Post BSN...
Ahhh...it feels wonderful to have pushed the last "submit" button on my last assignment of my last RN-BSN class this afternoon. I've been preoccupied for the past two and a half years with finishing this nursing degree that I knew was required at some point after finishing my ADN program and passing my RN licensure exam in 2011. What a gift it's been to have had an opportunity while living here in Barrow to work online through the University of Texas at Arlington and to have completed my BSN degree now. My class graduates next Saturday...well, I do too, but will be happily enjoying time with my family in Washington instead and will attend ceremonies by way of imagining being there, maybe. I've never met any of my instructors or classmates, but feel as though I know them very well. We've worked together on projects, discussed many topics related to nursing at length and some have also traversed US history, political science and American literature courses along with me. All via our keyboards and portals to submit assignments and interact by using only written words. The connection between our brains, our fingers, our computers and then others is amazing.
In reflecting on the experience, although I love learning and have enjoyed every class taken, I've at times, maybe a large part of the time, felt a sense of isolation. Many evenings and weekends have been filled with an inordinate amount of sitting, researching, reading and writing. I have in some ways lost touch with the culture that surrounds me. I have moved in a very small circle from home to work to home to desk to bed to work for the most part but now am aware that I'm free of this very meaningful, but sedentary and isolating existence. All I can think of at the moment is "yay!!!"
I can't wait to incorporate more exercise into my life on a regular basis again. I'm still riding my bike or jogging to work and back but it's not enough heart-pumping exercise to give me that indefatigable feeling. I'm suddenly realizing that along with spending more time absorbing the culture here and socializing with faithful friends, that I can play racquet ball, basket ball, do yoga and go for long walks all because I will have the time.
Along with a full study schedule, I've discovered that public health nursing here is a more than full time job with many late nights. It's probably partly due to an innate and heightened sense of responsibility that I inherited from my hard working parents. When something needs to be done, it's extremely difficult to walk away and there's always something that needs to be done = ). I do love the work though, so seriously, have no complaints.
My journey here began when I was a relatively new graduate of an ADN program. I was an RN with experience in geriatrics and had Hospice experience from when I was a CNA. I loved working with an older population but also felt called to gain skills that I could take anywhere and be of service. When I read about the job opening in public health nursing in Barrow, it called to my sense of adventure and to what I would learn working in a small community and the surrounding villages.
I began as a PHN I, graduated over time to a PHN II and III and have been by default serving as the Acting PHN Coordinator since early October. By default, I mean that all at once I found myself the only nurse in our clinic. We'd been down two nursing positions for some time but the program was holding its own with Bertrand, myself and our Coordinator, Claudia. When Claudia decided to move to California to be nearer to family a week before Bertrand left for four months of paternity leave, and the CNA who does most of the STD screening left on a month long vacation, I was designated the Acting Coordinator while recruitment began. I didn't see that one coming!
I was blessed to work under a wonderful Deputy Director before she left on maternity leave in early November. She provided much moral support as I strategized about how to continue to meet program outcomes of high immunization and low STD rates, provide community education, facilitate learning opportunities for visiting nursing students, monitor immunization temperatures, do fall village trips, see clients on a regular basis, approve purchases, supervise staff, interview candidates, write monthly and quarterly reports, offer community flu clinics and assist with TB skin testing on all the children in the North Slope Borough School District. It all seemed appreciable and overwhelming, causing a fair amount of stress until I let go and embraced each new task with a sense of how much I was growing from being in the position I was in. The longer hours I worked the less stress I experienced with a sense of having completed things on my long "to do" list.
It's all been a great growth experience. I could never see myself as a nurse leader, but by now feel energized by it all and am reluctant to turn the reigns over to the new Coordinator who will be offered the position and begin work most likely in mid-January. Two new nurses will also begin then as well.
I didn't apply for the permanent job as I plan to return to Washington in July and to live much nearer to my family. Children and grandchildren keep growing and changing and I don't want to miss much more of it. They've been more than gracious to understand my need to live and work here but are encouraging me to come home. My nine year old granddaughter, Jordan, texted not long ago, "This is Jo. When are you moving down? I miss you so much!!!! How many more years until you are coming down or is it months or weeks? I love you so much and miss you!!!!" It's months now, Jo! Just a bit over seven more. I miss and love you too!!!
I've rambled on and on here but hope to share more experiences related to the culture and other interesting aspects of living in Barrow, AKA Utqiagvik, again soon. It's a fascinating place...
In reflecting on the experience, although I love learning and have enjoyed every class taken, I've at times, maybe a large part of the time, felt a sense of isolation. Many evenings and weekends have been filled with an inordinate amount of sitting, researching, reading and writing. I have in some ways lost touch with the culture that surrounds me. I have moved in a very small circle from home to work to home to desk to bed to work for the most part but now am aware that I'm free of this very meaningful, but sedentary and isolating existence. All I can think of at the moment is "yay!!!"
I can't wait to incorporate more exercise into my life on a regular basis again. I'm still riding my bike or jogging to work and back but it's not enough heart-pumping exercise to give me that indefatigable feeling. I'm suddenly realizing that along with spending more time absorbing the culture here and socializing with faithful friends, that I can play racquet ball, basket ball, do yoga and go for long walks all because I will have the time.
Along with a full study schedule, I've discovered that public health nursing here is a more than full time job with many late nights. It's probably partly due to an innate and heightened sense of responsibility that I inherited from my hard working parents. When something needs to be done, it's extremely difficult to walk away and there's always something that needs to be done = ). I do love the work though, so seriously, have no complaints.
My journey here began when I was a relatively new graduate of an ADN program. I was an RN with experience in geriatrics and had Hospice experience from when I was a CNA. I loved working with an older population but also felt called to gain skills that I could take anywhere and be of service. When I read about the job opening in public health nursing in Barrow, it called to my sense of adventure and to what I would learn working in a small community and the surrounding villages.
I began as a PHN I, graduated over time to a PHN II and III and have been by default serving as the Acting PHN Coordinator since early October. By default, I mean that all at once I found myself the only nurse in our clinic. We'd been down two nursing positions for some time but the program was holding its own with Bertrand, myself and our Coordinator, Claudia. When Claudia decided to move to California to be nearer to family a week before Bertrand left for four months of paternity leave, and the CNA who does most of the STD screening left on a month long vacation, I was designated the Acting Coordinator while recruitment began. I didn't see that one coming!
I was blessed to work under a wonderful Deputy Director before she left on maternity leave in early November. She provided much moral support as I strategized about how to continue to meet program outcomes of high immunization and low STD rates, provide community education, facilitate learning opportunities for visiting nursing students, monitor immunization temperatures, do fall village trips, see clients on a regular basis, approve purchases, supervise staff, interview candidates, write monthly and quarterly reports, offer community flu clinics and assist with TB skin testing on all the children in the North Slope Borough School District. It all seemed appreciable and overwhelming, causing a fair amount of stress until I let go and embraced each new task with a sense of how much I was growing from being in the position I was in. The longer hours I worked the less stress I experienced with a sense of having completed things on my long "to do" list.
It's all been a great growth experience. I could never see myself as a nurse leader, but by now feel energized by it all and am reluctant to turn the reigns over to the new Coordinator who will be offered the position and begin work most likely in mid-January. Two new nurses will also begin then as well.
I didn't apply for the permanent job as I plan to return to Washington in July and to live much nearer to my family. Children and grandchildren keep growing and changing and I don't want to miss much more of it. They've been more than gracious to understand my need to live and work here but are encouraging me to come home. My nine year old granddaughter, Jordan, texted not long ago, "This is Jo. When are you moving down? I miss you so much!!!! How many more years until you are coming down or is it months or weeks? I love you so much and miss you!!!!" It's months now, Jo! Just a bit over seven more. I miss and love you too!!!
I've rambled on and on here but hope to share more experiences related to the culture and other interesting aspects of living in Barrow, AKA Utqiagvik, again soon. It's a fascinating place...
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