Part of my to-do list this month is to renew my PRC licenses. I wasn’t eager to renew them as I haven’t been employed as a nurse or as a medical technologist ever since but things have slightly changed. I want to train and get certified on very basic continuing education courses like IV Therapy, Nursing Documentation and Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy but I need to have an active license. It was a good thing that they do not require you to have job experience otherwise I would not be qualified too.

Healthcare jobs in the country are not spectacular unlike in other countries where health professionals are well-compensated for. But in the past months this year, this calling to actually practice what I have labored for for almost 8 years has been intensifying. I do not know if this is because I feel bored with my current job (unchallenged I think is the better term) or if this is a result of having the kids grow older and be more independent that I have more time for me now – but I know sooner or later I should try and practice. If anything else, this should not be a back-up plan for my family. It should be the major plan.

I have been out of the workforce since 2008 and I have apprehensions if I can actually last a job outside the house. Or if I will actually like it. But I remember this saying “Success lies just outside your comfort zone”. Back in 2007, my comfort zone was working an 8-5 job and living in the city. It was downright terrifying to move out from it – quitting work without any guarantee of compensation in my then-work-from-home-stint. Add to that moving to another area where I am not familiar with. Taking care of the kids myself when my whole life I am used having to having a maid. But look at me (us) now. We are more than okay. We survived. And thrived. I thrived. Who would’ve thought I can wing it? I did. And maybe, just maybe, my comfort zone is THIS. And the time has come for me to find another success cum happiness.

I will be praying for it!

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If you want to gain more exposure in the nursing world without having to become a registered nurse yet, you can study to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and then start working in a hospital setting. What is great about this path, is that with cna training, you are qualified to do some nursing duties which will expose you to the true job of a nurse. From there, you can decide if you want to pursue becoming an LVN or RN. Becoming a nursing assistant allows you to get enough training necessary to begin working as a nurse and while you’re working, you can also continue your education to further your career possibilities.

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When I was still a nursing student, there was one area in which I always get out depressed, that area was geriatrics (elderly people). It breaks my heart to see elderly people wasting away in their sick bodies and I am amazed how babies grow up to be adults but still end up as babies in the end – needing their family’s care. Geriatric people are like pediatric babies, they need tender loving care (don’t we all?) and attention. While it is quite common these days to entrust elderly care to nursing homes or employing private nurses or caregivers, family members still need to be coordinating with the primary caregivers to ensure that the care plan of their elderly family member is met and carried out.

Some families get guilty sending off their parents to nursing homes. Some feel they are responsible for taking care of their elderly parents because they took care of them when they were young. While it is true, giving your parents the best nursing care possible should not be suppressed by guilt of not being able to be the one to do it.

You can find a nursing home that is near your place and be involved with your parents’ care. Choosing the perfect nursing home with its corresponding services is a huge task. Searching for the perfect location is the first step.The website of Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare offers detailed information on nearly every Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing home in the United States, and is searchable by name, city, county, state, or ZIP code. Facilitate the power of the internet on your search. After you have narrowed down your search you can do oculars next – during oculars, make sure to get to know the medical professionals, the caregivers, what emergency services do they have, visiting arragements, recreational activities and even meal planning.

The availability extensive nursing home services should be your final last cincher on choosing the right home for your elderly family member. If your member is still able to make choices, involve him in the process.

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I already have blogged about going to back to reading at an earlier post. My goal that time was just to read again, and entertain myself. Most importantly, I’d like to discover something I enjoy doing by myself besides being online 24/7 to blog, chat and scrap. I feel like I have been leading a very addicted life to the net (which is actually true, unfortunately). However, I can feel things are going to change drastically once the new year comes.

For one, my nursing books are out of the highest shelves and into the bottom rung where I can easily grab them and see them. I think seeing them will make me forced to read them. Case in point – I even took out my favorite books about maternity and child nursing and psychiatric nursing to reorient myself. I think I would need to get new editions of books too – most of my books are from two years ago. Borders, a bookstore, has latest editions of books these days.

Of course, fitness and diet books are still on my list. Maybe their presence would be enough for me to really go back on the road to fitness (HA!). Though law books are something I don’t really need since I’m not interested in anything about it but I know I can give it to a friend who is on her last year of law school.

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Most of you know that I am a nurse. In fact, I have two degrees, and am licensed on both. But the truth is, I have never practiced my professions – and that is not for lack of “will”, but due to life’s circumstances. When I quit working six months ago, I honestly thought I can go back to “the plan” easily – study for my NCLEX, take my exam and pass with flying colors. But it was harder than I thought – I didn’t have any maids to help me with the kids, I still need to drive my passion through blogging to earn some money to help with the house and I really lost my focus. And I have to be honest: I loved taking care of the kids. Sure, it was a thankless job but I would not have it any either way – the kids experience my love and care, and that’s it.

Now, the plan that got pushed to the backburner needs some attention. It’s time to prep her for baking again. With Edil transferring to our area effective January next year, I can finally have time to focus on it. It would require a lot of sacrifice on my end, but I need to do this – this is not for me, but for my family. I know I can do this.

So I have been looking at various sites online about nursing jobs. Travel Nursing Jobs seem to be the "it" department from the nursing specialties. Traveling nurses are expected to have the highest compensation and benefits and they can apply at the travel nursing agency at 50StatesStaffing.com. They are a company that boasts of the best Free Private Housing, Free Health, Dental and Life Insurance; Salaries and Bonuses, State Licensure Reimbursements, Travel Allowances, 401 K plan with corporate matching, and unlimited Free CEUs for their employees.

That job sounds very exciting. While I do need some stability with being grounded to a certain state because of my family, maybe I can try this when I go there first. Maybe. We will see.

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I just got in touch with most of my high school friends through an e-group we share. I was surprised to learn that most of them are out of the country already! One is in UK as a nurse, two others in the US with jobs in IT and almost five are in Singapore doing various professional jobs. Most of them are in the IT department too!

Is it really the “in” job these days? Anything to do with computers? Some say the most classic job of all is teaching and caring. Because there are always children to teach and sick people to take care of – however, one cannot argue with the fact that a career that involves computers these days have more possibilities for growth and career advancement. Not to mention the big bucks they earn per month which is sometimes thrice the pay of a health care professional already. There are even new york it services which compensate more.

At the risk of sounding bitter, which job is actually harder? Which job actually has lives at stake? And yet, they are most overworked and underpaid “professionals” in the industry.

Yes, I think I am being bitter here. I just need to let it all out.

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Ack.
Which only means one thing – I need to hit my nursing books.

Im going to be cutting off distractions one by one.

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To the professional world, I am Mary Agatha S. Austriaco-Aviso, RMT, RN. I have two degrees, passed two board exams, have two professional licenses and work in call center. How ironic and anti-climactic. The most number of times I have donned a laboratory coat or nursing scrubs was around 5 times a month for a year at most. All that is going to change. I plan to “moonlight” in a dialysis center or train for half a day every week starting June. I am just finalizing my schedule around my kids and Edil. And maybe two to three months after, Im going to wearing nursing scrubs at least four times a week? I certainly hope so.

I am one of those people who work for the money. I am not ashamed to admit that. I have worked hard for four years and a half, put myself through school, a one year separation, a wonderful reconciliation, a dream wedding, a very huge pregnancy, 10 months of breastfeeding, and still working, hard. Many people have (Im sure) wondered where Edil was in all of these. Is he doing his share? Why does she need to work so hard? He, during those times, was, literally, the man of the house. I have not regretted having him at home for two years (on and off) bonding with Matthew. Matthew needed to establish a foundation with his Dad, albeit four years late.

I really really really pray that this is it, the break we have all been waiting and wishing for. Please keep your fingers crossed for me. (Your toes, as well!)

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