I have news….

*drumroll, please*

I got a new job! I’ve been at my current job 5 years now. That’s the longest I’ve ever stayed in one place. I’m not a job-hopper, but I believe in having lots of different experiences when it comes to my work life. It keeps things interesting, challenging, and from getting stale. After 5 years of doing the same thing, my brain is mashed potatoes.

I never thought I’d end up working in software with a nursing degree. My brother says that it seems like most everyone in Austin ends up in the industry at some point. So, I’ve put in my time!

I think I was born to be a nurse. It was just my niche and when I started nursing school, I felt ‘home’. In fact, a couple of years ago, I found a scrapbook I made when I was about 7, in Brownies. I wrote in the scrapbook that I wanted to be a nurse when I grew up. So, it seems as though it was my density…oh, I mean destiny. *obscure Back to the Future reference*

So, after about 2 years working in software testing and QA, I was starting to get that itch to move on. I took a nursing refresher course to try to prepare myself for whatever was ahead. The thing about nursing is that there are sooooooo many options: clinics, hospitals, schools, informatics, psych, research, case management, insurance, legal consulting, etc. It’s a blessing and a curse, especially for someone who is pathologically indecisive like me.

That was part of my problem and why this search took me so long. I didn’t know what direction I really wanted to go. ICU, med-surg, operating room…been there, done that. I didn’t want to do something I already had done, however I was willing to do that just to get my feet wet again.

Another reason it took so long was that I would have periods of happiness and satisfaction with my job, but they became shorter and less frequent. I knew it was time to go, it was just a matter of being patient and finding the right opportunity.

So, after over a year and a half of looking off and on, 5 interviews, and 3 different job offers, I finally found something that feels right. Right time, right feeling, right price, right fit. I’m going to be a Case Manager for an Inpatient Rehab unit starting August 25th.

I’m excited about the challenges that lie ahead, learning new skills, and ressurecting that part of my brain I used as a nurse. It’s scary, too…that they would hire me with no case management experience, but I suppose I seem trainable. Plus, this job involves some PR and selling the facility to referred patients, so the fact that I’m cute must help. hehehehe

The best part…I’ll still have a regular M-F 8-5 job!!! What a bonus!