I get it. I lost my job in July because I stood up to a mid-level manager that was talking down to me like a child and I don’t stand for that shit. He got me fired two days later.
I’ve filled out a couple hundred applications for positions that I qualify for, don’t qualify for, am overqualified for, but only ever infrequently get an autogenerated let down. It’s been a real mental strain just trying.
A couple of months ago, I rewrote my resume and posted on LinkedIn with their formatted post about looking for a new role so my contacts would see it. A couple of former colleagues messaged me to let me know about places that were hiring, which was kind, but I absolutely didn’t qualify for the open roles (think required nursing degrees).
Then, I get a call from a former colleague from a car dealership who is working at dealership about 40 minutes away. I used to sell cars, he ran the Used Cars department. He wants to know if I’m interested in doing it again? He loved working with me and has a desk open. He set me up with an interview with his GM in less than 24 hours.
Let me be clear: I am brutally honest and straightforward with everyone. I was very convinced that I would bomb this interview because 1. I would tell them that I got fired from my last job, 2. The schedule would be tough because as my parents get older, they rely on me to take them to doctors’ appointments and surgeries, etc., and 3. I would tell him that I tend to prioritize work above everything else to the point of illness (I’ve passed out from dehydration at work before).
I got the job. My only interview in 10 months and I got the job.
If you’ve filled out countless applications and not heard from anyone in your field, if you’re down to fumes in your bank account, apply to sell cars.
There are definitely dealerships that have no respect for their staff and their time, but your schedule is your schedule and you can leave when the clock strikes “Fuck You I’m Out.” Then, there are dealerships that don’t want to see you implode because your success is their success. They will train you to do the job. You don’t need anything but a HS diploma or GED, the ability to hustle, and basic customer service skills. (They wouldn’t scoff at good personal hygiene, though.)
You’re looking at great commission (base is usually 10% plus a salary, a bigger commission without a salary for more confident sales reps), bonuses for hitting target sales, bonuses for selling certain cars, etc.
Was it my favorite job ever? No. But, it made me great money and had a level of autonomy to it that I enjoyed. I didn’t have people breathing down my neck all the time because I was capable of managing myself.
Good luck to you all out there! I hope everything works out in your favor.

Hello All,
I have a pretty diverse background, I would consider myself more of a generalist. Essentially I have always been interested in many things, but really wanting to find myself a career and stay there.
I have two degress one in nursing and one in Communications & Sociology from Boston College. I am currently a registered nurse with ICU and behavioral health experience. Before becoming a nurse I had a career working for different tech startups in operations and sales. I wanted a more "stable" career since the starup world had so many layoffs. However, here I am wanting to get back into the corporate world and out of nursing (I also had a health issue which will not allow me to continue as a nurse due to the physical demands).
I'm looking to combine all my experiences and pivot into the Healthtech space or Insurance ideally in Customer Success or as an AE. Does anyone have any advice for finding these roles and beefing up my resume?
Thank you!

Hello All,
I have a pretty diverse background, I would consider myself more of a generalist. Essentially I have always been interested in many things, but really wanting to find myself a career and stay there.
I have two degress one in nursing and one in Communications & Sociology from Boston College. I am currently a registered nurse with ICU and behavioral health experience. Before becoming a nurse I had a career working for different tech startups in operations and sales. I wanted a more "stable" career since the starup world had so many layoffs. However, here I am wanting to get back into the corporate world and out of nursing.
I'm looking to combine all my experiences and pivot into the Healthtech space or Insurance ideally in Customer Success. Does anyone have any advice for finding these roles and beefing up my resume?
Thank you!

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Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
Christie emerged from the bathroom once her nerves had calmed and found one of the chateau’s windows that looked out on the western ridgelines. She reached into her handbag and produced a stick of lipstick, sighted on a curve of blackness intersecting a particular constellation rising into the night sky, and pushed a discreet button on the base. The task force now had confirmation that Rayker was inside the chateau and the machine would be set in motion.
As she turned to head back to the party, Christie saw a different range of mountains in the corner of her eye. A fishhook stabbed into the muscle of her heart and tugged, while she was nearly overwhelmed with nausea. For a moment, a dusty valley surrounded her, the rocky ground coursing with streams of blood. The ghostly white face of Rose Djallen was before her, life fading from her eyes. Christie wanted to gasp, but she let the pain wash over her in silence, as they had all done so often. A moment’s concentration brought her back to the present, and the dangerous operation ahead.
Rayker’s expression had been so devoid of warmth—as though she wore her psychotic nature with pride. Christie couldn’t understand how someone could be so inhuman. She wondered what would happen if Rayker sensed the trap that was closing around her. Christie knew that she, and probably some of the guests, would be taken hostage. No doubt the dozens of Rangers stalking through the darkness would break cover, racing through the night to rescue her, with one particularly hard-headed individual out front. The highly skilled operators now preparing their own move on the chateau would fight their way inside, killing anyone who resisted them. The Banshee, their well-armed gunship, would break its cloak, leaving its position behind Ambrosia’s second moon to rain hellfire down on the small army that provided security for the Helvetic League’s pleasure planet. Rayker would probably die in a hail of gunfire—giving Rose her deserved retribution—for the Valkyrie would eagerly sacrifice their own lives before leaving one of their own behind.
Then the news of the incident would spread, and humanity’s thirty-seven worlds would talk of nothing else but the secret army of super soldiers that protected them from the arsenal of the Jotnar—an ancient and extinct civilization, who’s abandoned weapons and warships littered the stars. Nations, corporations and crime syndicates would find ways to track down those weapons, exploiting their incredible destructive power for their own selfish purposes. There would be war, billions would die, and, like those who had preceded them, humanity would probably wipe itself out.
Rose had died protecting Christie from Rayker’s drone army, but she had also died to uphold Valkyrie’s ancient responsibility.
That operation had ultimately saved the planet Caldera, but in the chaos and confusion of the battle Rayker had managed to slip away. The organization had spent nearly two years trying to hunt her down, but she was too skilled, too deeply enmeshed in the Helvetic League’s underworld.
The council of chiefs, Valkyrie’s inscrutable governing body, had agreed to form Task Force Nemesis under the command of General Smyrna. She was assigned the Mountain Ranger’s Bravo company—the Venomous Vipers—a Raider squadron of elite counter terrorists, and a task unit from Orbital Demolition Team Four. Supported by the Banshee and guided by Christie’s intelligence gathering unit, their mission statement was simple—do whatever it took to kill or capture Allana Rayker.
As they made slow, painstaking process, they began to receive indications that their target had rejoined her old corporate paymasters at VennZech, the most powerful weapons manufacturer in the galaxy. Then, the news broke that Joakkim Meissner, one of Rayker’s suspected allies, had been promoted to Chief Executive, arranging his party on Ambrosia to celebrate.
He had also invited one of the League’s rising stars in physics. The brilliant young doctor Ernst Kolar was a specialist in theoretical energy development. He had recently published a paper describing a theoretical anti-matter reactor alarmingly similar to those that powered the warships and killing machines of the Jotnar. Christie’s team leader, Jiao Zhang, had offered the high-confidence assessment that Rayker would refuse to let such an asset out of her sight. And, on the protected world of Ambrosia, what could she have to fear?
But Valkyrie had been breaking through Helvetic security barriers since the creation of the quasi-imperial state, and had become extremely good at it. And so, the operation had been set in motion.
Christie took a deep breath and prepared herself, soothing away any traces of nervousness. She left the outer hall and re-entered the party.
***
“Olympus, Olympus, Olympus,” a voice intoned through Kayla’s headset.
The code word signaled that Christie had identified Rayker in the chateau, and the operation was a go. A double burst of static followed; a squad-level transmission from Kes. It was the order to take out the security guards.
Kayla and Ray had crawled as close as they could to their position, readied their stun rifle and waited patiently. As the signal came in, the men had pushed away from their boulder rest spot and were resuming their patrol through the woods. Kayla waited until their line of sight had passed her, before she stood slowly, weapon aimed. A faint rustle told her that Ray had done the same.
The guard at the back, still slurping from a water bottle, fell a little further behind. The stun rifle’s projectile hit him in the neck, shocking his nervous system into an overload state. He seized and dropped to the ground, unconscious. The men ahead of him span and there was a mechanical thump from Ray’s weapon. Her shot struck center mass, and another figure collapsed, just as Kayla pulled the trigger again. The last guard went down quickly, but, to Kayla’s shock, seemed to remain conscious. He struggled on the ground like a dying fish as he tried to reach for his radio, so she sprinted forward and kicked him in the head.
Kayla wrinkled her nose and cursed quietly. The scientist who had trained her squad on the weapon had explained that a failed shot would result in the victim emptying the contents of their bowels and bladder. Looks like she had been right.
“Three down,” she muttered into her helmet mic. “No other contacts in sight.”
Even so, she continued to scan the distant trees carefully.
Ray secured the guards with serum injections while Tian and Yak, the other two members of the fire team joined them. The projectiles were gathered into Tian’s rucksack, and, when the rest of the squad arrived, they moved off through the trees together, climbing the slope until they reached another crest, and a chain link fence.
Half a mile away from the chateau, the main security compound provided a base for the guard’s rapid reaction force. The compound had a single entrance and out of the blockhouse blue light flickered to the loud chatter of an excited racing commentator.
Kayla stopped in the shadows of the trees and waited patiently. The air above her head snapped and cracked as rounds shot past, impacting security cameras and sensors around the compound. The bullets were a large caliber, but with a thermic charge core. Each strike glowed brilliantly as intense temperatures melted through their targets, leaving no evidence of what had neutralized them.
She grinned. Thandi was going to work, and though her presence and skill made Kayla feel much more confident, she would still tease her about doing the ‘easy part’ later.
In the near distance, there were a pair of flashes and loud zaps as the base’s generator and backup went out to EMP charges. Another squad from their platoon was working their own approach. That made Kayla nervous. The two elements would soon have to meet up, and nothing could be more dangerous to those who owned the night than confusing each other for the enemy.
She took her team around the base to the now dark main gate as the on-duty guards emerged to check on the loss of power. Stun rifle shots knocked them out, and the squad regrouped behind the cover of a vehicle bay, while Kayla identified the largest building in the compound and watched it attentively.
They waited patiently until the silence was broken by a new voice on the radio.
“Eyes on the barracks, north side. No movement.”
“South side clear,” Kayla confirmed.
“Approaching,” the other squad leader said.
Kayla waited until she saw shapes emerging from the shadows and sprinting behind the back of the large structure. Then, one leaned out from the corner, watching. Kayla tapped a control on her helmet, and a perfect white line broke through her grey world, pointing towards the figure. She was answered with a similar flash of infra-red energy, and her anxiety eased.
Kes, who had also been watching, tapped her shoulder, and Kayla led off towards the barracks.
From outside the Rangers could make out the annoyed calls of men and women stumbling around in the darkness. One emerged from a side door and nearly got off a shout before Tian tackled him and knocked him out. The two squads moved quickly, cracking open doorways and rolling gas grenades inside.
Invisible and odorless, the gas contained the signature compound Valkyrie used to erase memories. The Rangers waited a few minutes, safe behind their face masks, then entered and confirmed that all inside were unconscious. Kes and Thandi smashed a few liquor bottles against the walls, while others dragged the bodies into the main room, and distributed more ‘evidence’.
Eventually, Kes called ‘all clear’, and Kayla emerged from the building into the night, lifting her faceplate to breathe in some fresh air. She saw her fire team, Ray, Tian and Yak, heading to the vehicles to place EMP charges, and began to follow them, when a sharp rap on her helmet brought her up short.
She turned to see Thandi, vizor up, and an expectant expression on her face.
“Was that a curse word I heard earlier?” Thandi asked, keeping her voice low.
Kayla shook her head. “Negative. I was providing a biological assessment of the dude.”
“Ick. Two in the barracks were uh… in the middle of something when they passed out. I had to pull them apart.” She pulled a face. “That was gross.”
Kayla winked at her friend, who was spiritual enough for the both of them. “Unmarried, I bet. Your god approves.”
Thandi nodded gratefully, then shot her a look. “He’s not just my—"
Kes marched over, her expression severe. “Do either of you have EMP charges left?” she demanded.
“Yes Corporal,” Kayla nodded, and patted her rucksack.
“There’s a couple of transports left in the north corner. Get on it, then rejoin us on the east fence. Come on, we need to move quickly!”
Kayla scampered away, buzzing with energy. The squad still had to head for the chateau, and take up their position in the perimeter that was slowly drawing tighter around Rayker. She glanced at the dark mountains around her. In a dozen locations, radar arrays, missile defenses and communications stations were being similarly neutralized by small teams of Valkyrie from the various units. Soon they would have their prey, and Kayla privately hoped that she wouldn’t surrender.
***
Christie found Doctor Kolar, alone as usual, in the main hall and painfully out of place at such a large social gathering. He nursed a champagne glass, and smiled at passersby. Christie stared at him until their eyes met, and he quickly looked away, pretending to study one of Meissner’s diamond statues.
She walked in his direction, and as she passed, she flashed him a shy smile. Then, returning to her coterie of admirers, she looked back with another friendly expression.
Kolar cautiously approached the group, obviously unsure of what to do. The men ignored him, but the second he managed to breach the outer mass of bodies, Christie was on him.
“Oh hello! I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure!” she cried, extending her hand and beaming like a searchlight.
The other men frowned as they lost her attention.
“Um… All mine,” stammered Kolar. “Sorry. I’m—”
“Doctor Kolar, isn’t it?” interrupted a renowned and pompous pianist. “You’re working on space batteries for VennZech weapons research, or some such thing?”
“Well…” Kolar gulped. “We’re starting a new project on micro-singularities at the Planck scale, you see the current theory on weak—”
“It’s weak, you say?” The pianist laughed raucously as he slapped the doctor’s back. “Well, I never would have guessed, old boy.”
“Tell me, Zotty,” Christie cut in, addressing one of the other men, “Didn’t you just tell me this was one of Meissner’s inner circle?” she tottered forward slightly as she spoke.
“Correct,” the elder son and heir apparent of the largest media corporation in the League replied with a smile. He lifted his gaze from her bosom. “Doctor Kolar’s work is vital for the Maestro.”
Kolar smiled gratefully. “Indeed. Well, it’s about energy generation.”
“Oh, I hope you aren’t helping him make more of those dreadful bombs,” Christie said, and pouted. “War is very wrong! Really, I don’t know why they haven’t sanctioned the company for some of the absolutely horrid things they produce.”
The surrounding billionaires nodded their approval, while Kolar flushed. “No… well, I mustn’t talk about it, but I shouldn’t be getting involved in that side of VennZech’s business.”
“Quite right.” Christie nodded. “Oh, but you’re dry.” She turned to a waiter, grabbed a pair of glasses from his tray and handed one to Kolar.
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie

Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
Christie emerged from the bathroom once her nerves had calmed and found one of the chateau’s windows that looked out on the western ridgelines. She reached into her handbag and produced a stick of lipstick, sighted on a curve of blackness intersecting a particular constellation rising into the night sky, and pushed a discreet button on the base. The task force now had confirmation that Rayker was inside the chateau and the machine would be set in motion.
As she turned to head back to the party, Christie saw a different range of mountains in the corner of her eye. A fishhook stabbed into the muscle of her heart and tugged, while she was nearly overwhelmed with nausea. For a moment, a dusty valley surrounded her, the rocky ground coursing with streams of blood. The ghostly white face of Rose Djallen was before her, life fading from her eyes. Christie wanted to gasp, but she let the pain wash over her in silence, as they had all done so often. A moment’s concentration brought her back to the present, and the dangerous operation ahead.
Rayker’s expression had been so devoid of warmth—as though she wore her psychotic nature with pride. Christie couldn’t understand how someone could be so inhuman. She wondered what would happen if Rayker sensed the trap that was closing around her. Christie knew that she, and probably some of the guests, would be taken hostage. No doubt the dozens of Rangers stalking through the darkness would break cover, racing through the night to rescue her, with one particularly hard-headed individual out front. The highly skilled operators now preparing their own move on the chateau would fight their way inside, killing anyone who resisted them. The Banshee, their well-armed gunship, would break its cloak, leaving its position behind Ambrosia’s second moon to rain hellfire down on the small army that provided security for the Helvetic League’s pleasure planet. Rayker would probably die in a hail of gunfire—giving Rose her deserved retribution—for the Valkyrie would eagerly sacrifice their own lives before leaving one of their own behind.
Then the news of the incident would spread, and humanity’s thirty-seven worlds would talk of nothing else but the secret army of super soldiers that protected them from the arsenal of the Jotnar—an ancient and extinct civilization, who’s abandoned weapons and warships littered the stars. Nations, corporations and crime syndicates would find ways to track down those weapons, exploiting their incredible destructive power for their own selfish purposes. There would be war, billions would die, and, like those who had preceded them, humanity would probably wipe itself out.
Rose had died protecting Christie from Rayker’s drone army, but she had also died to uphold Valkyrie’s ancient responsibility.
That operation had ultimately saved the planet Caldera, but in the chaos and confusion of the battle Rayker had managed to slip away. The organization had spent nearly two years trying to hunt her down, but she was too skilled, too deeply enmeshed in the Helvetic League’s underworld.
The council of chiefs, Valkyrie’s inscrutable governing body, had agreed to form Task Force Nemesis under the command of General Smyrna. She was assigned the Mountain Ranger’s Bravo company—the Venomous Vipers—a Raider squadron of elite counter terrorists, and a task unit from Orbital Demolition Team Four. Supported by the Banshee and guided by Christie’s intelligence gathering unit, their mission statement was simple—do whatever it took to kill or capture Allana Rayker.
As they made slow, painstaking process, they began to receive indications that their target had rejoined her old corporate paymasters at VennZech, the most powerful weapons manufacturer in the galaxy. Then, the news broke that Joakkim Meissner, one of Rayker’s suspected allies, had been promoted to Chief Executive, arranging his party on Ambrosia to celebrate.
He had also invited one of the League’s rising stars in physics. The brilliant young doctor Ernst Kolar was a specialist in theoretical energy development. He had recently published a paper describing a theoretical anti-matter reactor alarmingly similar to those that powered the warships and killing machines of the Jotnar. Christie’s team leader, Jiao Zhang, had offered the high-confidence assessment that Rayker would refuse to let such an asset out of her sight. And, on the protected world of Ambrosia, what could she have to fear?
But Valkyrie had been breaking through Helvetic security barriers since the creation of the quasi-imperial state, and had become extremely good at it. And so, the operation had been set in motion.
Christie took a deep breath and prepared herself, soothing away any traces of nervousness. She left the outer hall and re-entered the party.
***
“Olympus, Olympus, Olympus,” a voice intoned through Kayla’s headset.
The code word signaled that Christie had identified Rayker in the chateau, and the operation was a go. A double burst of static followed; a squad-level transmission from Kes. It was the order to take out the security guards.
Kayla and Ray had crawled as close as they could to their position, readied their stun rifle and waited patiently. As the signal came in, the men had pushed away from their boulder rest spot and were resuming their patrol through the woods. Kayla waited until their line of sight had passed her, before she stood slowly, weapon aimed. A faint rustle told her that Ray had done the same.
The guard at the back, still slurping from a water bottle, fell a little further behind. The stun rifle’s projectile hit him in the neck, shocking his nervous system into an overload state. He seized and dropped to the ground, unconscious. The men ahead of him span and there was a mechanical thump from Ray’s weapon. Her shot struck center mass, and another figure collapsed, just as Kayla pulled the trigger again. The last guard went down quickly, but, to Kayla’s shock, seemed to remain conscious. He struggled on the ground like a dying fish as he tried to reach for his radio, so she sprinted forward and kicked him in the head.
Kayla wrinkled her nose and cursed quietly. The scientist who had trained her squad on the weapon had explained that a failed shot would result in the victim emptying the contents of their bowels and bladder. Looks like she had been right.
“Three down,” she muttered into her helmet mic. “No other contacts in sight.”
Even so, she continued to scan the distant trees carefully.
Ray secured the guards with serum injections while Tian and Yak, the other two members of the fire team joined them. The projectiles were gathered into Tian’s rucksack, and, when the rest of the squad arrived, they moved off through the trees together, climbing the slope until they reached another crest, and a chain link fence.
Half a mile away from the chateau, the main security compound provided a base for the guard’s rapid reaction force. The compound had a single entrance and out of the blockhouse blue light flickered to the loud chatter of an excited racing commentator.
Kayla stopped in the shadows of the trees and waited patiently. The air above her head snapped and cracked as rounds shot past, impacting security cameras and sensors around the compound. The bullets were a large caliber, but with a thermic charge core. Each strike glowed brilliantly as intense temperatures melted through their targets, leaving no evidence of what had neutralized them.
She grinned. Thandi was going to work, and though her presence and skill made Kayla feel much more confident, she would still tease her about doing the ‘easy part’ later.
In the near distance, there were a pair of flashes and loud zaps as the base’s generator and backup went out to EMP charges. Another squad from their platoon was working their own approach. That made Kayla nervous. The two elements would soon have to meet up, and nothing could be more dangerous to those who owned the night than confusing each other for the enemy.
She took her team around the base to the now dark main gate as the on-duty guards emerged to check on the loss of power. Stun rifle shots knocked them out, and the squad regrouped behind the cover of a vehicle bay, while Kayla identified the largest building in the compound and watched it attentively.
They waited patiently until the silence was broken by a new voice on the radio.
“Eyes on the barracks, north side. No movement.”
“South side clear,” Kayla confirmed.
“Approaching,” the other squad leader said.
Kayla waited until she saw shapes emerging from the shadows and sprinting behind the back of the large structure. Then, one leaned out from the corner, watching. Kayla tapped a control on her helmet, and a perfect white line broke through her grey world, pointing towards the figure. She was answered with a similar flash of infra-red energy, and her anxiety eased.
Kes, who had also been watching, tapped her shoulder, and Kayla led off towards the barracks.
From outside the Rangers could make out the annoyed calls of men and women stumbling around in the darkness. One emerged from a side door and nearly got off a shout before Tian tackled him and knocked him out. The two squads moved quickly, cracking open doorways and rolling gas grenades inside.
Invisible and odorless, the gas contained the signature compound Valkyrie used to erase memories. The Rangers waited a few minutes, safe behind their face masks, then entered and confirmed that all inside were unconscious. Kes and Thandi smashed a few liquor bottles against the walls, while others dragged the bodies into the main room, and distributed more ‘evidence’.
Eventually, Kes called ‘all clear’, and Kayla emerged from the building into the night, lifting her faceplate to breathe in some fresh air. She saw her fire team, Ray, Tian and Yak, heading to the vehicles to place EMP charges, and began to follow them, when a sharp rap on her helmet brought her up short.
She turned to see Thandi, vizor up, and an expectant expression on her face.
“Was that a curse word I heard earlier?” Thandi asked, keeping her voice low.
Kayla shook her head. “Negative. I was providing a biological assessment of the dude.”
“Ick. Two in the barracks were uh… in the middle of something when they passed out. I had to pull them apart.” She pulled a face. “That was gross.”
Kayla winked at her friend, who was spiritual enough for the both of them. “Unmarried, I bet. Your god approves.”
Thandi nodded gratefully, then shot her a look. “He’s not just my—"
Kes marched over, her expression severe. “Do either of you have EMP charges left?” she demanded.
“Yes Corporal,” Kayla nodded, and patted her rucksack.
“There’s a couple of transports left in the north corner. Get on it, then rejoin us on the east fence. Come on, we need to move quickly!”
Kayla scampered away, buzzing with energy. The squad still had to head for the chateau, and take up their position in the perimeter that was slowly drawing tighter around Rayker. She glanced at the dark mountains around her. In a dozen locations, radar arrays, missile defenses and communications stations were being similarly neutralized by small teams of Valkyrie from the various units. Soon they would have their prey, and Kayla privately hoped that she wouldn’t surrender.
***
Christie found Doctor Kolar, alone as usual, in the main hall and painfully out of place at such a large social gathering. He nursed a champagne glass, and smiled at passersby. Christie stared at him until their eyes met, and he quickly looked away, pretending to study one of Meissner’s diamond statues.
She walked in his direction, and as she passed, she flashed him a shy smile. Then, returning to her coterie of admirers, she looked back with another friendly expression.
Kolar cautiously approached the group, obviously unsure of what to do. The men ignored him, but the second he managed to breach the outer mass of bodies, Christie was on him.
“Oh hello! I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure!” she cried, extending her hand and beaming like a searchlight.
The other men frowned as they lost her attention.
“Um… All mine,” stammered Kolar. “Sorry. I’m—”
“Doctor Kolar, isn’t it?” interrupted a renowned and pompous pianist. “You’re working on space batteries for VennZech weapons research, or some such thing?”
“Well…” Kolar gulped. “We’re starting a new project on micro-singularities at the Planck scale, you see the current theory on weak—”
“It’s weak, you say?” The pianist laughed raucously as he slapped the doctor’s back. “Well, I never would have guessed, old boy.”
“Tell me, Zotty,” Christie cut in, addressing one of the other men, “Didn’t you just tell me this was one of Meissner’s inner circle?” she tottered forward slightly as she spoke.
“Correct,” the elder son and heir apparent of the largest media corporation in the League replied with a smile. He lifted his gaze from her bosom. “Doctor Kolar’s work is vital for the Maestro.”
Kolar smiled gratefully. “Indeed. Well, it’s about energy generation.”
“Oh, I hope you aren’t helping him make more of those dreadful bombs,” Christie said, and pouted. “War is very wrong! Really, I don’t know why they haven’t sanctioned the company for some of the absolutely horrid things they produce.”
The surrounding billionaires nodded their approval, while Kolar flushed. “No… well, I mustn’t talk about it, but I shouldn’t be getting involved in that side of VennZech’s business.”
“Quite right.” Christie nodded. “Oh, but you’re dry.” She turned to a waiter, grabbed a pair of glasses from his tray and handed one to Kolar.
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie

I’m so sad rn… mad. Hopeless, disappointed, all of the above. I’m having a quarter life crisis at 24 and it just seems to be getting worse. Not to sound jealous or anything but I just refuse to open instagram anymore. EVERY time I open that app, it’s someone from my childhood/highschool posting their achievements. Seems like everyone went to law school, graduated and is a lawyer now. Some doctors, nurses, physical therapists etc. all just excelling. I feel like this is the time where everyone gets their “big girl/boy” job at this age. Also just saw someone become a PT and is moving to Dallas (where I had to leave) and they have a job set up. Meanwhile, I just had to move out of my apartment because I’ve been unemployed for 6 months, dealing with severe depression/adhd/ocd and can’t find a job to save my life and I’m loosing my mind. (Also don’t even try to suggest resume revamps etc. I’ve done it all, literally). Anyways, I’m regretting so much in my life rn. I should’ve just went to law school right after i graduated college in 2021, I had 2 years to make something of myself when I was in Dallas but have done nothing and failed miserable. I had so much going for me and did nothing. I got unexpectedly fired from a job i did finally find and it messed all my plans up. Now I’m stuck back with my toxic narc mom and unemployed. Smh. I feel like just hoping off the face of the earth and starting a new life. But either with what money? LMAOOO pitiful.

I’m so sad rn… mad. Hopeless, disappointed, all of the above. I’m having a quarter life crisis at 24 and it just seems to be getting worse. Not to sound jealous or anything but I just refuse to open instagram anymore. EVERY time I open that app, it’s someone from my childhood/highschool posting their achievements. Seems like everyone went to law school, graduated and is a lawyer now. Some doctors, nurses, physical therapists etc. all just excelling. I feel like this is the time where everyone gets their “big girl/boy” job at this age. Also just saw someone become a PT and is moving to Dallas (where I had to leave) and they have a job set up. Meanwhile, I just had to move out of my apartment because I’ve been unemployed for 6 months, dealing with severe depression/adhd/ocd and can’t find a job to save my life and I’m loosing my mind. (Also don’t even try to suggest resume revamps etc. I’ve done it all, literally). Anyways, I’m regretting so much in my life rn. I should’ve just went to law school right after i graduated college in 2021, I had 2 years to make something of myself when I was in Dallas but have done nothing and failed miserable. I had so much going for me and did nothing. I got unexpectedly fired from a job i did finally find and it messed all my plans up. Now I’m stuck back with my toxic narc mom and unemployed. Smh. I feel like just hoping off the face of the earth and starting a new life. But either with what money? LMAOOO pitiful.

So I'm trying so hard to get out of this line of work because im burnt out and i hate it. I've spent weeks crafting resumes, putting in applications, putting together a portfolio, preparing research on companies, and coming up with ways to articulate how my skills can align with jobs I can apply to. I applied to a simple customer relations job in insurance sales. I went to the interview and the guy pulled up my resume and seen I was a CNA and I could tell he was immediately done w the interview. It didn't matter that I had been a prior marketing manager. He asked how long ago the marketing experience was. When i told him it wad about 5 years ago he seemed agitated. He told me CNA skills didn't transfer over to insurance. I explained how in a hospital setting there is a massive amount of customer service that goes along with nursing assistant duties. We are generally the first ones who encounter and deal with upset family and patients. We have to be very good at deescalating people and effectively communicating. He didn't want to hear it. I don't think he believed it. I think people just see CNA and think "poop wipers". I fear I'll never get to leave this job for a more prestigious position. Especially at my age (36). I did this because I thought I wanted to do nursing, but I don't anymore 😮‍💨. Has anyone ever gotten out? How did you do it? Where did you go?

I have my Bachelor of Science in Health Service Administration. I've applied to over 100 jobs, according to a professional recruiter my cover letters look good and so does my resume. So far not a single interview. One job is working front desk at a dentist and they rejected my application instantly. I'm the perfect candidate for the position, I have front desk experience, I was a assistant manager, have a 4.0 GPA, I'm part of the ACHE , HSASA, and part of Upsilon Phi Delta.
Yet no bites. I'm honestly wondering why they say a HSA degree is useful. In my area to get a entry level job you need a nursing degree on top of it. I couldn't get into nursing due to how competitive the area is, and I broke my neck in highschool, so I live with chronic pain.
What do I do? I have my Workforce Scientific prep certification, my BLS certificate and am getting my license to be a sleep study tech.
I can't work a regular job in the service world because I can't lift shit, nor hear for crap. I'm disabled, but not enough to get disability, and I live in the hell hole that is Florida, so I'll be in the coverage gap going into 2027.

Hey guys ! I have nursing background . I have been leading a patient quality and safety project for the last 18 months . I got into this role with no experience its a secondment
I am now looking to venture out into this field more ie apply for permanent positions such as patient safety officer or quality and safety manager
Any advise on courses I can take to improve my resume?

So I’m applying to accelerated nursing programs and a masters entry program in my area (Bay Area) this summer. My stats are: 1.5 years of CNA experience working at a children’s hospital, 50+ hours of hospital shadowing, and more healthcare related volunteering experiences. A’s in all my prerequisites except for one class, chemistry. 3.91 undergraduate gpa. I’m studying my butt off for the teas and plan to get a 90+% grade.
My options are this summer I can work full time and move to a prestigious hospital, where I’m making a lot more money and can get my patient care hours up to 1,000 hours. It’s been a goal of mine to work at this hospital and it would look great on my resume. I am in communication with a recruiter who offered me a position.
Or I can retake chemistry for an A and stay at my current job. Chem is Monday-Thursday. Then, I’d have a 4.0 GPA, which I feel like is baseline in my area. I’m really insecure about the B I have in chemistry, which factors into my pre-requisite GPA.
To those who have applied to nursing school and know about the process, what is more valuable, getting my pre-requisite GPA up to a 4.0 or getting more diverse work experience at a prestigious hospital?
TL;DR: Applying to accelerated nursing programs in the Bay Area; should I retake a class for an A?

So I’m applying to accelerated nursing programs and a masters entry program in my area (Bay Area) this summer. My stats are: 1.5 years of CNA experience working at a children’s hospital, 50+ hours of hospital shadowing, and more healthcare related volunteering experiences. A’s in all my prerequisites except for one class, chemistry. 3.91 undergraduate gpa. I’m studying my butt off for the teas and plan to get a 90+% grade.
My options are this summer I can work full time and move to a prestigious hospital, where I’m making a lot more money and can get my patient care hours up to 1,000 hours. It’s been a goal of mine to work at this hospital and it would look great on my resume. I am in communication with a recruiter who offered me a position.
Or I can retake chemistry for an A and stay at my current job. Then, I’d have a 4.0 GPA, which I feel like is baseline in my area. I’m really insecure about the B I have in chemistry, which factors into my pre-requisite GPA.
To those who have applied to nursing school and know about the process, what is more valuable, getting my pre-requisite GPA up to a 4.0 or getting more diverse work experience at a prestigious hospital?
TL;DR: Applying to accelerated nursing programs in the Bay Area; should I retake a class for an A?

Importance of compliance in healthcare staffing

Compliance in healthcare staffing is of utmost importance in order to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of healthcare facilities. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the quality of patient care and protecting the well-being of both patients and staff. By adhering to compliance regulations, healthcare staffing agencies can not only avoid legal penalties and reputational damage but also foster trust and confidence among clients and patients. Additionally, compliance in healthcare staffing can contribute to the growth of business by attracting new clients and retaining existing ones. To grow business, healthcare staffing agencies must prioritize compliance and implement effective strategies to ensure that all staff members are properly trained, licensed, and qualified to provide the highest level of care.

Legal and regulatory requirements

Legal and regulatory requirements play a crucial role in ensuring compliance in healthcare staffing in New York. It is imperative for healthcare staffing agencies to adhere to the set guidelines and laws to maintain the highest standards of patient care and safety. These requirements encompass various aspects such as licensing, certification, background checks, and training for healthcare professionals. Additionally, healthcare staffing agencies must also comply with federal and state regulations regarding employment practices, discrimination, and privacy. By diligently following these legal and regulatory requirements, healthcare staffing agencies can establish a solid foundation for providing reliable and qualified healthcare professionals to meet the demands of the industry.

Consequences of non-compliance

Consequences of non-compliance Non-compliance with healthcare staffing regulations in New York can have severe consequences for healthcare organizations. Firstly, it can lead to legal penalties and fines, which can significantly impact the financial stability of the organization. Additionally, non-compliance can damage the reputation of the organization, leading to a loss of trust from patients and the community. This can result in a decline in patient satisfaction and a decrease in the number of patients seeking care from the organization. Furthermore, non-compliance can also jeopardize patient safety and quality of care, as staffing shortages and improper credentials can lead to errors and substandard care. Therefore, it is crucial for healthcare organizations in New York to prioritize compliance and ensure that all staffing practices adhere to the established regulations.

Understanding New York healthcare staffing regulations

Licensing and certification requirements

Licensing and certification requirements are essential to ensure compliance in healthcare staffing in New York. It is crucial for healthcare organizations to manage their staff effectively by ensuring that all employees possess the necessary licenses and certifications. By doing so, organizations can guarantee that their staff members have met the required standards and are qualified to provide quality care to patients. Managing your staff in this manner not only ensures compliance with legal and regulatory requirements but also promotes patient safety and enhances the overall quality of healthcare services.

Staffing ratios and patient safety

Staffing ratios and patient safety are crucial aspects of healthcare staffing in New York. Ensuring appropriate staffing ratios is essential to maintain high-quality patient care and prevent adverse events. However, healthcare facilities in New York are struggling to find the right balance in staffing ratios, which can impact patient safety. It is important for healthcare organizations to address this issue and implement strategies to optimize staffing levels. By doing so, they can improve patient outcomes and minimize the risks associated with inadequate staffing. To learn more about the challenges and solutions related to staffing ratios and patient safety in New York, click here.

Background checks and credential verification

Background checks and credential verification are crucial aspects of ensuring compliance in healthcare staffing in New York. These processes help to ensure that healthcare professionals have the necessary qualifications and meet the required standards before being hired. Background checks involve thorough investigations into an individual's criminal history, employment history, and educational background. This helps to identify any red flags or discrepancies that may affect their suitability for the position. Credential verification involves confirming the validity and authenticity of an individual's licenses, certifications, and other credentials. This helps to ensure that healthcare professionals are properly trained and qualified to provide quality care to patients. By conducting comprehensive background checks and credential verification, healthcare organizations can mitigate risks, maintain regulatory compliance, and safeguard the well-being of patients.

Developing a compliant staffing plan

Identifying staffing needs

Identifying staffing needs is a crucial step in ensuring compliance in healthcare staffing in New York. One of the key factors in maintaining a compliant healthcare staffing system is the ability to retain medical professionals. Retaining medical professionals is essential for providing consistent and high-quality patient care. By creating a supportive and engaging work environment, healthcare organizations can increase the likelihood of retaining skilled medical professionals. This can be achieved through offering competitive compensation packages, providing opportunities for professional development, and fostering a positive workplace culture. By focusing on retaining medical professionals, healthcare organizations can ensure compliance by maintaining a stable and qualified workforce.

Recruitment and selection process

The recruitment and selection process is a crucial aspect of ensuring compliance in healthcare staffing in New York. It involves a systematic approach to identifying, attracting, and hiring qualified healthcare professionals who meet the necessary requirements and standards. This process begins with a thorough analysis of the staffing needs and the development of job descriptions and specifications. Recruitment strategies, such as advertising job openings, utilizing professional networks, and partnering with educational institutions, are then implemented to attract a diverse pool of candidates. Once the applications are received, a rigorous selection process is carried out, which may include screening resumes, conducting interviews, and performing background checks. The goal is to identify individuals who possess the required qualifications, skills, and competencies to provide safe and high-quality care to patients. By implementing a comprehensive recruitment and selection process, healthcare organizations can ensure that their staffing practices align with regulatory requirements and promote compliance.

Training and orientation programs

Training and orientation programs play a vital role in ensuring compliance in healthcare staffing in New York. These programs provide healthcare professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills to adhere to the strict regulations and guidelines set forth by governing bodies. By implementing comprehensive training and orientation programs, healthcare organizations can effectively educate their staff on the importance of compliance, thereby reducing the risk of non-compliance and potential legal consequences. Moreover, these programs also contribute to boosting revenue by improving staff efficiency and productivity, leading to enhanced patient care and satisfaction.

Ensuring ongoing compliance

Monitoring and auditing practices

Monitoring and auditing practices play a crucial role in ensuring compliance in healthcare staffing in New York. These practices involve the systematic review and evaluation of staffing processes, policies, and procedures to identify any potential gaps or areas of improvement. By implementing robust monitoring and auditing practices, healthcare organizations can proactively identify and address compliance issues, such as ensuring that staff members have the necessary qualifications and licenses, adhering to patient privacy regulations, and maintaining accurate documentation. Furthermore, regular monitoring and auditing can help healthcare organizations stay up-to-date with changing regulations and industry best practices, thereby minimizing the risk of non-compliance and potential legal consequences. In summary, monitoring and auditing practices are essential components of an effective compliance strategy in healthcare staffing in New York.

Documentation and record-keeping

Documentation and record-keeping play a crucial role in ensuring compliance in healthcare staffing in New York. It is imperative for healthcare facilities to maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation of staff qualifications, licenses, certifications, and training records. This includes keeping track of background checks, immunization records, and any disciplinary actions taken against staff members. By maintaining comprehensive and organized records, healthcare facilities can demonstrate their commitment to meeting regulatory requirements and ensuring the safety and well-being of patients. In addition, proper record-keeping enables healthcare facilities to easily provide evidence of compliance during audits or inspections. Therefore, healthcare organizations should prioritize the implementation of robust documentation and record-keeping systems to effectively manage their staffing compliance obligations.

Continuous staff education and training

Continuous staff education and training is crucial in ensuring compliance in healthcare staffing in New York. As the healthcare industry is constantly evolving, it is essential for healthcare professionals to stay updated with the latest regulations, protocols, and best practices. By providing regular training sessions, workshops, and educational resources, healthcare organizations can equip their staff with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complex compliance landscape. Additionally, ongoing education helps healthcare professionals stay informed about emerging technologies and advancements in patient care, enabling them to deliver high-quality services. With continuous staff education and training, healthcare organizations can ensure that their staff members are well-prepared to meet the compliance requirements and provide optimal care to patients.

Addressing challenges in healthcare staffing compliance

Managing staff turnover

Managing staff turnover is a critical aspect of ensuring compliance in healthcare staffing in New York. With the constant changes in the healthcare industry and the high demand for qualified professionals, healthcare organizations must adopt effective strategies to address staff turnover. One key strategy is to prioritize employee engagement and satisfaction, as this can significantly reduce turnover rates. Additionally, implementing comprehensive training and development programs can help healthcare staff feel supported and equipped to handle their roles effectively. By focusing on these strategies, healthcare organizations can maintain compliance and ensure a stable workforce.

Adapting to changing regulations

Adapting to changing regulations is crucial in ensuring compliance in healthcare staffing in New York. As the healthcare industry is constantly evolving, it is essential for healthcare organizations to stay up-to-date with the latest regulations to maintain the highest standards of patient care and safety. This requires a proactive approach to monitoring and implementing changes in staffing requirements, licensure, and certification. By closely following regulatory updates and collaborating with regulatory bodies, healthcare staffing agencies can effectively navigate the complex landscape of compliance and ensure that their staff meet all necessary criteria. Adapting to changing regulations not only helps healthcare organizations avoid penalties and legal issues, but also promotes a culture of continuous improvement and commitment to providing quality healthcare services in New York.

Dealing with staffing shortages

Dealing with staffing shortages is a critical challenge faced by healthcare organizations in New York. To ensure compliance in healthcare staffing, it is essential to develop a comprehensive strategy that addresses the recruitment and retention of qualified professionals. One key aspect of this strategy is the implementation of a comprehensive marketing plan for dental practice. A well-designed marketing plan can attract potential candidates and highlight the unique opportunities available within the healthcare organization. By leveraging digital platforms, social media, and targeted advertising, healthcare organizations can effectively promote their dental practice and engage with qualified professionals. This proactive approach not only helps in addressing staffing shortages but also ensures compliance with regulatory requirements in healthcare staffing in New York.

Conclusion

The importance of compliance in healthcare staffing

Compliance in healthcare staffing is of utmost importance, especially in a highly regulated industry like healthcare. It ensures that healthcare organizations and professionals adhere to the necessary legal and ethical standards. The importance of compliance cannot be understated as it helps in maintaining patient safety, protecting patient rights, and promoting overall quality of care. In New York, where healthcare staffing is a critical aspect of the industry, compliance becomes even more crucial. Healthcare organizations in New York must comply with state and federal regulations to ensure the well-being of both patients and staff. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in serious consequences, including legal penalties and reputational damage. Therefore, it is essential for healthcare staffing agencies and professionals to prioritize compliance and stay updated with the latest guidelines and requirements.

Benefits of maintaining compliance

Maintaining compliance in healthcare staffing in New York offers several benefits. Firstly, it ensures that healthcare facilities are operating within the legal and regulatory framework, promoting patient safety and quality of care. Compliance also helps to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in the healthcare system, safeguarding public resources. Additionally, maintaining compliance enhances the reputation of healthcare organizations, instilling confidence in patients, employees, and stakeholders. By adhering to compliance standards, healthcare facilities can also avoid costly penalties and legal consequences. Overall, the commitment to compliance in healthcare staffing in New York is crucial for maintaining ethical practices, protecting patients, and upholding the integrity of the healthcare system.

Commitment to providing quality patient care

Healthcare organizations in New York have a strong commitment to providing quality patient care. They understand the importance of ensuring compliance in healthcare staffing to maintain high standards of service. By adhering to strict regulations and guidelines, these organizations prioritize patient safety and well-being. They invest in rigorous screening processes, comprehensive training programs, and ongoing professional development to ensure that their staff members are competent and qualified. Additionally, they regularly evaluate and monitor their staffing practices to identify any areas for improvement and implement necessary changes. This commitment to compliance not only ensures that patients receive the best possible care but also contributes to building trust and confidence in the healthcare system in New York.
In conclusion, starting a healthcare staffing business online in 2023 is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs. With the increasing demand for healthcare professionals, there is a need for staffing solutions. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily start your own healthcare staffing business and tap into this lucrative market. Don't miss out on this chance to make a difference in the healthcare industry. Visit our website, How to Start a Healthcare Staffing Business Online 2023, to learn more and get started today!

Living in a small southern town, you get used to the way things are. I grew up as a military brat, so my childhood memories are a blur of packing, unpacking, and getting settled. It had been seven years since we arrived, and nothing but the grace of God would make me move again. A few years ago, my father got orders to station at a base in the middle of the Mohave. I was only seventeen then, but after a few dozen screaming matches, I decided to strike out on my own a little early. I got a part-time job at the cafe, which was enough to rent a little run-down shack a couple of blocks from downtown. As far as I was concerned, I was living the dream—serving coffee a few hours a week and spending the rest of my time hanging out with friends, listening to music, and drinking.
That particular morning started the same as any other. I woke up around noon with a text from Mark to meet me at the cafe. Took me about two hours to get up and head over. The sun had just begun its descent as I pushed the door to the cafe open, the bell above tinkling softly. The sound bothered me a little bit, but I couldn’t tell why. It seemed to ring a little louder than I was expecting, and gave me this strange drilling sensation inside my head.
I ignored the feeling as the smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries washed over me. I saw Mark and Jamie already sat at our usual spot. Mark looked up as I approached, a grin spreading across his face. "Hey, Alex. Sarah should be here soon."
“So what's on the docket today?” I asked as I sat down, stealing a bear claw off Jamie's plate and taking a large bite before he had the chance to protest.
Mark’s excitement was almost palpable. He was always the one with the big ideas and crazy schemes, which I honestly appreciated. They got us into trouble more often than not, but it beat day drinking in the Walmart parking lot like everyone else our age.
"Alright, check this out," Mark said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I was talking to my cousin who works for the county. He told me about this old, abandoned food processing factory just outside of town. They used to can peaches there."
I gave him a skeptical look. "That’s your idea? Old, canned peaches?"
"No, idiot," he scoffed. "They left behind a ton of nitrates and phosphates. I’ve been doing some reading, and we can use them to make fireworks. I was up all night figuring it out and putting these together." He subtly opened his backpack to reveal at least a dozen PVC pipes fitted on both ends.
"Now that's what I’m talking about," I said, grinning.
Sarah walked in, catching the tail end of our conversation. "Sorry I’m late, I had a breakout and had to stop by the pharmacy. Upped my allergy meds. I fucking hate pollen," she said as I scooted over to make room for her on the bench.
"Is there anything you aren't allergic to?" I laughed.
She rolled her eyes, ignoring my question. "So, what's the plan for today?"
Mark, Jamie and I exchanged cheeky glances. "Well," I started, "let’s just hope you’re not allergic to peaches."
We finally managed to pry the side door of the factory off, which broke free from the hinges and smashed against the floor. Stepping inside, the air was thick and rancid as we bounced the beams of our flashlights around the packaging floor.
"We should split up," Mark suggested. "Alex, you and Sarah check out the storage rooms for the chemicals. Jamie and I will find the control room and see if we can get the power back on."
All of us nodded as we went our separate ways. Sarah and I wandered down the dark hallways, kicking open doors and looking for anything that looked vaguely like chemicals. The corridors were dark and damp, with black mold snaking along the walls like veins.
The first few rooms we checked were empty, filled only with dust and the remnants of long-abandoned equipment. Each door creaked as we pushed it open, revealing more decay and desolation.
As we moved further down the hallway, the mold seemed to become more aggressive, spreading in thick, dark patches along the walls and floors. The air grew heavier, making it harder to breathe. We kicked open another door, our flashlights revealing more of the same—nothing useful.
"This place is a bust," Sarah muttered,
"Let's keep looking," I replied, though I was starting to feel the same way. "There has to be something."
We continued down the corridor, our footsteps echoing in the silence. As we approached the end of the hall, something caught my eye. One door stood out, covered in black, creeping mold that seemed to pulse and writhe. Tendrils of fungus snaked out from the edges, reaching out into the hallway.
"Sarah, look at this," I said.
She turned to see what I was pointing at and her eyes widened. "That’s... different."
We approached the door cautiously as the tendrils moved and swayed.
With a deep breath, we each grabbed one side of the door and pulled. It resisted for a moment before giving way, the mold snapping and tearing as we forced it open. The smell that hit us was overpowering, a mix of rot and decay that made my eyes water.
Inside, our flashlights revealed a horrifying sight. At the back of the room sat several pallets with dozens of boxes of peaches each. But it was what grew from these boxes that will haunt my nightmares till my dying day.
The entire back wall was consumed by a towering fungal mass. Thick, fleshy stalks jutted out from the base, climbing nearly to the ceiling. The surface of the fungus glistened with a slimy, wet sheen, appearing almost like rotting flesh under our flashlight beams. Each stalk was covered in a mottled, sickly green and yellow hue, with patches of black mold that seemed to pulse in the dim light.
Interwoven within this horrific sight were bulbous growths, each one throbbing rhythmically, as if with a heartbeat of its own. They resembled obscene, overgrown tumors, ready to burst at the slightest touch. Long, sinewy tendrils extended from the main mass, creeping over the boxes and along the floor like the fingers of some malevolent creature, seeking out any life to ensnare.
The tendrils near the door twitched, slowly inching their way toward us as if aware of our presence. The air was thick with spores, glimmering in the light like tiny stars, each one a potential harbinger of decay and death.
"Oh my god," Sarah whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of our own breathing. "What is that thing?"
We stood there, frozen in shock and disgust, before I slammed the door shut.
"Let's get the hell out of here," I said.
We hurried back down the corridor, our footsteps echoing in the oppressive silence. The lights in the facility flickered on, casting a blinding white light. I heard a bubbling, groaning noise emanate from behind the fungal door, sending a wave of nausea through my body.
We met back up with Mark and Jamie in the main area and quickly told them what we saw.
"Yo, that sounds sick," Jamie exclaimed. "We should blow it up. I found the chemicals in the control room and these bad boys are ready to go," he said, holding up a pipe bomb.
"Yeah," Mark agreed, his eyes alight with excitement. "We'd be doing the world a favor, getting rid of that thing."
Sarah shook her head, her face pale. "No way. I'm not doing this. That thing... It's not normal. We need to get out of here and call someone who knows what they're doing."
Jamie frowned. "Come on, Sarah. Don't be a buzzkill. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do something epic."
"Epic?" Sarah snapped. "That thing is dangerous. We don't know what we're dealing with. I'm not risking my life for some stupid joke."
Mark stepped in with a grin. "Alright, let's all calm down. If you’re scared you can just let the men handle it.”
Sarah crossed her arms. "Fine, but I'm staying here."
"Suit yourself," Jamie said, shrugging. "But we're not leaving without taking care of that thing."
"Alright, let's do this," Mark said, looking at Jamie and me. "We'll be quick. Sarah, stay here and keep an eye out.”
The hallway looked completely different in the fluorescent lighting. I could see now that each vein of fungus emanated from that single door, like a spiral portal threatening to suck us in.
"Let's make this quick," I whispered, glancing back at Jamie and Mark. "We light the bomb, throw it in, and get the hell out of here."
Jamie nodded, holding the pipe bomb tightly in his hand. "Ready when you are."
We reached the door, and the tendrils of fungus seemed even more aggressive, writhing and pulsing as if aware of our presence. The air was thick with spores.
"On three," I whispered, gripping the edge of the door. "One... two... three."
We yanked the door open, the mold snapping and tearing as it gave way. The smell of rot and decay hit us again, making my eyes water. The monstrous fungal mass loomed before us, its bulbous growths throbbing rhythmically.
Jamie lit the fuse and threw the bomb as hard as he could inside. It struck one of the orbs, which burst, shooting a fine white mist into the air.
"Run!" I shouted, slamming the door shut. We turned and sprinted down the hallway. The explosion sounded behind us, the shockwave lifting me off my feet and sending me tumbling to the ground.
Living in a small southern town, you get used to the way things are. My parents were in the army, so we moved a lot, but now I'm staying put. I woke up around noon and got a text from Mark to meet at the cafe. The smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries greeted me as I arrived. The bell's ring seemed off, giving me a small headache.
I ignored it and slid into the seat across from Mark and Jamie. “So what's on the docket today?” I asked, stealing a doughnut off Jamie's plate.
“Going to go to an old peach factory and get some chemicals. I need to make some fireworks,” Mark replied, subtly revealing some pipe bombs in his bag.
Sarah walked in towards the tail end of our conversation and silently stood next to our table.
The three of us glanced at each other, unsure of how to proceed. “Sarah,” I finally started. “Are you ok?”
“Y-yeah,” she replied. “Are YOU guys feeling ok?”
We exchanged uneasy glances. “Yeah, we’re fine,” I said. After a moment, she shook her head and sat down as we continued our plans.
That evening, we broke into the peach factory. We found this disgusting, gigantic fungal growth coming out of some boxes of peaches and we blew it up with some pipe bombs.
The next day I woke up around noon and got a text from Mark to meet at the cafe. The smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries greeted me as I arrived. The bell's ring seemed off, giving me a small migraine.
I ignored it and slid into the seat across from Mark and Jamie. “So what's on the docket today?” I asked, stealing a maroon off Jamie's plate.
“Going to go to an old peach factory and get some chemicals. I need to make some fireworks,” Mark replied, subtly revealing some pipe bombs in his bag.
Sarah walked in towards the tail end of our conversation and silently stood next to our table.
The three of us glanced at each other, unsure of how to proceed. “Sarah,” I finally started. “Are you ok?”
“Y-yeah,” she replied. “Not really. Are YOU guys feeling Ok?”
We exchanged uneasy glances. “Yeah, we’re fine,” I said. After a moment, she shook her head and sat down as we continued our plans.
That evening, we broke into the peach factory. We found this disgusting, gigantic fungal growth coming out of some boxes of peaches and we blew it up with some pipe bombs.
The next day I woke up around noon and got a text from Mark to meet at the cafe. The smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries greeted me as I arrived. The bell's ring seemed off, giving me a piercing migraine.
I ignored it and slid into the seat across from Mark and Jamie. “So what's on the docket today?” I asked, stealing a bagel off Jamie's plate.
“Going to go to an old peach factory and get some chemicals. I need to make some fireworks,” Mark replied, subtly revealing some pipe bombs in his bag.
Sarah walked in towards the tail end of our conversation and silently stood next to our table.
The three of us glanced at each other, unsure of how to proceed. “Sarah,” I finally started. “Are you ok?”
“What's going on?” she asked, tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m scared.”
We exchanged uneasy glances. “It’s fine, Sarah. Just take a seat,” I said. After a moment, she shook her head and sat down as we continued our plans.
That evening, we broke into the peach factory. We found this disgusting, gigantic fungal growth coming out of some boxes of peaches and we blew it up with some pipe bombs.
The next day I woke up around noon and got a text from Mark to meet at the cafe. The smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries greeted me as I arrived. The bell's ring seemed off, giving me a splitting migraine.
As I slid into the seat across from Mark and Jamie, I noticed Sarah outside, fixated on a bird suspended in mid-flight. I went out to see her.
"Are you seeing this?" she asked, her voice tinged with astonishment.
"Yeah," I replied nonchalantly. "That happens all the time. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"
"What the hell do you mean, 'Am I feeling okay?'!" she screamed. "That bird is frozen mid-air, and you don't think anything weird is going on?"
Her yelling took me aback. I didn't understand her alarm, so I shrugged it off and joined Mark inside. As we began planning our nightly excursion to the peach factory, Sarah burst through the door, screaming, then vanished in a puff of smoke.
"That's odd," I mused, my brow furrowed in confusion before we shrugged it off and resumed our scheming.
The day after, I met Mark again at the cafe. This rhythm had become our existence: meetings by day, adventures by night at the old peach plant. That evening followed the familiar pattern; we reveled in the thrill of hurling pipe bombs into that small enclosed room.
This routine had completely engulfed our lives. Day after day at the cafe, night after night at the factory—it seemed as though this cycle was all we had ever known. Reflecting on it, I couldn't remember any other way of life.
However, one thing increasingly disturbed me—the ringing of the doorbell at the cafe's entrance. Each time I entered, the sound seemed sharper, more grating. Focusing on it brought a searing pain to my head, like a needle drilling through my skull. Yet, despite the agony, I found myself obsessing over it, the sound gnawing at the edges of my sanity.
One day, driven to the brink by this incessant ringing, I decided to confront it head-on. I stood by the door, letting the bell chime repeatedly. Each ring sliced through my mind, but I persisted, sweat beading on my forehead, teeth clenched in torment.
As the pain crescendoed, reality shattered. I woke to the blaring of a fire alarm, not the quaint doorbell I had imagined. The cafe was engulfed in chaos. The hallway was consumed by a sprawling fungal mass, its tendrils creeping along the walls.
In the dim, flickering light, I saw Jamie, or what was left of him. Half of his skull was missing, the fungus attached grotesquely to his exposed brain, pulsating with each eerie beat of his fading heart. Mark was there too, seemingly unharmed physically, but trapped in a delusion, his eyes glazed over, a smile playing on his lips as the fungus encased him.
Sarah lay collapsed by the fire alarm, her hand still on the lever. She had managed to pull it before succumbing to the spores that now clung to her body.
The tendrils that had enveloped me snapped violently, each break releasing a sickening crack that echoed through the eerie silence of the hallway. An outline of my body remained imprinted in the fungal mass, a mold from which I had desperately broken free.
Gritting my teeth against the pain and horror, I scrambled to Mark and Sarah. Mark was less entangled, lost in his fungal-induced stupor. I grabbed him under the arms, his body limp but alive, and dragged him across the floor. The fungus resisted, stretching like sinew before tearing away from him with wet, ripping sounds.
Sarah was heavier, her body weakened but still fighting. I clasped her wrists, pulling with all my strength. The fungus clung to her, tendrils winding up her arms like ivy. With a final, determined yank, the last of the tendrils snapped, freeing her. We left behind fragments of the monstrous growth clinging to her clothes.
Together, we staggered out into the night air, away from the suffocating enclosure. The cool air hit our faces, harsh yet cleansing. Behind us, the fire alarm continued to blare into the night. I fumbled with my phone, hands shaking, to dial the emergency number. The call went through, and within minutes, the sound of sirens cut through the stillness of the night, growing louder as help approached.
The next few days were a blur. I remember fading in and out of consciousness as nurses pumped antifungals directly into my IV, their faces blurring into the sterile environment. Once we were somewhat cognizant, the police wanted answers. One by one, we were interviewed, but we gave them nothing. I still don’t know what the exact penalty is for manufacturing explosives and using them to destroy a building, but I’m guessing it’s not community service. Jamie was still missing, and they hadn’t found any sign of him or his body. I tried to hide my tears as I knew he was already long gone.
After a few weeks, I was finally cleared for visitors and got to see Sarah again. She told me that after the explosion, she ran but couldn’t leave us behind. She came back, only to see us being consumed by the fungus. Try as she might, she wasn’t able to free us as she felt the oppressive spores take her under. She fought back and managed to pull the fire alarm before succumbing again. The doctors told her that her allergy medication gave her some resistance to the fungus; otherwise, she might have been a goner.
Mark was never the same. We never talked about what happened, and after trying once and him flipping out, I figured it was best to let sleeping dogs lie. That summer, he moved to upstate New York to work in his dad’s business. I haven’t seen him since. That fall, Sarah started college at Savannah State. I still call her every now and again, but it’s not like it used to be.
Despite all that happened, I’m not moving again. I’m happy here, and if it’s up to me, I’ll die in this little town. I still work at the cafe, as a manager now. On weekends, I come in and just sit at the booth we all used to share.
I still think about Jamie from time to time. I wonder if he's dead or still stuck in his delusion, picturing the four of us sitting at our table, talking, laughing, and passing the time. Sometimes, when the cafe is empty and the light is just right, I can almost see him there, his smile frozen in that moment before everything went wrong.
The cafe grows quieter each day, the hum of life fading into an eerie stillness. My skin feels different, as if the air itself whispers secrets I can't quite grasp. The itching that started as a minor annoyance has intensified, becoming a constant torment. I scratch at lesions that have begun to form on my arms and chest, red and raw, with patches of green spreading beneath the surface. I’ve started to wear long sleeves to cover my arms and a mask to hide my purpling lips.
Some nights, when closing, as I sit alone in the dim light of the cafe, the itching becomes unbearable. I claw at the lesions, feeling a dampness beneath my skin. Sometimes, when I cough, I could swear I see tiny spores hanging in the air, reminiscent of the bursting nodules growing on the stalks of the monster.
Occasionally, I hear the bell ring and the door open, but no one is there. I look outside into the empty night and see nothing. This went on for weeks, becoming more frequent. But one night, the door opened, and I saw Jamie standing there, the picture of health. I went to embrace him and noticed my lesions were gone too. It was almost as if we had never gone to the peach factory. It was suddenly morning, and the light shone through the cafe. For the first time in forever, we were happy. We talked about nothing, passing the time.
After what felt like hours, he told me it was time to go. But his mouth wasn’t moving—I felt like I could read his thoughts, and he could read mine. We stood up as I took one last look at the cafe and headed off with him, back to the peach factory.
As we walked, a strange calmness settled over me. I remember feeling that I wanted to ask if he had talked to Mark or Sarah, and wondered how they were doing. But deep down, somehow, I could feel their presence and I knew they were doing just fine. The sun was bright, the air crisp. The itching had vanished completely, replaced by an inexplicable craving for the sweetness of ripe peaches. Jamie and I shared a silent understanding, a bond deeper than any words could convey.
The factory loomed ahead, its doors wide open as if inviting us in. The familiar scent of peaches and something else—something earthy and ancient—filled the air. We stepped inside, side by side, feeling at home for the first time in ages.
The last thing I remember before the darkness took over was the feeling of the soft, warm peach flesh in my hand, and Jamie’s voice in my head saying, "Welcome home."

Next month will be 5 years that I have been a Registered Nurse.
In honor of that, I’d like to share one (of many I have had) career defining moments…my first patient code.
I had been a RN for maybe 6 months and was working overnights from 7pm to 7:30am. I had just come on to shift and received report for my patients when the son of one of them called and asked to speak with me.
He goes on to explain that he’s concerned for his Mom because she hadn’t had much to eat or drink in the couple days she had been a patient with us. He was also concerned about her ability to communicate with staff effectively as she was older and had multiple strokes that left her forgetting a lot of her English. Instead, she tended to mumble in her native language…Polish.
After speaking with him, I immediately looked up key words in Polish I knew I would need if I was going to be able to connect with her the same way I do all my other patients.
I looked up the Polish word for nurse. Pielęgniarka.
Next, I looked up the word for pain. Ból.
Medicine. Medycyna.
Potato. Ziemniak.
Water. Woda.
Potato seems random, but in my conversation with her son, he said her favorite food was mashed potatoes (mine too!) and that’s what she had ordered for dinner earlier that was still sitting on her table to eat.
When the time came and I entered her room, I found her lying in bed, seemingly bored, but curious as to who I was. I introduced myself as her nurse using the word I had just looked up and she greeted me with a smile.
The next 10-15 minutes after had her and I laughing together as I haphazardly tried communicating with her using broken Polish and hand gestures. You could tell there was a language barrier, but it didn’t stop either of us from getting our point across, and the giggling from us both lightened the mood.
I remember feeding her the mashed potatoes and hearing her go, “Mmmmmmm” as she swallowed them.
I remember her declining the “woda” I kept offering.
Then I remember her clutching at her hip and writhing in pain. That wasn’t a shock considering she was there with a broken hip awaiting surgery, but had to be off her regularly prescribed blood thinners for a while first. I asked if she had pain and she nodded yes. I asked if she wanted pain medicine and she said yes. I gave it to her and watched her settle back down until she began itching her arms motioning to me that she was uncomfortable. I massaged lotion into both of her arms as she sighed of relief and said, “Very good! Very good” taking both of my hands into hers to thank me.
I smiled back and said that she was welcome. Knowing she was feeling better, I went to round on other patients, occasionally peeking in to see how she was doing. After an hour or so, I went back in her room and saw that she had fallen asleep. I fixed her nasal cannula as it had fallen down from her ears and I checked her foley to make sure the tubing wasn’t getting kinked. I made sure she was covered with her blanket so she wouldn’t be cold. Hospitals are always so cold…
I went to another patient’s room. 2 minutes later, one my CNA’s came to me saying they just went in her room and she wasn’t breathing.
What? How?
I just came from there and she had been sleeping peacefully. There were no signs of distress.
What do you mean she isn’t breathing?
I ran to her room. I checked for a pulse. No pulse.
Panic set in. I quickly confirm she’s a full code and my staff and I jumped into action.
One of us got the crash cart. One of us paged for a code. One of us started compressions while the other ambu bagged her.
Suddenly a bunch of staff are at my side as we all fall into our assigned roles.
I remember those compressions I did on her. No one ever talks about the trauma that CPR does to a person’s body…
How the ribs crack like uncooked pasta underneath your hands.
After rounds of CPR, we managed to get a pulse back and transferred her straight to the ICU where she coded again.
We resumed our roles. We must have tried for over 30 minutes.
She wasn’t coming back.
The family (her son and daughter) had been contacted and the doctor called it.
The rest of that night was a blur to me. I had other patients to take care of, so I went back to my unit until the family had arrived and asked to speak with me.
I told them everything that happened from the first moment I walked in to her room. I showed them my chicken scratch notes of the polish words I looked up. I explained that I had no explanation for what could have happened as I saw no signs that she was in danger. And then I broke down crying apologizing profusely feeling like I had completely failed her and them.
Suddenly the son hugged me, then the daughter. They both thanked me for doing what I did for their mother, stating that most people wouldn’t have even taken the time to look up Polish words. Then he said something I’ll never forget. He said she knew her time was coming as earlier that day she mentioned to them both that she would be going “home” soon.
To this day I wish I knew what happened. To this day I try to think about what signs I could have missed. To this day I wonder if I could have done anything differently.
I’ll never forget her, and I think of her often hoping her last moments here provided some bit of love and comfort.

A few days ago I posted about an episode of gas and I ended up in the ER the next day. Here is the link: https://www.reddit.com/GastricBypass/comments/1cpygwn/dehydration_constipation_hypoglycemia_oh_my/
Things have been ok the last few days but today I had another episode. It happened about 30 minutes after eating lunch. I had what felt like gas pressure squeezing in my throat. I took some Maalox to relieve the gas but it made things worse and felt like fire in my upper stomach/throat. It went on for about 20 minutes and was so painful I almost called 911. Finally, I vomited about 1 tablespoons of fluid (I’m guessing stomach acid?), and immediately the pain and pressure went away. That happened about an hour ago and I’m feeling ok now, but I still have a little residual burning in my throat-kind of like heartburn. I’ve messaged the bariatric team and I’m waiting on a response.
Has anyone experienced this before? The ER doctor seems to think it was reflux, and now I’m wondering if it is. I’ve been told I have a very small hiatal hernia, so I’m wondering if that contributed. I don’t know if I should call the GI doctor in the meantime or wait to hear from three bariatric team. It was so painful and scary, I’d like to keep it from happening again! Just wondering if others have experienced this type of thing. Thanks in advance for any advice.~~~~
Edit: spoke with the batiatric nurse. She told me to resume Prilosec and go back to liquid diet for 2 days, and gradually return to normal foods. Call them if I have another episode.

Hello! I am a student in nursing school (Texas), entering third semester this upcoming fall. I just wanted to ask, how important is it that I join the Student Nursing Association? It feels like it is being shoved in our faces to join and we’re being told that it will be important to have on our resumes if we want good jobs, but I’m just not much of a club person nor do I care for it. But I will join it if it’s that important. Thoughts?

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START DATES: 6/10, 6/17, 6/24 start dates
SHIFT: PM
LENGTH: 13 weeks
​

• Up to 5 days RTO accepted
• Covid vaccine not required

If you are interested in more info or to get submitted email resume & certs to [AGustamente@Prolinkstaff.com](mailto:AGustamente@Prolinkstaff.com)
Text or call me for details! 614-254-6567 Alexis w/ Prolink
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Hey everyone,
I'm about to graduate as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) in about a month, and I'm feeling pretty confident about my upcoming boards. However, I'm starting to get a bit nervous about finding a job in Las Vegas. I've been searching on sites like Indeed and LinkedIn, but there don't seem to be many job openings for PMHNPs. Plus, none of my preceptors are currently looking to hire anyone.
I'm wondering if it's common or advisable to take my resume directly into psychiatrists' offices and ask if they have any job openings. It feels a bit daunting, especially since I'll need to find a collaborator for my initial hours.
Has anyone here gone through a similar experience? Do you have any tips on how to approach local psychiatrists or other ways to find job opportunities in this field? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!

PAY PACKAGES: $2940/weekly gross - 48 hours ( $34.19/hr, $51.29 OT, $1162 per diem) $2235/weekly gross - 36 hours -($29.81/hr, $44.71 OT, $1162 per diem)
SHIFTS: AM & PM
LENGTH:13 weeks
START DATES: 6/10, 6/17, 6/24
REQ'd CERTS; BLS, ACLS, PALS, TNCC, CPI required
Covid vaccine not required
If you are interested in more info or to get submitted email resume & certs to [AGustamente@Prolinkstaff.com](mailto:AGustamente@Prolinkstaff.com)
Text or call me for details! 614-254-6567 Alexis w/ Prolink
#CRITICALCARENURSE #ERRN #EmergencyRoomRN #EDRN #emergencydepartment #TravelNurse #TravelRN #Travel #Nurse #TravelNurseJob #travelnursejobs #NurseLife #NurseLife #travelnurseadventures #TravelNurseCommunity #wichita #KANSASNURSE #KANSASRN #TOTO #OVERTHERAINBOW #WizardofOZ