do all I can to make it serve their needs.

Thank you all for your support, and though I’m changing jobs, I’m going to keep fighting the good fight for the staff and the patients.