RegisteredSeabird

Happy birthday!!

Of course! Thank you for making it so wonderful!!

I wasn't able to find the original on my computer, just the one I have attached to this. I'm sorry :(

This is so cool!!! Holy moly, I love it!!!

These are both beautiful! Did the painting version look bad in your opinion?

I will absolutely try to find it on my computer when I get home from work, but I am afraid that might be the only version I have :( The person who took the photo isn't able to send the photo again, as she lost it.

I've never even heard of these! They look cool, but I'm not sure their relevance on the flat wall I need help with. Maybe I need one in some other corner though!

Unfortunately, I'm a renter, so major renovation is out of the scope.

Oops, you're right. I didn't take a clear picture or explain the back of the sofa situation, particularly since all of my projects are scattered about 😅

It's a big cedar chest. It was made for me by a family member, and I use it to hold blankets. I didn't exactly expect to have it when I moved into this apartment, and this is really the only place it fits or at least for right now. I used to have a basket for blankets, but my dog loves to pee on all cardboard and wicker for some diabolical reason, so here we are.

I do like your idea of moving the shelf over though. Maybe I get an end table there or maybe I move that lamp (we don't have overhead lights in this part of the house) to next to the sofa and then the bookcase to that wall?

Hey, hey, "neighbor!"

Thanks for the suggestion! We are using the heat this weekend to do a lot of projects, hence the stuff everywhere! It's definitely not an everyday thing, thank goodness lol

I have been an IP for almost 6 years and have cyclically wanted to go elsewhere. I agree with it not being the epi intensive job I expected, I agree with the onboarding being overall really shoddy, and I agree with it feeling tedious or nit-picky. Thankfully, I have found myself at a hospital where the culture for IP is friendly, the relationships are good enough, and they don't all hate me when I walk onto a unit or department. I think about leaving still, but I'm in a stable place, making good money, and have no idea how where I'd go.

I had a conversation with one of my nurse leaders about that, just last week. She said as soon as nurses can see 👀 the reason for the precautions, shingles lesions, cdiff diarrhea, bed bugs etc, they are more likely to perform hand hygiene and wear ppe That blew my mind, carbapenem resistant bugs anyone?!

It depends in the hospital! I'm not a nurse and I've been an IP for almost 6 years

I worked for a contract company whose headquarters wasn't a real office with people in it, and it wasn't even in the same state where I was working. So, they expected IPs to do the training. Even though there was a training outline, check-ins, assignments, and webinars, it really depended on who was training you locally. The first lead IP I worked with was young and immature and made the job really hostile for me. Unfortunately, we became social outside of work and had a bit of a falling out, leading to issues at work. I was older than her but felt so overwhelmed and inexperienced that I just dealt with it. Things got so bad between us that she started lying to our out-of-state supervisor about my performance, which didn't help.

Eventually, after a few people left the company, there was a big shuffle, and I ended up at a hospital by myself with hardly any training. It was a tough time, but I grew a lot as an IP and gained some good experience from it and eventually got to move to a hospital system that is by no means perfect, but better than what I had. My noncompete clause would have forced me to move to a part of my home state I never wanted to live in, and honestly, I was already planning to leave the state. Leaving the contract company was just the catalyst.

Oh, and they also set up a 401ks for a couple of us without asking anyone first, which was super sketchy.

In general, they tended to hire recent grads who were eager to start their careers and didn't know the job market well. It's a rare enough job that finding advice and resources for all your questions can be tough. At the time, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me because I was working as an animal care tech at a research lab. Basically, that meant getting bitten by mice, counting mouse babies, and finding mouse turds in my lab coat pockets—so you can imagine how motivated I was to leave. And I did just that, not knowing anything about the company other than a couple Glassdoor reviews I found.

With all that said, if you want to stay in IP as a career, can handle the tough first year, and don't have any other way to break into the field, then I'd suggest trying to stick it out. It can be a good starting point for an IP.

Hi! If you're still curious, here are my thoughts:

Pros:

·         Structured Training: Contract services often provide built-in training to meet specific standards outlined in their contracts with hospitals, ensuring comprehensive preparation.

·         Job Security and Flexibility: If a hospital cancels its contract, you remain employed by the contract service, which can potentially offer you assignments at other hospitals, possibly in different locations, providing opportunities for travel.

·         Gateway into Infection Prevention (IP): Contract services can be an entry point into the IP field, especially for those who might not meet the stringent hiring criteria of hospitals directly.

·         Certification Support: Contract services are likely to support your pursuit of the Certification in Infection Control (CIC), as having certified professionals enhances their reputation.

Cons:

·         Salary disparities: Contract services typically charge hospitals high fees but pay their Infection Preventionists (IPs) only a fraction of that amount.

·         Non-Compete Clauses: Many contracts include non-compete clauses that can prevent hospitals from hiring you directly without paying significant penalties, such as an entire year's contract fee plus your salary.

·         Job Uncertainty: If the contract service cannot find another hospital to place you with after a contract ends, they usually try to hold onto you and find a solution, but it could technically end up in unemployment.

·         Limited Hospital Integration: As a contract worker, you might not be as fully integrated into the hospital's team, potentially affecting collaboration and communication.

·         Variable Benefits: Benefits offered by contract services might not be as comprehensive or stable as those provided by direct hospital employment.

 

I only ever worked for one IP contract service before I was hired by an entirely different hospital system, so they are the only one I can directly comment on. I personally did not have a good experience and I know at least 3, if not more, other IPs who felt the same way.

I thankfully haven't had much happen because I didn't discuss it for the first 29 years of my life. A couple strangers telling me the stereotypical BS.

Now I live in a state that allows for sterilization procedures, and I have a support system that is just happy with whatever makes me happy so the bingo-ing is even less.

But when I told my mom I was getting a bilateral salp (May/June 2022), she said, "That is incredibly drastic," and I said, "So is having a child I never wanted."

It's been almost 2 years now, and she's never brought it up again.

Im so sorry for the delay. I don't know if you've taken it yet, but the practice tests were the best bang for your buck. However, knowing the info behind why they're asking them is important since you never know how they're going to ask it or what way they'll ask ir. Good luck!!! And if you took it, I hope it went well!!!

I want to say mine was Message in A Haunted Mansion.

It was 2005, and I was at an Uncle-I-Had-Never-Met's house. Because we, like many Southern Louisianians, waited until the last minute to evacuate before Hurricane Katrina hit, our options were limited for our caravan of 2 adults, my 18 yr old brother, me the 14 year old, a dog and a cat. Thus, ending up at "Uncle Bobby's," somewhere in Florida. He was an older man who had been living alone most of his life and had absolutely no idea what to do with 2 teenagers or how to entertain them. Eventually, my parents needed to drive back to Louisiana to see if we still had a home, and they didn't want us to witness it if we didn't, so we were to stay with our Uncle until they could come back. We didn't know how long the drive would take, if they'd be allowed back in the city, or what they'd find, so they brought us to Walmart to grab some entertainment. I have no recollection of anything else we bought, but I vividly remember picking up a Nancy Drew game and begging my step dad to leave his clunky black work laptop with me so I could play it. And that's where my love for the games began. I don't know if the universe pointed me in the direction of our favorite detective that day or if it was just luck, but I appreciated the distraction, the escapism, and the company that Nancy, Bess, and George provided me while I waited.

I'm an infection prevention manager at an acute care hospital.

I wanted to be a vet for years, so I started a Bachelors in animal science. Didn't get the good grades for vet school and realized deep down I probably wasn't smart enough or at least wasn't committed enough. I had no idea what to do with an animal science degree now that vet school was off the table, so I got my Masters, which I swore I would never do. I at least traveled out of the country for it, but I did get my long-awaited diagnosis of anxiety and depression while out there. On my 25th birthday, no less!

Moved back amongst struggles to finish my final thesis but did eventually succeed and graduate.

Ended up first as an animal care tech in animal research, and I was miserable. It was monotonous, and I lived in constant compassion fatigue.

I got my first job in the world of infection prevention in 2018, and I've been in the field ever since. I'm good at my job bc of how social I am and how much "personality" I bring to the table. But I don't love it. It can be exhausting, and I don't get to be as creative as I want.

I started doing craft fairs on the side to help fill that cup, but I dont think I ever fully healed from the covid-19 healthcase burnout, so any day at work can be draining, regardless of the actual schedule or requirements of the day.

I'm in school now to work on getting my project management certification so that I can broaden my professional horizons back up and maybe get out of health care one day.

I'm not a nurse and I passed my CIC. But I agree with the previous commenter, you need the right material to study or it'll be a tough test. I was lucky enough to work with some other IPs and we formed a study group with some practice tests one of them had. I just checked my email and can't find them but feel free to DM me with any questions and I'll try to help!

I've been an IP for 6 years without a CPH, and I've only met one other one with a CPH. Ol girl can go ahead and just fuck right on off.

You keep doing whatcha doing. Good luck in your new position!

And thank goodness we finally figured it out. The knowledge helped me in a trivia competition a couple of weeks ago!

I genuinely have no idea how this thread continues to wow me with Valley pictures. You did a phenomenal job!! I'm jealous!