New job, feeling slightly awkward

So, my new job is a two day per week caregiving position. There is another woman who helps out the client on the other days. It pays well, is inherently very easy work, and allows me to keep tabs on the residents of the facility I used to work at without actually having to participate in the drama of working there.

I really like the client. She's not used to me coming there in that role yet, and is a little confused about it, but likes me too. I basically show up during the evening and see her through her sundowning time, keep her occupied and socializing in the evening, and help her get ready for bed at night. We do puzzles and arts and crafts together. It really is sort of a dreamy job to have while I'm finishing up nursing school.

I do feel a little awkward about it though. There is space and time to be filled, and it seems to be important for me to keep talking and moving and creating things to do and ways to interact, because if I don't, she starts to feel self conscious like she should be coming up with something to say or a way to entertain me. That is what I'm perceiving anyway.

I'm sure it will pass, and we will find a routine. Maybe I can take her out to a concert or dinner sometimes, to help pass the time, or talk her into participating in some of the activities in the building together.

She does seem genuinely grateful for the company, but also a little overwhelmed by having someone new there. She already knew me, of course, as one of the people who brought her pills and was friendly, but it is different now that we are together for 4 or 6 hours at a stretch rather than just a few minutes here and there.

Feeling appreciated

Before the school year started, I quit my job at the assisted living community. I was struggling with the decision all summer, as I worked 12 days in a row sometimes, watched my boss be demoted, then fired, the med room torn apart and moved into a resident apartment to work out of tupperwares.

See, a lot of the problems that I was concerned about with the way medications were handled, the overall level of care of the residents, who was allowed to be a resident vs needing a higher level of care, education of the people in charge of "assisting" (administering) medications, mistakes being made, etc .... a lot of these problems, and more, finally made it into the owners' awareness when a hired auditor came to check out or building.  Before that, they were perfectly happy with looking the other direction, sweeping mistakes under the rug, and having people in charge that had no idea what they were doing.

For a while there, all of the med techs and caregivers thought we were going to be fired, collectively. The company that was taking us over had done something similar with another assisted living community in town a couple years ago.

I decided it wasn't worth the levels of stress I was experiencing for $11 an hour, the random shifts, the schedule changes, the constant distraction from school. So I put in my notice, and made a leap of faith in to private caregiving instead for the remainder of the time before I get my RN license.

I haven't been back to the building for about 6 weeks now, but recently took on a new private caregiving client that also happens to live at the community I left. So I was back there last night.

When the other residents and caregivers saw me, there were smiles, and hugs, and more hugs, and one resident cried she was so happy to see me. There's something very personally gratifying and self indulgent about seeing and hearing the evidence that I've been missed.

Interview Today at Memory Care Facility

Last week on Wednesday night I started an application for a local in-home health care company. They called me the next day and asked me to clarify what my experience wass working in health care. I explained that I had helped care for both of my grandmothers in the last years of their life, that I had worked part time helping an elderly blind woman with her housekeeping and correspondence, and that I voluntarily assisted a wheelchair using older man with M.S. in a boarding house I used to live in; helped him with dressing, showering, toileting, bed changes, etc. The woman on the phone said that family experience doesn't count for anything, and that I wasn't experienced enough for the position. She was kind of mean about it. I understand if they want someone with more formal training, but geez, at least be kind about it. Maybe they get a lot of inquiries from people with zero experience and it gets tiring.

So last night I checked craigslist again to see if there were new open positions in health care and there were two new postings in elder care, one for a medication technician and the other for a caregiver. They were both "apply in person", so this morning I went to each of them and filled out an application. The first one I went to (the medication tech position) called me about 20 minutes after I left and asked if I could come in for an interview on the same day. Sure, I said. So 2 hours later I was there for my interview, which really only lasted about 10 minutes.

They asked me to tell them about myself, what I considered my best trait to be, and one weakness. I wasn't in top form but I think I came across well enough. One of them asked me more specifics about my experience, if I had ever handed out medications before. I said I had, but only to individuals. So they said it might be better to start me off as a caregiver for a couple of months and then I could reapply for medication tech once I was familiar with the facility and the residents. They said they usually hire from within for the med tech position. I was agreeable to that. We talked about schedules, and they said they would look more specifically at their schedule needs and give me a call. I felt like I got the job when I was leaving. But they didn't specify *when* they would call which makes me a little nervous. Maybe I should have looked up common medications used for alzheimers and dementia patients before I went to the interview. They did say that the med tech job was pretty stressful.

Caregiving only pays $9 per hour, but I would have more consistent hours, they said I could pick up more shifts if I wanted when people call in sick or want the day off, and I think if I get it and can start the job soon, I would still be able to squeeze in 200 hours by the time I turn in my nursing school application. 200 hours of employment in health care gets you only an extra 5 points on the application, but so long as I need more work and income anyway, this would be a good fit.

I haven't heard back from either hospital on volunteer service yet. It has been about a week since I turned in my applications. I don't think I explained the 2nd hospital here... the first one I applied to I found out they have mandatory all day orientation for new volunteers, only on the first Wednesday of each month. I just can't do that until the semester is over; I have a lab class on Wednesday mornings. so I put in a second application at another hospital in town; I'm not sure exactly what their requirements are.

...and further frustration.

Yesterday I got a call from one of the elderly care facilities I applied to work for as a caregiver. They asked me if I could come in for an interview in the next few days. I was scheduled to work this afternoon but I thought, hey, why not... this is going to be my lucky break that starts turning things around! (when did I start considering the opportunity to help old people with hygiene a "lucky break"?)

So I took the afternoon off work -- I probably would have anyway, as I'm really not feeling well, came down with bronchitis last weekend. But I did my best to scrape myself together, went to my lab class in the morning, and was planning to go for my interview at 3.

However, on my way home from campus to change into my interview clothes and pretty up, I got a second call from them saying they had already found someone, and not to bother coming in after all.

This is so frustrating :(

There is another community college teaching position up. It's full time, somewhat outside of my subject area, and though it doesn't say so in the posting, according to my lab instructor they are looking for someone to be full time in "north county" which is about an hour from where I live. I don't see doing that commute 5 days per week, even if I could land the job.

I had to take some money out of my retirement savings this month to cover rent. I'm hoping the IRS won't charge me 10% off the top for an early distribution because I am an (over) half time student.

I haven't done that cardiac arrhythmia class yet, still... I'm just feeling kind of hopeless. Maybe that should be my goal for this weekend so I can start applying for tech monitor jobs at hospitals, too.