Nursing Career: Update on UK Interview

I came across a comment by a reader named Ana on my blog today. She was asking how my interview went and since I am replying to her, I might as well give my readers an update on how my UK Interview went.

When I got to Drake International's Office which was located at the 18th Floor of Trident Tower, several interviewees were already there, silently keeping to themselves the anticipation and anxiety they were feeling. I was actually nervous too but I did not let it control my emotions because I knew nothing can be gained from being scared of the unknown.

We were all asked to go to the site at 6 AM since the knowledge assessment exam had to begin at 7 AM. This was immediately followed by the orientation about our workplace which went for an hour or so and then finally the interview proper.

There were 6 candidates for the position I was applying for (ICU nurse) but since they separated ICU-Cardiac from ICU-General, only 3 of us were competing for the position. So that meant I had 30% chance to get chosen for the job.

Drake introduced us to the 2 ladies who will be interviewing us and Drake also let us in the knowledge that it was the interviewer's first time to talk with Filipino people. For me, this meant an opportunity to showcase my talent and skills in talking about my country and about how hardworking Filipinos are.

I had my interview around 5:30 Pm (second to the last out of 20+ candidates) so that meant I had been in the building for more than 10 hours already. When I stepped inside the interview room, I put on an aura of freshness because I knew the interviewers were tired already from all the people they had talked to.

What amazed me was that it was so easy to talk with them. They only asked a few questions about my experience and was greatly interested about my life in the Philippines. There were only a few questions about nursing care stuff and we even had good laughs every now and then.

After a very enjoyable chat with the interviewers, I tried to get back to my old self and let loose all the tension I felt.

After a day, Drake called me and told me the results.

They said that BMI Healthcare (the company that was hiring) had chosen the ICU nurse (Basister) but was hesitant to let me go so they offered me a position as a Medical-Surgical ward nurse at Princess Margaret Hospital. Now, if you were in my position, you would definitely accept the offer right? And that's what I did.

Ever since I signed the contract, I have been quite busy with all the paperwork that's why I never had the chance to update my blogs. Right now, I am just awaiting their response since I have already sent them my Pack 2 and paid for the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) registration fee.

They said processing usually takes 5-6 months, so hopefully, I will be able to leave the country during the first quarter of the year (if God permits).

Anyway, don't hesitate to post up questions you might have and I'll try my best to keep you updated. ;)

Drake International September Interview Dates

A few months ago, I sent over my resume to Drake International and by God's grace I have finally been recognized as a potential candidate for two prestigious health care systems in the UK. I have been given the opportunity to be interviewed by BMI Healthcare under South Central for ICU- General Area and Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust on September 14, 15 and 16.

For those interviewees who have not received the schedule of date for the orientation for the interview, please refer to the information below:

Date: September 13, 2009 ( Sunday )

Venue: Ascott Hotel Makati ( located near Glorietta 4 )

Room: Belgium & India

Time: 12 Noon

Dress Code: Smart Casual

Please pray that I may be able to pass the interviews if this really is the career path that God wants me to take. I have another opportunity to work abroad as a marketing director but am quite hesitant.

Your prayers will be greatly appreciated and would surely help me to find the path that I must pursue.

Forced Sick Leave Turned Into Real Sick Leave

I have prayed for my sick leave to be granted and I got it. That was more than a month ago though. Until now, I am still on an "on-call" status and wish it will stay this way forever.

My forced sick leave has really benefited me a lot in terms of financial aspects but to tell you the truth, I am still down with the sickness. I still have a hacking cough and usually get colds by night time. I have been prescribed to take Aerius and Kastair for 30 days and I'm down to consuming half of the prescribed number of pills. However, my cough is not getting any better. I am pretty sure I have no lung condition since I have gone for an x-ray last week and my lungs are clear. Doctors have told me that this might be a case of sinusitis or asthma and I should observe it for a while before going back for a checkup.

In the mean time, I'm enjoying the benefits of my forced sick leave by taking more time to apply to more freelance jobs online. There's always a good side to everything and all you need to do is to find the good in every bad thing that happens in your life for you to know that you are still blessed. J

"Forced Leave"

Due to "low patient count" and "cost-cutting means" in our hospital, I was given only 1 day of duty per week for the last 2 weeks. I can definitely call it a forced leave.

You already know that I was given a contract to work and get paid for 1 year. But then after signing the contract, I was never given enough work days. They're doing this so they don't have to pay me. Main reason is because they have volunteers working so why should they pay me when they can get services from fresh nursing graduates for free?

Anyway, i don't care anymore. I even think it's much better this way. I get to have current and ongoing nursing experience while working on my main source of income - oDesk.

I am Officially an Employed Nurse

.. and by that I mean that I am now getting paid as a dialysis nurse!

I visited the Human Resources Department this afternoon and asked about the status of my recommendation from our supervisor and discovered that it has been approved. I was then asked to sign the contractual papers and officially will be employed as a nurse from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. How nice is that?

How quickly time flies.. A few days ago, I thought about quitting my volunteer work and venture Cebu for a paid job as a nurse there. But this happened. God is good. And he has planned my whole life ahead of me.

I believe that He meant for me and my Rio to be separated from each other so that we can both grow holistically and discover ourselves eventually.

Anyway, I am now satisfied with my current status as an employed nurse. I just hope that in time, I will be able to save up the money I will earn to help Rio fulfill our dreams of having a family.

To all nurses who are still doing volunteer work:

Never let the institution/hospital abuse your help. You don't need them. They need you. Just keep in mind to always follow up your status with the Supervisor and never forget to pray and ask for the Lords guidance and blessings. I'm absolutely sure He has a plan fr you too.

God bless all volunteer nurses out there!! :)

The Hemodialysis Nurse is Still Alive

Yes, after 2 months of "training", I am now officially a nurse specialized in the Hemodialysis department.

Although the guys I work with are fun to be with, it still isn't fun working without getting paid.

Nursing here in the Philippines is getting too famous. Because of the tremendous supply of nursing graduates willing to take on training and volunteer work (even if they have to pay for it), the profession is being abused.

I say abused because even if you are a competent and skilled nurse, your achievements are not being compensated for. Take for example my case. I am a PRC licensed nurse with a board rating of 80%, an IELTS passer with a band score of 8, a California NCLEX passer, a trained ICU nurse and a trained Hemodialysis nurse. But do I get paid for doing work as a nurse? NO!!! NEVER!!!

Imagine.. I've worked for more than a year in the same institution I'm currently working in now. Yet up to this day, I still don't get any pay from the work I do in the special hospital areas I'm working in!

Asa man ang hustisya ani? (Where is the justice in all of this?)

busy?

Being a dialysis nurse for 2 months straight at 5 days a week has made me realize that I am starting to drift away from the things I love to do because I don't have time to do them anymore.

Honestly? Working without pay sucks BIG TIME!!!

Lie Sometimes

I made my first cannulation yesterday! Kudos to me! But before I did my 2 cannulations, I really had to lie to my patients. I had to convince them that I'm an expert in what I do and put on a face with dignity and pride. If they can tell that it's my first time or that I'm not confident in what I do, they wouldn't allow me to touch them.

As a nurse, I think it is understandable that you have to lie sometimes to get your patients to have trust in you. Trust is the basic foundation when you're managing a patient and without it, you can't interact well with him or her.

Am I right or am I right? :)

Be Patient With Patients?!

As a nurse, you do need to have patience. But one patient today almost erased the word "patience" out of my vocabulary. Imagine being scolded in front of many nurses and patients just because you used the concept "apply direct pressure on a bleeding wound"? Freakin' patient even told me to let her bleed to death..

I am a good nurse and I must do good in what I do. Grrrrrrrrrrr.. should I?

I'm just so frickin' pissed off right now. Good thing I know how to bottle up my feelings and didn't proceed to breaking her arm.

Working on a Sunday

Roman Catholics usually go to church every Sunday. To point out, I always go to church on a Sunday. But today is different. Today might be the first time that I'm "trading" religion for career.

When you're a nurse, you don't get to choose what days or shifts you want to go on duty. You have to stick to the schedule. If you do get the opportunity to schedule your shifts, it's not all the time. Sadly, being a nurse means sticking with routine.

Anyway, whatever I do on a Sunday still doesn't change my belief that God knows my heart. He knows that even if I have to work on a Sunday, He is never forgotten. A simple prayer to start the day, and constant utters of praises throughout the day will surely make up for not being able to go to church today..

Busy...busy...busy

Darn it.. I thought I would have the time to post updates before and after my shifts but never had the time or energy to do it.

They say working in the hemodialysis unit is easy. Well t tell you the truth, compared to the ICU, working at the hemodialysis unit is indeed much easier. But having to wake up early every single day is the tiresome part. There's also the risk of blood borne infections and diseases...

Anyway, since it's my first week working at the dialysis unit, my body is adjusting to the change in environment. For 8 months, I was "sterile". My bod is severely reacting to the recent exposure, that's why I had a fever 2 days ago, started colds yesterday and a dry cough today. It's scheduled..

Maybe tomorrow I'll be Hepa B +. Lol...

Papercut Wounds

Even though I really wanted to post a new entry after my shift, I didn't have the chance to do so. That's the problem with us nurses having to juggle work, friends, family, religion and personal goals.

Anyway, my day at work was fun. Until the time I got a papercut ( a wound/slit in your hand/finger that appears out of no where and for no apparent accident or reason). It was horrifying since I'm working in the Hemodialysis Unit and I usually work with Hep-B positive patients. Good luck nako!

Anyways, just droppin' by to update. Ciao for now!

Wake Up!

Welcome to my life as a nurse.

I'm on morning shift today and it's really a hassle. Who in the world would want to get up early to work? No one. If only they could change the duty shifts and schedule it at a much convenient time...

Waking up at 5 in the morning to be able to arrive before patient endorsements have become my routine. But to be honest, I am still thankful that I am not one of the many unemployed nurses who are still searching for jobs today. Although it's a tiring job, somebody's gotta do it.

See yah after my shift!