Education VS Career
So I use a personal app on my laptop called "DayOne" for journaling. I've been copying and pasting my blog entries into it. Everyday there is a journalling prompt and today's was "When and how did you settle on a permanent career or job and on what basis have you been paid?"
So along those lines I was thinking about my last entry regarding my graduation. My awarded degree was my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)... Thing is I'm not longer practicing in nursing. I'm the Good Samaritan Hospital's Physician Informatics Manager... Fancy title eh? A break down of my job description would be complex. But here is a start: Education and assisting with development of the computerized systems for the medical providers. And fielding troubleshooting calls dealing with such, project managing computer systems and processes that affect providers.
How the heck did I go from bathing, medication, and caring for patients to being a computer troubleshooter and educator for docs? Well. Back in 2011 my then boyfriend wanted to move to Philly. Me, being silly me, agreed to move with him. Again with the reference to a previous problem in my life which again is a story for another day and another time. The problem I had was that I couldn't find a job. I applied for eleven different positions at eight different hospitals and asked to come in for one interview. I received no call backs. I was shocked, by that point I had already several years of experience as a nurse and nine years in the nursing field in general. I was a mentor, preceptor, charge nurse, on the nursing retention committee and my unit's nurse council. As I applied for more places, the reason became evident. Some hospitals are no longer even accepting applications from RN's with associate degrees. Right across the river from Philly in NJ RN's have ten years to earn their BSN by state law.
So I bit the bullet and applied to Drexel and PennState. I was accepted to both but ultimately decided to go with PennState due to cost ($7k difference between the two to earn my BSN!) and name recognition. I had always wanted to work at the Hershey Medical Center so the PennState degree would be a huge bonus in the event that the move to Philly fell through. (Which it did)
Sometime during my studies PennState began to offer a certificate in Nursing Informatics. I figured I needed some electives anyway. I enjoy and have a natural savvy for computers. In the Spring of 2013 I received my certificate. I informed everyone I could at work to expose myself to new opportunities. It just so happened that the position I'm in now opened up the next fall. I was really flattered to be asked directly by the hospital's CIO to come and interview for the position. I had been recommended for the position by several people.
So I was offered and accepted the position and began at the end of November of 2013. It is probably one of the best decisions I have made for my career. I am very happy in my position and I feel like a making a difference. I feel validated and appreciated. I am, however, not familiar to the office position. One of my greatest battles in the beginning was the sheer loneliness of being in my office alone.
Considering I accepted the position in my second to last semester of college I figured I should continue anyway. Although I have my BSN it is not completely applicable to my job but still it is a great achievement for me that I am quite proud of. And who knows, maybe some day I will use my degree again.
So along those lines I was thinking about my last entry regarding my graduation. My awarded degree was my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)... Thing is I'm not longer practicing in nursing. I'm the Good Samaritan Hospital's Physician Informatics Manager... Fancy title eh? A break down of my job description would be complex. But here is a start: Education and assisting with development of the computerized systems for the medical providers. And fielding troubleshooting calls dealing with such, project managing computer systems and processes that affect providers.
How the heck did I go from bathing, medication, and caring for patients to being a computer troubleshooter and educator for docs? Well. Back in 2011 my then boyfriend wanted to move to Philly. Me, being silly me, agreed to move with him. Again with the reference to a previous problem in my life which again is a story for another day and another time. The problem I had was that I couldn't find a job. I applied for eleven different positions at eight different hospitals and asked to come in for one interview. I received no call backs. I was shocked, by that point I had already several years of experience as a nurse and nine years in the nursing field in general. I was a mentor, preceptor, charge nurse, on the nursing retention committee and my unit's nurse council. As I applied for more places, the reason became evident. Some hospitals are no longer even accepting applications from RN's with associate degrees. Right across the river from Philly in NJ RN's have ten years to earn their BSN by state law.
So I bit the bullet and applied to Drexel and PennState. I was accepted to both but ultimately decided to go with PennState due to cost ($7k difference between the two to earn my BSN!) and name recognition. I had always wanted to work at the Hershey Medical Center so the PennState degree would be a huge bonus in the event that the move to Philly fell through. (Which it did)
Sometime during my studies PennState began to offer a certificate in Nursing Informatics. I figured I needed some electives anyway. I enjoy and have a natural savvy for computers. In the Spring of 2013 I received my certificate. I informed everyone I could at work to expose myself to new opportunities. It just so happened that the position I'm in now opened up the next fall. I was really flattered to be asked directly by the hospital's CIO to come and interview for the position. I had been recommended for the position by several people.
So I was offered and accepted the position and began at the end of November of 2013. It is probably one of the best decisions I have made for my career. I am very happy in my position and I feel like a making a difference. I feel validated and appreciated. I am, however, not familiar to the office position. One of my greatest battles in the beginning was the sheer loneliness of being in my office alone.
Considering I accepted the position in my second to last semester of college I figured I should continue anyway. Although I have my BSN it is not completely applicable to my job but still it is a great achievement for me that I am quite proud of. And who knows, maybe some day I will use my degree again.