Your Healthcare Acronym Guide (YHAG)

2005-02-15 - 7:22 a.m.

I don't know why the hell I'm up. It all started last night when I couldn't keep my eyes open, and continued throughout the evening. I woke up at one point, signed onto Yahoo Instant Messenger, chatted with a couple of people, and fell back to sleep on the futon.

And, have you ever awakened mid-sentence in the middle of talking in your sleep, but you just keep on a-talkin'? Yeah? Well, I do that a lot. Try to refrain from sleeping with me, if you can resist my charm.

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I don't know how I managed to forget this, but I did. Most of you who know me from my other diaries, know that I have been in healthcare for 16+ years. I am 34, and started when I was 18. I loved it. I really, really loved it. And then I took a damn job with a certain population (severely mentally challenged clients -- not their fault, please understand) and I thought my career was over. Now, I had started out as a Personal Care Aide, or PCA. It was fun, but becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant, or CNA, was what solidified my fate. I loved doing it. Caring for elderly people, assisting the Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses (RN, LPN, respectively) with client care. Extremely rewarding work. I loved almost every aspect of it, and felt as though I was enhancing the quality of life for our elder-folk. Making them laugh was my favorite part, followed closely by listening to their tales of life, and the sharing of wisdom. That CNA license lapsed, because I took a job as a facility supervisor of an Adult Living Center (ALC), and the license wasn't needed. It lapses when not used.

Well, most of you know my recent foray into the world of the Video Rental Grunts Society, (or, VRGS -- wink wink) was a bust. I was 'released from my duties' for not removing some plastic and metal security clips on the DVDs, thus violating the company's loss prevention policy. That was on February 9th, and I've been looking for a job since then.

Yesterday morning, I find that a local Nursing Home is sponsoring CNA classes at a local community college starting this April. Needless to say, my resume has been updated, and is on it's way out in today's mail. Please, if you will -- wish me luck. I will keep you posted of any response I get from this organization.

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I managed to spill about a quarter of a one-liter bottle of Diet Pepsi on my keyboard. The funny thing is, is that the keyboard is fine, and the right 'Shift' key used to stick (don't ask) but now it doesn't.

I'll have to keep more beverages by my PC.

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Okay. I think I'm done. More tonight!

XOXOX

Jamie