Nice Day!

There's still the job thing...

I applied for another one with the state.  I think I'm qualified but on paper it may not look like it - unless it's experience and common sense they want, along with some things that they just don't teach in college :)  Hard to show in these scannable or online prescreening forms.  But, I like the idea of staying there in a different position rather than the alternative, though I hate giving up WeeCare and the blog I do for that program. I also enjoy being part of the State Health Department's Maternal and Infant Health Program.  I work with remarkable women!  (Beyond our group of 11 there are also some remarkable men here).  We do what we do because we love it; not because the pay is great.  Benefits are OK, not as good as they once were and the legislature has not been kind to us in compensation.  Budget cuts affect us all, but when you work with great friends it's all good.

I guess I need to back up.  PEHP (insurance) contracted with the state for this program (WeeCare) which I manage along with one more nurse and a secretary.  They have made the decision to take us in-house.  The good news (I think) is that they want us and have no intention of opening the position to anyone else.  The bad news is that it's an insurance environment; not a public health environment.  I never saw myself as an insurance nurse (in my mind, they are the gatekeepers).  Insurance is something we love to hate and can't live without.  It just doesn't feel like me.  It's frustrating because I love my job.  Of course there are some things that are not as great as I would like (pay for instance!) but I like going to work, enjoy what I do, feel valued and valuable, and I'm good at what I do.  I don't know if this will be a good fit and it's always the unknown that scares me.  Wish I had gotten some warm fuzzies when we met with them...

It would be the time for a career change if I were going to do it since I'm going to be back at the bottom of the totem pole anyway.  The only outside jobs that have been semi-interesting and for which I am qualified are either hospital hours I hate or part-time/on call.  I actually need to pay the bills so I can't really do that.  If I thought relocation was in my future, this would also be the time to decide that.  There's a part-time position in Utah county - too far from here though.  Another one in Ogden - again on-call.  But, who knows where I'm supposed to be now?  (I can always find lines from a song to fit any occasion ~ Another Suitcase from Evita - "...where am I going to?" ) So, I guess I'll leave it in God's hands.  He's in charge anyway.  But, still I apply - I can't expect him to bring me the job.  That has only happened a couple of times in my life - where I was offered a job I hadn't even applied for.

Aside from that stress (updating the resume, selling myself, jumping through the hoops) it was a very nice day.  Photoshoot with Jon....was... fun!