Zoe - I Found my Perfect Job

Zoe -







It took me some time to decide what kind of nursing I wanted to do. I knew I didn’t want to work in the psych ward, or in OB/GYN. I didn’t want to work in a hospital because I dreaded the shift work and didn’t want to work nights. I began my work in a remote clinic where I was able to do a lot of community health nursing. I became involved in pediatrics and really enjoyed working with children. I guess when you work with children you’re allowed to be a kid too. It’s a good excuse, in the seriousness of life, to be like a kid at work. It also encourages me to approach certain aspects of my life and work with child-like enthusiasm.

When my husband and I moved to Seattle I ended up taking a hospital job. There were about seven months of sacrifice because the only position I was able to get when we first moved was a day/night rotator. After seven months I was in the right place at the right time and a day position in the pediatric oncology clinic became available. It has been the perfect job for me. Even though I work with kids and families with cancer, I enjoy my work, the people, the institution and the unpredictability of the day-to-day work.

I love working with children because they are so innocent. Sometimes they are easier to talk to than adults.“When you work with children, you’re allowed to be a kid too.” I can explore their feelings a little bit more and sometimes take my cues from just a simple gesture. They’re fun. I’m hopeful I can make a difference in their lives, whether it’s helping them through the journey of cancer and all the treatments involved or just make a difference overall. If I can make them smile, that’s satisfaction. I wouldn’t give up what I’m doing in a heartbeat.

I was inspired to pursue nursing by a friend of my mother’s named Sandy. She drove me 12 miles to high school. Every day on the trip to school, with her three screaming children in the back seat, I helped her study by asking questions out of her nursing book. Sandy was determined to push forward and better herself, to improve her life and the welfare of her children, despite the chaos in her life. I had an alcoholic stepfather and I thought, “I can create a career in nursing too, despite the chaos in my life.” I left home at 16 and supported myself by working at a fast-food restaurant. I soon realized I couldn’t get by on $3.35 an hour, which was the minimum wage in the mid-80’s. So I entered the nursing program at the local community college. I hated it the first week, but I persevered. After I began my career with my LPN certificate, I returned to school every couple of years to further my education and now I’m a BSN.

Nursing keeps me busy every day. Sometimes it’s difficult to learn about patients who have died or who are dealing with a relapse of their cancer. Many times I’m exhausted at the end of my shift. But no matter how hard the day, I have learned to leave work at work and realize tomorrow’s a new day. I’ve found balance in my life by pursuing hobbies outside of work. I think all nurses need that. They need to take time out for themselves, have a self-care plan and find delight in what they do.

I still have the same “bring it on” attitude that carried me into my career. I look forward to the challenges and the process of figuring out how I can contribute to smooth out the difficulties. That’s what keeps me going and motivates me.

I try not to get involved in healthcare politics. I think the healthcare system is doing the best it can and is constantly moving forward. I leave the politics and policies for the overall system up to those who make the bigger picture their passion. I believe if I start to worry about all of that then I will lose sight of why I went into the profession. It will become overwhelming. I want to be accountable for the clinic and the activities and patient care process in my immediate surroundings.

I also strive to provide a fun environment. I’m on a Cheers for Peers committee with a colleague. It’s a peer recognition program that provides encouragement and ongoing regard for co-workers. It’s a way I can participate to improve the system I work in. I think participation is important for all nurses. Nurses don’t have to be involved in every committee, but they should find something to have a voice about. Or they might get involved with something they want to know more about. The best way to learn more about a process you don’t understand is to join a committee. It might make a difference in their outlook and in their career. It might help them discover new talents and new ways in which to make a difference. It might also lead them in new directions and help them to find the perfect nursing fit, as I did.

Power Strategies: Participation, Accountability, Tenacity
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