Before and After

The front porch is finally completed!

Here is the progression of the work


Here are some additional pictures of the process



Mr Perferct working. Our bizzare neighbour spent most days watching Mr. Perfect work.


Pacha inspecting the workmanship


I'm so happy!

So much for leverage or decisions

** Note: I’ve changed the name of Hospital A to Hospital F and Hospital B to Hospital E. If you’re a local you’ll understand why and it will hopefully be less confusing.

I just talked to the nursing director at Hospital E and they have no full-time permanent positions to offer. They do have positions in ICU but they don't hire new grads (but I'm not interested in ICU anyway). I'm frustrated and sad that I don't have more options. I mean, Hospital F’s offer looks promising, but I was really hoping I would have options AND leverage when I graduated. I DO have lots of options... just not in my city. I'm also especially frustrated because I'm doing my preceptorship at Hospital E, with no apparent chance of a job there. Had I known I didn't have that option I would have chosen the Hospital F for my preceptorship. It means doing a month at the Hospital E, learning the ins and outs of the department and then having to start all over again when I start at Hospital F in January.

She said she could meet with me near the end of November and when I told her I already had an offer from Hospital F so I would like to meet earlier, she said I should take the offer from Hospital F because she wouldn't be able to make me an offer anyway. How is this even possible in the midst of a national nursing shortage?! Is it silly that I'm so upset over this?

For the last few months our professors keep telling us: choose wisely because your first year is crucial. Choose a hospital that offers lots of support for new grads and Hospital E has a better reputation in this department than Hospital F. Now it seems it’s not even a choice.

I’m being over dramatic, right?

Decisions, decisions.

I’m getting really annoyed with Hospital E and their complete lack of wooing. Humph. We’ve been wooed by local Hospital F, two other hospitals in the province, one in Ontario and one in Quebec. Seriously, Hospital E really isn’t in the game this year. In fact, it seems impossible to even get a meeting with someone. Unless I’ve been blacklisted, I really don’t know what’s up with them.

I met with Hospital F this morning and a job offer is on its way. I was honest with them and stated I would be considering both local hospitals and they respected my decision. However, they do need an answer from me by November 15th. From now until then I’m hoping to get a meeting with Hospital E so I can at least have something to compare. The most frustrating part is, I’m doing my preceptorship at Hospital E because I wanted to be able to compare both paediatric departments (I’ve worked several times in Hospital F’s peds unit) before choosing where I wanted to start my career. However, I need to make a choice by November 15th and my preceptorship only starts on November 17th. Blarg.

I got peds!

I got the preceptorship I wanted in paediatrics! YAY! I’ll be doing my preceptorship ay Hospital E and I start in a few weeks. My preceptorship is the final stage in my bachelor program – once I’m done I’ll be a nurse. WOW! The difference between a preceptorship and a clinical practicum is essentially the one-on-one work. In a practicum you have a teacher and are in a group of 5 to 7 students and usually have up to 4 patients. In a preceptorship it’s just you and a nurse. The first few shifts you work together while she shows you the ropes. Once she feels you’re ready she gives you the full patient workload (usually 6 to 8 patients) and steps back to just observe. It’s like being a real nurse but with a safety net.

I’m so happy I got my first choice! My second choice was in neuro but it wasn’t so much because of my interest in the field, but because it’s a unit I feel comfortable in and it would have given me some great learning opportunities.

I also have a formal interview with Hospital F on Tuesday so I’m looking forward to the continued wooing from them. Hopefully now that I have my perceptorship at hospital E they’ll get on the wooing train too.

Let the wooing begin!

I just got back from my first informal meeting with one of the hospitals regarding jobs once I graduate. You know it’s going to be good when the first thing they say is, “it’s not a question of whether or not we choose you-It’s whether you choose us" and "what can we do as an employer to convince you we're the best choice". Sweet!

Now that I’ve seen what Hospital F has to offer, let’s see what Hospital E can do for me. :-) So far Hospital F is looking pretty good... if they could throw in a signing bonus I think I would be sold. It’s surprising though, because I was sure it was going to be Hospital E who would win me over. All I can say is they better start wooing soon or they might lose me.