Ups and downs
We got our pictures only 3 days after the wedding and they are beautiful. Got our thank you cards out too. Still haven't gotten around to changing my name yet though. It's going to be such a pain in the ass. I'm also getting my Indian status and I don't want my new name until that's settled away.
Oh yea my bachelorette party was great too. Amanda had it at her place. There was about 20 of us who went to Don Cherry's then about a dozen at Amanda's and we got haaammered on shots. She counted about 200 shot glasses after! They played the underwear game (everyone gave me a pair of panties and I had to guess who from), they asked Thom some funny questions then I had to figure out what he answered and yummy penis cake. So drunk. Only a couple of us went downtown since it was on a Monday night and had a couple more drinks, great time.
Last Friday we were very excited cuz I told Thom, Vanessa and Craig that I had the time approved in March for Vegas so we were all approved and Sharon was out to visit... then unfortunately we got some really crappy news.
Eastern Health called all the LPN's and Thom didn't pick up cuz he just figured it was overtime, nope. They were telling the majority of the LPNs that they were going from temporary full time (schedule, pension, benefits) to casual (call in basis, no idea on how many hours, not so great pension), 46 LPNs.
So Saturday we went to Mardi Gras because we all really needed to drink and already had tickets bought. Amanda and Dawn came over (Amanda didn't drink so we had a driver) for a few drinks before we headed down at 11pm. We figured it be crazy so we went early before it got nuts but we didn't leave til 2:30am. It was great, big crowd but not suffocating and not too cold like it had been the last couple days. Got lots of pictures taken! Great costumes, girl dressed like Bumblebee that actually transformed into a car, companion cube, the yip yips, Wolverine, Jesus, Hulk Hogan, several Mario and Luigis, Chucky and his Tiffany, angry birds, Ghostbuster, Sub Zero and Scorpion from Mortal Kombat, LMFAO with the robot guy and so many more great ones!
We were all very upset about the change back to casual, especially Vanessa, she was casual for 4 years while we were in Stephenville, Thom only had to deal with it for about 8 months before we moved. Last Monday was his last scheduled shift and when they called him Tuesday for a 4 hour shift which could be extended by 3 more as a PCA but he had to accept PCA wages! WTF? Then they said if he declined it meant he would never be called for PCA shifts again. He didn't take it and we regretted it after but he got a second chance because staffing messed up so he's back on the list.
There was a meeting on Wednesday that did state that this change in wages for PCA shifts bullshit is true, fucking terrible union, except for 1:1 constant shifts. Really bad because depending on the LPN step it's a loss anywhere from $2-$6/hour. Also if the ever declined a PCA shift they would never be offered anymore PCA shifts and if other LPN's took the PCA shifts they could also gain seniority over you but it doesn't go toward LPN hours... HUH!?
Anyway Thom has almost all his hours already so fingers crossed in that department but on Nov 26 they're reassessing the situation so they say. It might mean some get their jobs back or more may be released. Also hopes are up for March. A lot of LPN's are suppose to retire in 2012, it's when their med course has to be up to date so older LPNs who didn't do it can no longer work as an LPN and it's when the contract is up and it's time to renegotiate. So we'll see how it goes.
Then a crazy ironic thing happened to me. The Miller Center called me Thursday and offered me a permanent full time position on 2 North! (paraplegics, quadriplegics, brain injury unit) I couldn't believe it since I applied months ago when I was having a bad shift. Thom thinks I would really like it and it certainly would be a lot less stressful.
I love my coworkers (thankfully this job doesn't change what side of the schedule I'm on) and it's great places to work but it's the crap that's going on with neurosurgery. There's no senior staff left and it seems we're constantly short or threatened to be mandated. I'm also being forced to be in charge and work in the special care unit (really sick patients) before I'm ready and there's no senior staff to help me out. Now at the Miller apparently the manager is an ass and it's mostly LPNs working there and I have no idea what it's like to work there as an RN but neither did I know for the HSC.
So I may be jumping out of the pan and into the fire but I took the job!
It may be awhile though. Marilyn can keep me for 60 days or longer if she can show she can't find suitable replacements... I think it'll be a great time to remind me why I'm leaving and give me time to adjust to the idea or change my mind if anything changes. I would say it'll be more like February or March at the earliest that I'll be able to start my new job. A good thing too since I know Cindy is leaving for cardiology and Kim applied to emerg while Nancy applied to psych, leaves about 4 senior staff left when there's 6 on days and 5 on nights. Lovely.
So yea, I'm off March 19-29 and my new job shouldn't hurt that so we're still hoping Las Vegas. We won't go to Vegas if Vanessa and Craig decide they can't do it due to the casual change but we'll go somewhere else then.
Ok time for more meds, getting over a cold.
Oh yea my bachelorette party was great too. Amanda had it at her place. There was about 20 of us who went to Don Cherry's then about a dozen at Amanda's and we got haaammered on shots. She counted about 200 shot glasses after! They played the underwear game (everyone gave me a pair of panties and I had to guess who from), they asked Thom some funny questions then I had to figure out what he answered and yummy penis cake. So drunk. Only a couple of us went downtown since it was on a Monday night and had a couple more drinks, great time.
Last Friday we were very excited cuz I told Thom, Vanessa and Craig that I had the time approved in March for Vegas so we were all approved and Sharon was out to visit... then unfortunately we got some really crappy news.
Eastern Health called all the LPN's and Thom didn't pick up cuz he just figured it was overtime, nope. They were telling the majority of the LPNs that they were going from temporary full time (schedule, pension, benefits) to casual (call in basis, no idea on how many hours, not so great pension), 46 LPNs.
So Saturday we went to Mardi Gras because we all really needed to drink and already had tickets bought. Amanda and Dawn came over (Amanda didn't drink so we had a driver) for a few drinks before we headed down at 11pm. We figured it be crazy so we went early before it got nuts but we didn't leave til 2:30am. It was great, big crowd but not suffocating and not too cold like it had been the last couple days. Got lots of pictures taken! Great costumes, girl dressed like Bumblebee that actually transformed into a car, companion cube, the yip yips, Wolverine, Jesus, Hulk Hogan, several Mario and Luigis, Chucky and his Tiffany, angry birds, Ghostbuster, Sub Zero and Scorpion from Mortal Kombat, LMFAO with the robot guy and so many more great ones!
We were all very upset about the change back to casual, especially Vanessa, she was casual for 4 years while we were in Stephenville, Thom only had to deal with it for about 8 months before we moved. Last Monday was his last scheduled shift and when they called him Tuesday for a 4 hour shift which could be extended by 3 more as a PCA but he had to accept PCA wages! WTF? Then they said if he declined it meant he would never be called for PCA shifts again. He didn't take it and we regretted it after but he got a second chance because staffing messed up so he's back on the list.
There was a meeting on Wednesday that did state that this change in wages for PCA shifts bullshit is true, fucking terrible union, except for 1:1 constant shifts. Really bad because depending on the LPN step it's a loss anywhere from $2-$6/hour. Also if the ever declined a PCA shift they would never be offered anymore PCA shifts and if other LPN's took the PCA shifts they could also gain seniority over you but it doesn't go toward LPN hours... HUH!?
Anyway Thom has almost all his hours already so fingers crossed in that department but on Nov 26 they're reassessing the situation so they say. It might mean some get their jobs back or more may be released. Also hopes are up for March. A lot of LPN's are suppose to retire in 2012, it's when their med course has to be up to date so older LPNs who didn't do it can no longer work as an LPN and it's when the contract is up and it's time to renegotiate. So we'll see how it goes.
Then a crazy ironic thing happened to me. The Miller Center called me Thursday and offered me a permanent full time position on 2 North! (paraplegics, quadriplegics, brain injury unit) I couldn't believe it since I applied months ago when I was having a bad shift. Thom thinks I would really like it and it certainly would be a lot less stressful.
I love my coworkers (thankfully this job doesn't change what side of the schedule I'm on) and it's great places to work but it's the crap that's going on with neurosurgery. There's no senior staff left and it seems we're constantly short or threatened to be mandated. I'm also being forced to be in charge and work in the special care unit (really sick patients) before I'm ready and there's no senior staff to help me out. Now at the Miller apparently the manager is an ass and it's mostly LPNs working there and I have no idea what it's like to work there as an RN but neither did I know for the HSC.
So I may be jumping out of the pan and into the fire but I took the job!
It may be awhile though. Marilyn can keep me for 60 days or longer if she can show she can't find suitable replacements... I think it'll be a great time to remind me why I'm leaving and give me time to adjust to the idea or change my mind if anything changes. I would say it'll be more like February or March at the earliest that I'll be able to start my new job. A good thing too since I know Cindy is leaving for cardiology and Kim applied to emerg while Nancy applied to psych, leaves about 4 senior staff left when there's 6 on days and 5 on nights. Lovely.
So yea, I'm off March 19-29 and my new job shouldn't hurt that so we're still hoping Las Vegas. We won't go to Vegas if Vanessa and Craig decide they can't do it due to the casual change but we'll go somewhere else then.
Ok time for more meds, getting over a cold.