Last week, I worked 54 hours. So far this week, I'm at 28. And it's only Tuesday. The other MA has been out with COVID (so she says). She's due back tomorrow, but we're taking informal bets that she's going to be out the rest of the week.

I was going round and round with the office manager via text this afternoon. She's also out with COVID. I'm pretty sure she got the less than subtle hint that I can't do this anymore.

I told the medical director that this one-man-band is going to cost the company and that if I don't get what I want, I'm out. He sheepishly asked "what do you want". He's well aware of what I want as it has been in my performance review for the past 3 years. And, for the past 3 years, it's been ignored.

I don't know what to say except sorry.
When you are conscientious and dedicated, you get to do everyone else's job. When you are a dedicated team player, you don't call in sick, until you're unable to stand. I get super tired of people who call out sick last minute a lot. I mean, sorry and all, but when they frequently call out same day, you can never really depend on them, and have to pick up their slack, it gets tiresome.
We are currently down 2 people; a vacancy for someone promoted 2 months ago, and a long term sick finally resigned, I am sorry about her. Thankfully we knew she was out for extended sick leave, not calling last minute all the time. -- her job has been empty for 3 months now. Now it is summer, our busiest season. They are interviewing now which means they won't start and be trained to really help til at least late August.
Seems like it is like this all over.. though we have hired 2 new part timers and both are awesome. Having just lost the last 2 awesome part times we'd only had about 6 months, lost to internal promotion/transfers!

I have this feeling that people just don't want to work anymore. They got too used to laying around home during the initial months of the pandemic.

On a brighter note, I just finished up a 110-hour pay period. No, that's not it. The MA that was out with COVID returned on Wednesday. I not only got to take lunch, I also left at a decent time.

And the news got better on Friday. They've hired another MA ! ! ! ! ! She won't be able to start for 2 weeks, but it's very promising. She just graduated from the MA program, so she's young and doesn't know what she doesn't know. That's ok. She was in for her drug test later in the day and she's very enthusiastic. (Don't worry, we'll temper that pretty quick.) But, being just out of school, all of her skills are fresh and she's eager to learn. Very much looking forward to her starting.

"When you are conscientious and dedicated, you get to do everyone else's job." How true! Because my former chief wants numbers, people do not check for editions and duplicates. Having to take books home and they are heavy! I get to catalog only 1/4 of the many books I took home---and I got tired of it. I was told I am slow, do not produce enough, and the other person got awards and outstanding behind her name! All the typos and whether they are duplicates or editions she does not care! I am so HAPPY to be gone from there. Now I am just fighting with clay soil, Bermuda grass and Bindweed. Oh, the satisfaction feeling I get when I managed to dig out a big lump of clay full with Bermuda grass tough roots, and long long strings of outreaching Bermuda grass branch reaching out with roots----and MICE!

You are right Rick about people not wanting to work anymore, especially work hard and do what they are supposed to all the way. My college son is working a summer job and he is enjoying it. He says he is happy getting consistent hours weekly and minimum wage while the job is not hard and he does his best. He even says his co-workers, also around his age group, complain all the time and he doesn't get it. We raised him to work hard with good habits but most kids now don't know what working means. I'm glad they hired an enthusiastic person to help you, I'm sure she will do well being fresh out of college and eager, there are some who know what the work ethic should be.

I met with the office manager today about the newbie. Currently, she starts on the 18th. But at the rate she's going through the new hire process, we may get a few days sooner. We've started putting together a training plan for her.

Every month, everyone on the clinic side has to be signed off by the Medical Director on specific skills such as blood draw, EKG, etc. We're going to have her get signed off on everything since the start of the year.

Counting the days!

How is your new coworker working out, Rick?
Still waiting to fill 2 vacancies, rumor aays they are interviewing this week so still weeks before they even start much less get trained.

She was off last week for previous plans,but she's back and she's rocking' it! Today was a giant step forwarded is now a certified collector for drugs screens and breath alcohol.

It's all look great having someone competent and wanting to learn.

Very good news, Rick!

Finally a word on the three and a half vacancies in my classification. One to start Sep 12, totally new to system and to library world, which means, couple months of getting really up to speed, November is when we'll feel some relief. And this person has zero child literacy in their background from what I can see , so, not what I think we really need most

It can be depressing. But, at least you have warm bodies on the horizon. Wait, that just doesn't sound right. You know what I mean, though.

Getting closer to semi-retirement! I'm in the process of setting up access to my retirement account funds. It's been set up as a transfer from the actual IRA to an annuity-type. In the past 2 months, it's made $8k in interest.

Once all of the connections are in place, I should be able to start making monthly withdrawals to offset expenses such as property taxes, etc. It's too bad I didn't hit the Billion dollar lottery.

I got to work Friday morning to find out that there was a major blow up between one of the MAs (not the new one), Center Manager and Medical Director. Apparently, she got into and argument with a patient over their test results and was actually making diagnosis-type statements, which is so far outside of an MAs scope of practice it isn't even in the same country.

At the end of the blow up, she gathered her belongings and left. She then proceeded to call out for Friday, leaving me with an 11 hour shift.

I don't know if she'll be back or not. I'm hoping not. Sure, it will mean more work for me, but it would be worth it to have her gone.

I had a feeling it wouldn't last. Our new MA, the good one, gave her notice this morning. She's decided to go back to school and finish her degree. She only has one year left. It's great for her in that she'll actually finish.

I let it be known that I am officially looking . If thing's go to plan, I should have an interview set up by the end of the week.

RickM said: I have this feeling that people just don't want to work anymore. They got too used to laying around home during the initial months of the pandemic.

Not to intrude on the Mid Atlantic forum, but…I think you're spot-on, Rick. It's been happening over here as well. A lot of hardware stores have been having trouble with getting employees to come back, because the employees decided they liked no-work days while they were staying home from COVID. It's pretty bad. Get up and work, stop being lazy people, is what I say to them.

Oh boy Rick. Roller coaster. You must have many options though. Hope you find a good one.
Library has had lots of turnover as well. But we are hiring some really sharp and good new people..
Yes seems like staffing, lack of, is still dragging on many places.

Now it's getting interesting.

The MA that was involved with the blow up last week gave her notice. I wish it would have happened months ago.

At any rate, come Sep 1, I'll be the last man standing. The office manager is trying to get an agency temp, but it still leaves me to do pretty much everything.

Trials and tribulations!

All that I can say is that I am so glad that I'm retired. Count that as a major blessing every day.

Ric, I didn't win that billion dollar lottery either that I so clearly had a chance at. Kind of fun thinking about the what if's though

As of 07:00 yesterday, Monday, I was the last man standing.

As of 08:30 yesterday, a really, REALLY Great agency temp arrived.

As of 08:30 this morning, I am the last man standing... again.

Yep, the agency temp didn't return. From what we gather, she didn't like the pace, even though the agency strongly emphasizes how busy we are. Her last job was in a private pediatrics practice. This was her fist contract assignment. It's a bit different going a 20-patient-a-day (maybe) setting to one that does 100 or more.

So, I had a sit-down with the office manager today. I let her now that I was actively looking. She asked why. I told her
a) I can't keep up this pace anymore. (I'm already at 22 hours for the week.)
b) that the company isn't going to let me go any further, and when I get that feeling, I'm out.

She acknowledged the amount of work I do. But, she's been thinking about the back office lead position, but hasn't come to a decision yet. She added that I'm doing all of the work, but not getting any official recognition. Today was supposed to be an 8-hour shift. That turned into 11 hours, again.

As I left her office, I told to feel free to pass the news up the chain. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Oh yea, I had an interview this evening. It's in Bethesda, but it's a somewhat slower pace and the job consists of getting patients ready for surgery, maybe some stuff in the O.R. and then caring for patients in recovery and discharge. No drug screens, no respirator fit tests, no vaccines, and so much more.

The really sticky part is that I have 6 weeks of PTO built up that I haven't been able to use. I was supposed to be off next week. That got cancelled.