Career Opportunities
So, ummmm. . . What’s new?
As Jenniffer has mentioned, yes, I do suck. In addition to that, I am proud to report that yes, I have a new job. No longer am I in the field of nursing. Gone are the days of slinging antibiotics and wiping away poop (one does typically lead to the other, you know!) Perhaps most importantly, I am now working a job with a (semi) normal schedule. Day shift, baby! Lots of them! I’ll have to work occasional evening shifts (2-10pm) and weekend shifts, but by and large, things are good.
So what am I doing, you ask?
Well, it’s a bit difficult to describe, but I’ll do what I can. I am now working for a company in St. Paul called PROSAR. You can think of it as an independent poison control and/or call center representing over 200 clients spanning a number of areas. We handle companies that manufacture pharmaceuticals (for both humans and animals), chemicals, food products, cleaning products, etc. Basically, if you were to have a safety/health concern regarding a certain product (for example, if you decided to see how Miracle-Gro tastes, then decided it wasn’t such a good idea) if you call the emergency number listed on the back of the package, you would be routed to us. Pretty cool, eh?
This week I have been taking phone calls on my own. It’s a bit scary sometimes, but everyone here has been more than friendly and supportive. The employees in the call center come from a multitude of backgrounds. We have nurses (like me!), vets, EMT workers, pharmacists, and vet techs. For the first few weeks I was here, I was being filled with information I never dreamed I would know, let alone have to refer to for a job. This is especially true with regards to anything involving animals (how do you treat a dog that thought its anti-inflammatory was so tasty it decided to eat the whole bottle?) There were times during my training when I was expecting to have a Matrix-like moment, rising up from my workbook to proclaim, “I know kung-fu.”
So, not only am I enjoying the work I’m doing, I’m also appreciating the benefits with working a job with a more “normal” schedule. I like the fact that after a day of work, I am free to fire up the grill, play some disc golf, or go see a movie. I can mow the lawn any day of the week, rather than being dictated by my sleep schedule for the week. Most importantly, I get to be home every night. It’s kinda nice. Though I don’t think I’ll ever be a morning person, at this point it is something I’m willing to put up with.
Lastly, when I accepted my position, I informed them that I already had a trip planned in May, and that I would need some time off. “No problem” was the answer, and so Friday morning B.C., Jack, Frosty, and I will be heading up to the Boundary Waters (what hasn’t been burnt down by forest fires last week.) There will be more information on this later.
As I type: listening to fingers clicking on keyboards and the air wooshing through the ductwork above me.
