Job Transition Again

From my journal…

February 23, 2005

“But I will sing of Your power, yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.” Psalm 59:16 (NKJV)

Dear Lord, Let me be occupied with You today and not myself. Thank You that You dwell in my heart and have given me a new song. Thank You that You will do this job through me today. Not I, but Christ. Amen.

Dr. S., my boss, told me that the Chief Executive Officer of the Rehab Organization was going to be let go because they are so far in debt. Afterward, I asked the Lord if He wants me to look for another job, He opened the door for me to have three job interviews this week with the largest health insurance company in the USA. They place a Nurse Practitioner (NP) in each long-term care nursing home to assess the residents monthly with the goal of preventing and treating problems quickly to prevent hospitalizations. Their NPs now work in 13 states, and the company is taking its model to England. They are doing well financially with their stocks selling for $90 a share. The salary and benefits are good, but they would require me to work 40 hours weekly compared to my current 30-hour week.

I observed one of their NPs at a nursing home yesterday. After working for the company in another state for 5 years, she left for 2 years and returned here the past month. She spoke highly of them and told me both the positive and negative. I would like to get in on the ground floor since they just came to Connecticut last July. I’m asking God to make it crystal clear what He would have me to do. I want His choice – not mine. He knows that I am frail as dust.

March 3, 2005

The insurance company offered me the job last Friday and I accepted. The manager is placing me in a beautiful 500-bed nursing home 20 minutes south of my home. The highway commute should not be too hectic since I will be driving opposite the rush hour traffic.  Dr. S. and the rehab staff were sad to hear about my resignation. He and my sister who is also a nurse both said the insurance company does not have a good reputation among health care providers. I am trusting the Lord to guide me with His eye.

March 9, 2005

And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6-7 (NKJV)

Dear Lord, Thank You that I am seated with You in heaven right now positionally. Help me look down from Your point of view. I look forward to seeing what You will do in and through me today. Cause me to rest in You and relax and let You do it all through me.

I stopped at the nursing home and the insurance company supervisor gave me a nice tour. This gorgeous clean facility has rehab, long-term care, and three dementia units with in-house radiology (X-ray), pharmacy, and medical staff on-site 24/7. They will assign me 80 residents to assess monthly and as needed if they have a new illness.

I spoke with Dr. S. and offered to work one Saturday each month on the rehab unit at the hospital which he gladly accepted. This should help me keep in touch with patients who are improving rather than declining and maintain my acute care skills. I thank God for the health He has given me so far.

March 31, 2005

“Leaning on her Beloved.” Song of Solomon 8:5 Thank You, dear Lord, for the delight of leaning on You, my Beloved. Carry me through this time of transition. Thank You that Your grace and strength are sufficient. Amen

The rehab staff surprised me with a lovely farewell party today. With bittersweet feelings, I tearfully hugged them all goodbye. I’m glad I’ll see several of them monthly. Dr. S. was such a wonderful mentor to me.

April 3, 2005

Because I wouldn’t be permitted to take a vacation for quite some time, I took a week off between jobs and enjoyed touring historic Philadelphia with my friend, Anna. I loved picturing our founding fathers penning the Declaration of Independence and then hearing the famous Liberty Bell rung on July 8, 1776, to gather the people for the reading of the new document.

My week concluded with a fun but intense decorative painting course where I became a certified art instructor. My real job at the nursing home starts tomorrow!

And so God led me to learn geriatrics, my tenth specialty in nursing. Long-term care was less stressful than hospital work and the rehab unit closed in the following months because of ongoing financial difficulties.