Bad attitude and beaches.

The other day someone said that being a travel nurse sounds luxurious. I don't agree entirely.

Sure, we get to see lots of beautiful areas and cities, but my response to them was, "that also means I get to see the excrement of different people all over the country."  Sounds gross?  It is...


Disliking one's job pervades almost every aspect of life.  It's a burden that seems to linger throughout my entire day, even when I'm off.  My commute seems longer and less tolerable.  Sleep isn't sufficient.  Gross things are more gross. Etc.

Yesterday evening I worked and was floated to a med-surg unit.  The night was actually going well when they told me I would be floated again, to another med-surg unit.  What ended up happening was that every unit I walked on to said they didn't need me, and that there were enough nurses working. 45 minutes later, totally confused and frustrated, I find out that the reason everyone told me that they didn't need me as an RN was because staffing decided to float me as a PCT (patient care tech, i.e. an aide). I'd like to say that my outward appearance of being helpful and busy was a reflection of what was going on inside, but that would be a lie. I was mad. In my mind I kept having thoughts like, "this hospital is just using me. they don't even value me as a nurse. this isn't what I went to 4 years of college for." and other I'm too embarrassed to place in writing. My plan was to write an email to my company telling them how this was "totally unacceptable" and that I would not be forced to work as an aide again..

If  you've had the thought already that I was acting like a brat you are permitted to think that, and you are correct.

After sending a text to my mom (yes I'm an adult that sent a whiny text to my mommy), she graciously pointed out to me that I was really upset because, and I quote, "you think that work is beneath you."

Oooh shoot. She's right.

Reality set in and it's like the exotic facade of travel nursing was pulled down to show what the real purpose of our job is.  We're not here just to see the sites.  We're not here so that people can marvel at our nursing skills and listen intently to our tales of travel and excitement. We're here to support the nursing staff.  While I have heard this before, now I feel like I really understand it.  This means taking the unwanted shifts, caring for the patients that the nurses need a break from, floating to different units to fill in empty spots, and of course, working as an aide if there isn't enough supportive staff.

I'm not used to not liking my job. But the days off, when I can partake in the pretty aspect of being a traveler, makes it all worth it.  Being a nurse is strenuous.  It requires something from you. But why not do it in a new place  with different culture, sights, and beauty?

Hopefully this realization will change my attitude for good and I won't act so entitled anymore. I want to be humble and helpful, because that's why they are paying for me to live in this great area and care for the people in this community.

Well anyway, enough life lessons.  How about some sunshine?

Saturday, Tanya and I braved the weekend traffic and found our way to Muir Beach.

We spent the afternoon hunting for parking spots, then laying on the beach.  

We thought we were being tricky and avoiding traffic home when we decided to cut through a National Park and take a windy road through the woods.  This was a great idea until we were lost and my fuel gauge was blinking and counting down to the miles we had left until we could be stranded at night in some forest off of the pacific coast.

The view was beautiful and kept us from constantly looking at the diminishing number flashing "distance to empty".

Eventually we found a town and got some gas.  We were able to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening hanging out with our friend Aaron.

Today after church we wanted to spend more time at the beach so we headed to a spot near the golden gate. Unfortunately, as soon as we got to the water, we found what is famously known as June Gloom, and instead of the hot sunny weather in San Rafael, we found cold misty winds on the bay.

So we headed back to San Rafael and found a spot on a hill with a great view.

that's the San Rafael-Richmond bridge in the distance

Tonight and tomorrow I work.  So stayed tuned for mores stories about this little piggy that went "wah wah wah" all the way home.