Beyond Contracts

Of what I did in-between contracts and what lead me to move workplaces.

Ahh. The long awaited end of contract and the taste of work freedom! I can still remember the first day I started working — all the anxiety, excitement, and the toxic days when I couldn’t help but wish I was working somewhere else. Don’t get me wrong, I was blessed with a good team to work with! Up to this day, I still consider my original teammates the best people I’ve worked with so far! But just as how astonished I was when I arrived here, I was eager to open more doors and explore endless work possibilities.

Not to generalize but most Filipino nurses going to America starts up in a rehab facility, long term acute care (LTAC) facilities, and outpatient clinics as opposed to our hardcore experience working full time in big regional or district hospitals back home. I recall explaining to my family where I was working, what a normal work day looks like, how I have super weird hours, and how it’s not a hospital. As traditional nurses, people often associate us as healthcare workers working within hospital walls and while there is definitely nothing wrong with outpatient facilities, I can’t help but aspire to work back in a hospital to once again experience a bigger collaborative team to work with. And more so, just to challenge myself.

I would be lying if I say there wasn’t a time where I haven’t thought about terminating my contract, especially moments when I can’t bear the unexpected long hours and when I have to deal with difficult staff and patients. But I was never the type to not finish a contract unless of course, I have to due to major life events. No matter how hard the job was, my conscience shrugs me knowing that my then company financed me to be here in the US and my boss gave all her best to train me so I may perform well in this profession. I owe it to them to atleast fulfill the years they asked me to stay. Besides, as a Filipino, we are known to be great care workers, I felt like I should live up to the standards and be respected as a nurse who sticks to what was agreed on. I remember when I first met my preceptor when I came here, she was an old yet very witty and kind nurse instructor — she told me that in our field, there’d be days when we will feel like quitting and her best advise to me was, “suck it up!” She meant it as a funny remark but the thought helped me to get through tough days.

Although, I know of people who were definitely not happy with where they were and I couldn’t blame them. Adjusting in America is already difficult, if you throw in a mix of a toxic and unsafe environment where you feel helpless and taken advantage of, that’s terrible. If matters boil down to talks of legality, it’s best to talk to a lawyer and see what your options are.

So back to my clinic journey. I thought I’d take things slow. Get my bearings and start applying PRN at hospitals. PRN means you can sign up to work at a different institution other than your current one but only on days you’re free. It’s like having 2 jobs or multiple jobs at the same time but you get to choose which free days you’d like to work and where.

However, Covid happened and my 3-day a week full-time job became my daily job. Just kidding! It wasn’t daily, but you know what I mean. Filipinos are known workaholics here. It’s not new to run by a Tita who’ll tell you that they used to work 6 days a week to make ends meet. This statement alone is making me realize how I’m slowly turning to be one of those Tita’s.

When you’re working here, you’ll find it hard to resist bonus hours. Besides, it’s not like I can go anywhere with the lockdown. Fast forward 2 years in the Covid era and I found myself a PRN job in a magnet hospital. Per Wikipedia, “Magnet designation hospitals provide patients and their families with a benchmark by which to measure the quality of care they can expect to receive. The “Magnet” name helps patients identify hospitals where they can find satisfied nurses and expect to receive a higher level of care.” — Wow. Here we go.

My real purpose of applying as PRN at a hospital while keeping my full time job is to “dip my toes” in the bigger environment and decide whether I like it or not. This will significantly help me decide which setting I prefer most.

And you guessed right. I like the hospital setting more. But there’s got to be more to just liking the hospital for you to decide to commit.

As days grew closer to my end-of-contract date in the clinic I was first assigned in, I weighed a lot of pros and cons on each side. I love my current team but the pay doesn’t justify the workload. I like the hospital but the schedule is not as flexible. These and a lot more questions. Am I moving to a different city? Do I need to tell my boss ASAP so she could find a replacement? Am I going to be missed? As days went by, I felt the separation anxiety creeping in.

Sure enough, when my contract was completed, I switched full time and committed to a hospital facility in a different city. No, I didn’t stay in the magnet hospital either. Personal life events shaped my current work state. Indeed, so many factors can change your mind in a given moment.

I realized that here in America, the freedom to choose where and when you want to work is limitless. Beyond contracts, you are free to choose whichever workplace and perks you like. You can again start another contract worth a number of years with bonus perks, just like how you signed a contract in exchange for coming to work in America. You can switch specialties and sign up for nursing residency classes. You can be a travel nurse and tour the country alongside. You can choose to apply on flexible days where you only work the weekends, or even just night shifts if that suits you. You can even altogether quit nursing and find a different job that’s not medical-related. Beyond contracts, you do things as you please. Holding a green card gives you this much of freedom and flexibility, it all depends on what floats your boat.

I hope whatever you decide to do after your contract, works out for you as it did for me. It will. Tiwala lang.