NICU Openings

Sometime next week, the openings will be posted for the dedicated lines in the NICU.

To that end, this afternoon I took a great big breath and reopened my employment file with UIHC.

I'm excited and apprehensive all at the same time. I really don't want to go back to work full time, but two of the positions have hours that I can live with.

Last week I spoke with the supervisor who paved the way to open the new lines. Some of the past history of our NICU - when it openedin 1994 it was a 38 bed unit. When the remodeling is complete, it will be somewhere around 70 beds, I believe. UIHC is in the top 20 for neonatal care.

As for the job itself, the classification will be as a Lab Tech I. My starting pay will begin at about 50 cents more an hour than I'm currently making. All the job training will take place in the unit and area that we'll be working in. In many jobs in Pathology currently, training takes place in Specimen Control, the clinics, and various locations. It will be nice to be trained by the people you are going to work with on a daily basis instead of potentially having a different trainer every day.

In the NICU, most of the phlebotomy sticks will be either heelsticks or finger sticks. There will be times when a venous draw will be necessary, but from what I understand, that percentage is quite low.

Not only will those hired be responsible for 'sticks', but will also learn all the lab work associated within the lab; I'm sure that will include things like urine testing, maybe even testing for CF and things like that. There will also be work with the Critical Care labs and a certain amount of work with Blood Bank.

I love to learn new things, so the opportunity to increase my 'know-how' will be a definite plus!

There are two positions I'm going to apply for. Same position, just two spots and two reference numbers (i.e., two chances at the job). The hours are 4.a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
That will be the killer for me. I really will have to learn to go to bed earlier than I do, and the potential for napping will be far higher.

Of course, I have to apply and get the job first.

I wasn't even worried about that until today. After all, who in their right mind wants to be at work at 4 a.m.? (Understand, the appeal of it is getting off at 12:30 for me.)

You see, as far as phlebotomists go, I'm the seniority phleb. There's one other above me, but she's already taken one of the other full time openings in the clinics and will be leaving in May.

My friend and co-worker, Laura, wants to take the other opening; she does not want to stay in the department for most of the same reasons I'm ready to leave over.

But, as we were finishing up floors today, I ran across one of our former team members who I really like a lot. She works in Specimen Control now, but is one of the best vamps I've ever seen. And, she said she had considered the job, too. Gulp.
Thing is, she and her spouse have just purchased property in Tennessee and expect to move when school is out this year, so she decided it would be stupid to try for it and leave almost right away. She and I would have had a lot of fun together, though, and I'd have learned a lot to refine my skills had I the chance to work with her.

So, now I'm nervous. I don't have any idea who else may throw their name in the pool for these jobs. I know one other girl wanted one of the overnight jobs, but that's all I'd heard. But, you never know. There could be all sorts of medical personnel all over the hospital who were just waiting to jump on an opportunity like this.

One of the things that will have to be resolved if I do get a job offer, is the parking situation. UIHC has outlying parking lots for employees, and then people are bussed in by the college bus system. My current parking lot is about three miles away from the hospital. I don't use it, although I maintain the parking permit, because in my particular case, my hours are such that the bus does not take a direct route to the lot, instead taking a 45 minute ride through the west campus and married student housing before dropping us off at the lot. Instead, I utilize one of the parking ramps that employees are allowed to use; as far as I'm concerned, I can use that 45 minutes far more efficiently than taking a tour every day! And, it only costs me about 1.45/day to park in the ramp, so that roughly ten bucks a week is well worth saving nearly 4 hours each week.

I've had my name on an upgraded lot ever since I began working at UIHC. When I started, I was 560th on the list for upgrade. I'm currently at 98. So, they're going to have to do something to get me into the new lot *when* I get the job - (positive thinking per The Secret) It won't be ideal, as the reality is that the first bus at the lot in question is at 4:30 a.m., unless they are contemplating a change in hours there. But, it may be that we'll get to park in the ramp and then go move our vehicles when the 6 a.m. folks come in. The new lot is a direct lot and you can get a bus every ten or 15 minutes and go directly to the lot without side trips. There are always fine details to work out.

So, I'll keep you informed as things go along. I may have to think about one of the 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. openings. Not crazy about that. I like going to work when the masses are not all trying to get there at the same time.

Since it was posted today that the openings would be available next week, I'm going to begin looking tomorrow. Many times job postings come out on Friday, but you never know with HR and how the collective minds work on these things.