enjoy the toil

As a part of living a life more fully, I began thinking about my job. I took it because I wanted good hours which can be hard to come by as a RN. But the more I worked (or less since I get canceled a lot) the more I realized I was just trying to survive. Nursing is a tough world but the good thing is there are many different areas you can go into, basically like changing careers, but somehow you are mostly qualified with a RN license. Same Day Surgery was a different kind of stressful for me, I was/am having a hard time not getting the hours I need and working with personalities I find somewhat cold or abrasive. I really thought long and hard about how I will probably be working for at least three more decades, Lord willing, and maybe it's a little to early to just try to survive. We should try to enjoy our "toil". We were created to be productive and to create beauty and order. We should desire to bring restoration to a broken world not just jump in our bunkers and eat canned beans and play Uno until the war is over. Why not take a little time to figure out something I could enjoy working in? I have no idea what it feels like to really enjoy my labor. Sure I have great days and I have terrible days but apart from needing money and believing I maybe should use my degree for a little while, I probably would prefer not to go to work. This makes me sound lazy but I don't want to work because I currently enjoy being a dog mom to Ingrid more than being a nurse. It's the whole working/living for the weekend so many people often fall prey to and I do not want to do that anymore. Of course there should be a balance and I certainly do not have a good balance. Since there is such a variety in nursing, I figured now is the time while our responsibilities are at a minimal to see if there is something I can enjoy.


On a whim, I applied to a part time Labor and Delivery job. I've done Rehab, Med/Surg, Neuro, Short Stay Surgery but nothing since nursing school with anything L&D related. Crazy enough, I immediately received an interview offer. I explained to them in the interview exactly where I was in my career and that I wanted to work in L&D because so many people who do love it. Instead of just getting through my current job, I want to see if I love L&D too. Even though it will be a huge change and massive learning curve to switch, I believe I can do it and need to try to do it. It was probably the most honest you can be in an interview while still trying to sell yourself to future employers. Surprisingly, the interview went really well and I found it quite satisfying and pleasurable to talk the potential future bosses. 

A few days later, I received a phone call saying they wanted to hire me. Of course, I am  terrified to be so novice in this particular set of nursing skills. Some nights of restlessness have followed as I struggled to trust God in the entire situation. I took the job needless to say and a week from today will be my very first day. I will still be working some at same day surgery occassionally but I am excited to see if I can enjoy the toil of L&D.

changes!