Chapter/Level III. What Industry Am I Interested In?

               A Nurse’s Prayer

When I falter, give me courage

When I tire, renew my strength

When I weaken because I’m human

Inspire me on to greater length

As doctors and patients become demanding,

And days are to short for all my duty

Help me remember I chose to serve

To do so with grace, and spiritual beauty

In humility Lord, I labor long hours

And though I sometimes may fret;

My mission is mercy – abide with me,

That I may never forget.

 

What are you going to do when you get out of the service?  No one ever asked me that question.  However I had no doubts about what I would do when I retired. I decided on the field of nursing at the age of 18 and have never questioned that decision. My only interest was to increase my knowledge so I would always be better prepared to meet the needs of those individuals under my watchful eyes and my dedicated care.

The Nightingale name is ours. The ideal persists, the lamp burns on, and the symbol endures. If you don’t try to do something, beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.

The only other industry I was slightly interested in was “Travel Agent”. I must admit this was for selfish reasons, as I had learned that if you sold enough airline tickets, I could travel by air at 75% off regular cost.  I did take a 2-week course with Western Airlines.

It was a very interesting course and I was glad to learn more about the industry, however nursing kept me busy, so I did not pursue this industry. I think I wrote a few flight tickets, but it did not seem to give me much satisfaction. I prefer to focus on what I do best. Helping others.

While I was in charge of the Medical Intensive Care Unit here at Camp Pendleton, one of my patients asked me to talk to him. He was pretty insistent, that I give up my career as a nurse as well as my military career. He said, I have noted that you are so observant I could make you a millionaire in the Real estate business in nothing flat.  I shook my head and said, “My dear patient, I don’t want to be a millionaire. I want to be a nurse”. I know where I am going with my career and I do not wish to go in any other direction.

There are many, many areas in the health care industry to travel. And the need is critical.

While I was a patient with my fracture a few years ago, one of my caregivers was a very tall, very squared away young man. I asked. “Are you or have you been in the military?

He said “Yes Ma’am. I am currently in the military”. I said, are you a corpsman? Much to my surprise, he said, “No Ma’am, I’m a Marine”. I was shocked but said to him. Young man, I praise you. Stand fast and believe in yourself. Follow your dreams and make them a reality. As I was there such a short period of time, I was never able to follow up with this individual and his on going endeavors. I often have felt sad, that I was not able to be there as a source of encouragement. However, one can’t be all things to all people. Just always be an inspiration when the occasion arises.

As I already had a retirement it was not something I really worried about with the jobs I took in the health care industry. I formulated my own second retirement fund by investing in an IRA fund. I am guessing there are health care industries that do have retirement funds. Likely Kaiser Permeate has a retirement fund. If that is your interest, then you must do your research if interested in the healthcare industry and potential retirement benefits.

I will make this observation. One is never too old to enter the healthcare field. I know this from a situation I encountered.

While I was a consultant at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, I happened one day to sit down at a table in the cafeteria at lunchtime with a few student nurses. One of the students was a 52-year-old male.  He informed me he had been a mechanic but became allergic to the fluids dealing with that type work. He decided to change directions and entered the BSN program at University of Nebraska. He had been tasked with caring for his mother while she was ill, and dieing and out of the blue, made an entire life style change and loved every single minute in his new roll.

You are likely wondering why I was an independent contractor. I did not ever have to seek out this position. Due to my clinical specialty of which there are only less than 2000 world wide, Medical centers and hospitals would find me, and seek my willingness to become part of their team. Physicians admired the ET nurse on staff.

In this current economy the healthcare industry continues to hire and add jobs to their system. In nursing alone, by the year 2012 the nation will have a shortage of over 400,000 nurses. I’m sure other positions in the industry will also have a shortage. This is a field where there will always be jobs available, so I would urge anyone remotely interested to look into the industry for various positions. You might find it to be an industry that will give you a great deal of satisfaction.  

So in parting “What industry am I interested in? I think I’ve made it clear as to “who I am?” and what industry I am interested in and have always been interested in since a teenager.

I made some smart choices. Luck perhaps, but I see it mostly as dedication.

The next part of this Chapter/Level III, I will provide some statistics regarding the Healthcare industry.  

“It is the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him.”

John Steinbeck.