Thoughts
I think I'm destined to never post this - this is my 3rd attempt lol!
I was thinking today about my new job and why I'm still slightly ambivalent towards it. It's been over 3 months now since I started. Everybody told me that when I started on community I would love it and would never want to go back to the hospitals. Maybe it's because I've worked almost 20 years in hospitals, but I do miss it sometimes even though I know it can be hell on earth sometimes. On paper this job is fantastic - progression towards a band 6 without having an interview, study days/courses without having to argue for them. Most likely I'll be doing my prescribing course next year and I can pretty much arrange my workload as I want (apart from the clinics and educational sessions of course). But I do find myself missing the companionship of the hospitals - sometimes I can go a couple of days without seeing anybody, although I know I can contact them on my phone. I have so many opportunities here - I've met GPs and other partners involved in the commissioning groups, and I know if I had any ideas for service redesign they'd be listened to.
I think a large part of it is that I am struggling like mad to adjust to full-time working. My one saving grace is that one day a week I get a 2.30pm finish so can pick Patrick up from school and feel like a proper mum. I feel so sorry for Jethro as I don't feel like I spend enough time with him, like I did with Patrick. Two days a week they go to nursery where Jethro stays and they take Patrick to school and pick him up, and the other days Cory looks after them. I feel guilty as well as Cory's stressed as he's on his second year of his Masters alongside looking after the kids and doing his own job as well. Because of the childcare commitments Cory mainly works weekends and on nights so we are a bit like ships that pass in the night.
Because of Cory working nights a lot of the weekends Patrick and Jethro go to one of their grandparents (they take it in turns) just so he can try and get some sleep. We have decided though that we also need to spend some quality time where possible, so on Saturday I'm going to take Patrick to a karate class in Wakefield. The plan being that Jethro can go to his grandparents on a Friday night, giving him some time with them by himself, and I'll take Patrick over on Saturdays. I have also told both sets of grandparents that now I'm working full-time there may be some weekends where we do keep them at home, especially if Cory's off so we can do something together.
It's such a juggling act sometimes, but hopefully we're getting there.
I was thinking today about my new job and why I'm still slightly ambivalent towards it. It's been over 3 months now since I started. Everybody told me that when I started on community I would love it and would never want to go back to the hospitals. Maybe it's because I've worked almost 20 years in hospitals, but I do miss it sometimes even though I know it can be hell on earth sometimes. On paper this job is fantastic - progression towards a band 6 without having an interview, study days/courses without having to argue for them. Most likely I'll be doing my prescribing course next year and I can pretty much arrange my workload as I want (apart from the clinics and educational sessions of course). But I do find myself missing the companionship of the hospitals - sometimes I can go a couple of days without seeing anybody, although I know I can contact them on my phone. I have so many opportunities here - I've met GPs and other partners involved in the commissioning groups, and I know if I had any ideas for service redesign they'd be listened to.
I think a large part of it is that I am struggling like mad to adjust to full-time working. My one saving grace is that one day a week I get a 2.30pm finish so can pick Patrick up from school and feel like a proper mum. I feel so sorry for Jethro as I don't feel like I spend enough time with him, like I did with Patrick. Two days a week they go to nursery where Jethro stays and they take Patrick to school and pick him up, and the other days Cory looks after them. I feel guilty as well as Cory's stressed as he's on his second year of his Masters alongside looking after the kids and doing his own job as well. Because of the childcare commitments Cory mainly works weekends and on nights so we are a bit like ships that pass in the night.
Because of Cory working nights a lot of the weekends Patrick and Jethro go to one of their grandparents (they take it in turns) just so he can try and get some sleep. We have decided though that we also need to spend some quality time where possible, so on Saturday I'm going to take Patrick to a karate class in Wakefield. The plan being that Jethro can go to his grandparents on a Friday night, giving him some time with them by himself, and I'll take Patrick over on Saturdays. I have also told both sets of grandparents that now I'm working full-time there may be some weekends where we do keep them at home, especially if Cory's off so we can do something together.
It's such a juggling act sometimes, but hopefully we're getting there.