So it all started a little like this:
My phone rang about 1130 (I usually ignore calls after 0900 the morning after I work) and I answered, turns out it was my recruiter..."good news Brandon, we got a contract in NY, NY"...so of course I get excited and a little short of breath...! The details were: ICU nights. LMAO! Yes that's right folks, ICU nights and the name of the facility AND THATS IT!! So out on a leap of faith, I just signed the dang contract! I know it sounds crazy (and probably was) but I signed this contract knowing very little about the assignment accept the pay rate ;-) and the housing would be covered! That is just how intensely bad I wanted to come to NYC! God is so good to me though, come to find out I am working in one of the top cardiothorasic intensive care units in the nation...probably not as intense as back at home but something quite similar! I will have to touch on that a little later....
The transition:
So after my two weeks of hell (actually 3 including the 5 day work week) off one on one off one on two off one on three bull crap the morning after working that third night I immediately packed up Lucy and kicked back to htown on one wheel! Meantime I have several tasks to complete to become compliant with the new facility, drug test, MMR varicella titers drawn and PPD test. As a traveler all of the extra tests (Depending on your company) are out of your pocket! (However are all tax deductible, i have learned) I hemorrhaged so much money to become compliant, not to mention I completely missed my appointment for my tests because my 20 min nap turned into 4 hours because I had not slept in almost 24 hours! It was a nightmare, on top of everything else I was flying out to DC the very next day and had nothing packed nor ready! AND my family wanted to hang out, my air conditioner was broken at my apartment in Houston, the land lady wasn't able to get it fixed until after I was scheduled to be in DC! IT WAS A HELL ON EARTH! THEN, I needed to get keys made and do 7 loads of laundry in my non industrial size washer and dryer...and it was raining because of the hurricane alex. LMAO! So to make a long story short, I left Houston, AC was fixed while I was on the plane, the keys were made in NYC, blood was drawn, urine done, I came to NYC with no white laundry and I saw mama and granny right before my ride to the airport showed up. WHEW!
Vacation in DC! It was awesome food, fun friends and still trying to complete the items for compliance for NYC. I have never appreciated such great customer service as I did in DC. This one clinic tried to hustle me and my insurance for payment for ppd, well now that I think about it, probably was a better idea just to pay for the office visit and get it charged as a co pay then to pay cash...but hey...we live and we learn! Be weary of those "travel" clinics who don't accept insurance, go some where that does and they can take care of what you need for a fraction of the cost! Its all a big sham but you do what you must to be compliant, or you can sit at home unemployed!
So I don't find out my address until the Weds I am scheduled to move in! Actually I was in Maryland visiting my best friend Vicky when I found out! When I told her where i was living she literally SCREAMED with excitement! it was so funny! I had no idea what part of town I would be staying in nor what was all in the surrounding area! LMAO! If i knew then what I know now...yeah, i probably would have screamed too!
The Deets:
I am living in West Village in a studio apartment. Basically you stand in the middle of the room complete a 360 and you have seen the entire apartment, its hilarious. However for NYC standards its some pretty cool digs (pics to follow). As a new New Yorker, I have to catch three trains to work: 2 or 3 express to times square then the shuttle to grand central then the 6 to 68th street. It sounds worse than it actually is...i have it down to a science where it only takes 30 min to get to work. 30 min of walking and getting on trains is a whole heck of a lot different than sitting 30 min in traffic. Plus I manage to sit around the most insanely hilarious situations on the train...I just keep my ipod on and smile to myself. I work in a large hospital in NYC (I care not to divulge the name for privacy reason and not to burn bridges, however, if you want to know email me!) in CTICU. Its a 20 bed unit and the main diagnosis include MVR, AVR, CABG etc and yes they do VADs. I only take care of their "chronics" or basically their CCU patients, nothing fresh post op. Its nothing special...however things are done a little "different"
BSN RN
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