Team Barnes

Team Barnes
"My mom becoming a travel nurse isn't what changed our lives. God allowing my Daddy to get heart disease changed it. And we're loving every minute of it!" -Zachary, age 9
Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Leaving Vanderbilt

My last week here is proving to be harder than I expected.  Closing a chapter in my life that has involved more than eleven years is bittersweet to say the least..  I know that we are following God's plan for our lives, but there is still pain in dealing with this loss.  I've dreamed of working at Vanderbilt to be a "children's nurse" since I was seven years old.  But, you can't start the next chapter in your life if you keep re-reading the old ones.  And I think that the only reason why people hold onto memories so tight, for so long is because memories are the only things that don't change, even when people do.  So for my benefit in documenting this journey...I've copied my goodbye letter to our staff below.

Hey Team.

As I have entered into my last week here, I did want to send a formal email to you all.  I know that there are rumors going around the unit that I am leaving; unfortunately this is true. I officially gave my resignation a while ago and my last day here will be this Thursday.  
There is one thing that I want to stress to you all before I leave.  Please know that my decision to leave has NOTHING to do with Vanderbilt or this job. Vanderbilt is my home and is still the place in which I want to retire. I am sure that most of you know by now, but just in case you don’t, my husband has recently been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and we have been trying to deal with all of it and the changes it has caused in our family for over the last 18 months. Despite meds, there isn’t any other treatment options for him at this point.  The doctors keep stressing to us that he needs to rest more and relieve stress.  With that said, I need to make some changes for my family and to help him get the rest he needs in order for him to get stronger (health wise).  

I am officially going to be working as a travel nurse for a while and my family is going to be traveling with me.  We are going to take this one assignment at a time.  My husband has left his job and his main focus from this point going forward is going to be to homeschool our children and get better. While we are excited about this opportunity, anxious about the changes and eager to see where our lives take us next, please know there is much sorrow in this decision as well.  Leaving here has never been my first choice, but I’m sure all of you understand why it is the choice that I have to make.

I am grateful for having had the opportunity to serve on this team as a leader for the past six months but even more to have served as a nurse on this unit for the last six years.  I have learned so much that influences my work as a pediatric nurse and that influences my life in many other areas.  No matter where life takes me and my family next, I will always look back to Vanderbilt as home and to the employees here as family.  Having spent the last eleven years at this facility, I feel as though I have grown up here.  Starting out as a care partner, I have transitioned through to a nurse extern, a PNR, an RN and finally a CSL.  I know that I’ve grown professionally in a way that I could never have hoped and leaving here has been the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make.  This hospital has molded me and helped me to become the person that I am today and I could not have asked for a better environment to work in than here.  I am so proud of this facility, of what it stands for and of what it continues to do in the lives of children every day.  I do want to thank you all for the opportunity to serve on this unit again.  And I am so proud to say that I have worked with such a skilled set of nurses and doctors!  I’m refusing to say “good-bye” to everyone, but rather just say “I’ll see you soon!”  And please know that even though I am leaving, I am still here for you.  If you ever need anything, my new email will be:  LindseyBarnes_RN@yahoo.com  You can also follow our family on our new journey from our blog:  www.BarnesFamilyTravels.blogspot.com .
I offer my best wishes for this team and its continued success.  I look forward to seeing all you again soon, especially when I get to come home to Vanderbilt.

Your friend,
LindseyB



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