Good advice...

Maybe I should try out of these tips: 7 ways to stay positive during a long job search.    Going on 2 1/2 months.  Even for a nursing job!  Trying to maintain my PMA (positive mental attitude).  Hope these tips help others in needs.

Great medical emergency story

This story had my heart racing! Glad it turned out well!

Decades???

According to this article, I should get a nursing job sometime in the next decade. :p

Wedding Website

For those of you who have been asking, our wedding website is as follows:

www.mywedding.com/scottlauren

Here you can find accomodation, event and registry information, as well as see some pics from our prewedding events!

The trouble I'm finding....

Even though I am applying for hospital nursing positions, I have gotten nothing but rejections for 2 weeks, or no response at all. I am willing to work any shift, any med/surg floor, including weekends. And I still am having trouble! I found this article that gives a little insight....ARTICLE.

Luckily, I have an old job to fall back on for the time being. At least for a few hours a week.

New York Happenings: June 09 Edition

Friends & Family,

Well, its very sad that this is the first email you'll be receiving from me for quite a while.  That whole accelerated nursing school/selling jewelry/planning a wedding/studying for boards thing got in the way of a regular newsletter from me.  But I'm sure many of you understand and now that I am unemployed and not a student for at least a year, I hope to improve my game a bit and send these a bit more regularly!

It looks as though it has been 6 months since I sent my last email which is very sad.  But obviously a TON has happened since then!  The most exciting thing happened in the last week, which is that I passed my nursing boards and am officially a registered nurse and I get to put RN after my name.  What a good feeling that is!  I am currently searching for jobs but a bit nervous about finding an ER/ICU job (which I want) as a new grad.  I am going to hold out for a few weeks and try for these before I give up and attempt to get a med/surg job which I'd probably have to work for about 6 months before being able to transfer to an ER or ICU.  But I'm sure the experience would be good.  It just may delay my going back to school for a bit.

My last months of school involved community health, OB (of course I loved this) and my integration (basically an internship) in a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) which is where patients go directly after surgery. Though the PACU doesn't seem like a place I'd choose to work, I met some wonderful wonderful ladies at Allen Pavilion (about 220th and Broadway) and learned a lot.  I enjoyed myself quite a bit. Pics are included in the link above. I started studying for my boards in late March and just took them on June 1st.  It was a long stressful time and Scott and my immediate family know I was a bit unpleasant during this time.  I apologize for that. ;)  

On May 20th, I had my white coat ceremony and received my diploma for my Bachelors of Science.  Click "white coat ceremony" to see pictures.  My parents as well as Erin and Steve came into town for the event which meant the world to me.  Also during that trip, Erin and another bridesmaid of mine, Jamie Lyn, hosted a bachelorette part for me at Japas, a sushi and karaoke bar in midtown.  It was one of the best times of my life!  I'd show pics but...then again...maybe not.  Lots of fun.

Scott is doing well.  Trying to get out to audition as much as possible.  He was cast in a paid, regional show in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We were excited he got cast but sad to have to be apart for an unknown amount of time.  The show ended up falling through due to some reckless business men (the director and the producer) and Scott was stuck in Florida for an extra week because they wouldn't pay for peoples tickets back to New York.  They also still owe Scott a week's pay.  I am including a link  to an article about the whole horrible situation.  Not a good experience for a first paid acting job, but Scott remains upbeat which I am amazed at.  He got back to New York and immediately started working full time a Snug Harbor Productions, the general management company where he was office manager on and off before he left.  He just finished working there full time due to a few of their productions falling through, and has begun reviewing his drinks to get a bartending job. (He attended bartending school in February.)  He is hopeful about a couple recent auditions and we will of course keep you updated on his success. :)

So we've got a big day coming up 2 months from Monday!  That would be our wedding day! And we look forward to seeing many of you there!  Now that the boards are done and all I have to worry about is finding a job (all I have to worry about...ack!!!), I am beginning to get more excited and details are coming into place. I have learned that I am a terrible wedding planner and not a big fan of dealing with little details so I am very indebted to my mom and Scott's mom, Judy, for all their help!!

I hope that the past 6 months have brought you only good things! And i look forward to continuing our correspondence now that my life is a little bit more relaxed!  Love to all. Happy Summer,

Lauren Bachnick RN

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Sincerely,

LB

New York Happenings: End of '08, Beginning of '09 Edition

Friends and Family,

Ok, I know I know. I've been a pretty bad newsletter writer/blogger the last few months. But as many of you know, I have a valid excuse! Not only have I been working my way through an accelerated nursing program, I've also started my own jewelry business. More about that later.

The holidays have come and gone.  My trip home to Minnesota with Scott was quite busy, visiting family and friends, hanging out with Zoe and Tyler (Scott's 3-year-old niece and 8 month old nephew who are a couple of the most fun people I may have ever met), and trying to support an ailing extended family member. There were ups and downs, one down being that Erin and Steve were in Wisconsin for Christmas which is never my favorite though I understand. (This is why I advocate marrying a Jewish guy :)  ). But there's always next year.  I also had my first wedding shower while we were home which was lovely. Scott's mom's friends threw a beautiful New York (Minne-Apple, Big-Apple) themed shower and spoiled us rotten. We are very appreciative.

I just started school up again today after my 2 week break, and while January will be an easier month school-wise, I did not want to go back!  Thus far, I have made it through my med-surg, psych and pediatric rotations.  I am struggling now as to whether I want to maintain my current acute care track (ER/ICU stuff) or if I want to switch to Peds because kids, even if they're screaming their heads off, can really brighten up your day. And I'm not going to lie.  A baby butt is much more fun to wipe than an adult butt.  I don't think that can be denied.  I'm trying to maintain an open mind, and hoping the answer will come to me.   

I've managed to keep my grades up in school, despite my new business!  As you may already know, I began selling jewelry through Lia Sophia this November.  Lia Sophia is a fashion jewelry direct sales company with awesome jewelry, a lifetime guarantee, great sales and or me, the opportunity to make my own schedule (while in school) and still make an income.  I'm not going to say it's easy to run a small business while in school.  But it is a GREAT distraction when I need it and an opportunity to supplement Scott and I while we're working towards our career goals.  This business works like this:  I ask people to host parties, I send out invites to everyone on their guest list, and I present the jewelry/the company/ the opportunity at the party.  And the jewelry really sells itself.  It is a quality product that I believe in, and now I have an amazing jewelry wardrobe which I utilize daily.  Right now I am considered an advisor (lowest one on the pyramid) but still make a decent profit, enough to put some back into the company and pay some bills.  I also have my first recruit!  My lovely older sister, Erin, is working under me (and she may just be better at this company that I am, but she has to give me credit for everything she knows...almost).  Once I have 2 more recruits selling under me, I move up to a manager position and get a 10% raise on my sales. My goal is to get my other 2 by the end of February.  With 8 shows lined up this month, I'm hopeful.  (To view the jewelry, check out my website at www.liasophia.com/laurenbachnick and click on "Our Jewelry".)

Scott was in a show in November which my sister and Steve got to see when they visited just before Thanksgiving.  Another small, unpaid show, but as usual, Scott shined in his roles.  His temp office manager position at Snug Harbor productions is (hopefully temporarily) over as their projects are ending, and with the economy and Broadway as they are (dark and dreary), they didn't know when anything would come up that they needed help with.  Scott will go back to his non-profit temping agency but really hopes to find an evening job so that he can audition during the day.  He also recorded a voice over demo after taking classes for a couple months which is awesome! To check it out, visit his blog at: http://happyactor.blogspot.com.

He is a pretty talented guy. :)  I think I'll keep him.

We're not terribly busy with wedding planning at the moment. We seem to do things in bouts whenever we have time, though I know things will be picking up as we are nearing our 6 months to the date point. We're excited!

Hope everyone had a good holiday season and is thus far enjoying their 2009.  Health, happiness and love,

Lauren

http://newyorkhappenings.blogspot.com

www.liasophia.com/laurenbachnick