Joelle Mabalatan
7th floor Staff Nurse
Date of Hire: 12/02/07
I recently became a full-time employee on the inpatient floor of New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. Coming out of nursing school, I was overwhelmed by the career fairs, recruiters and “excellent benefits packages” each one offered. As a result, I was afraid I would miss an “excellent opportunity” if I committed to one hospital. After two years on an infectious disease floor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, I felt that work was becoming routine…
So, being the impulsive person that I am, I sought adventure in travel nursing.
I was excited about the possibility of taking on 3 month assignments at a facility
of my choice across the United States.
My first stop was the ACE unit of Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. I settled in to my new position and developed friendships quickly with my coworkers. Before I knew it, I finished my first contract and renewed it for another 3 months on the vent unit. Four months later, I was nearing the end of my 2nd contract. By that time, I had started working per diem at NYEEI to keep me busy on my off days. Although not a full-time staff member, I felt like I was part of the team and warmly welcomed by all.
Walking into the Infirmary on my first day, the undeniable feeling of “closeness” and “belonging” was everywhere, from Ambulatory Surgery Unit on the 5th floor, to Inpatient unit on the 7th floor, all the way down to the basement cafeteria! ! Ms. De Gracia, who oriented me and took me for a tour of the Infirmary made me feel like I was already part of the team by introducing me to almost everybody at the Infirmary.
More impressive was the involvement of staff members, especially nurses, in numerous committees, including the forces of Magnet.
Furthermore, it is especially encouraging to be surrounded by administrators who
really push their staff to be as involved as possible in reviewing and improving policies and procedures of New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.
All of the above prompted me to finally settle into a full-time position with this great institution. |
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