Yes, folks, it’s true.  After two and a half great years at Anesthesia Pain Consultants of Indiana, April’s out the door.  It was a pleasure working with Dr. David Ratzman, and April thoroughly enjoyed pain management.  The knowledge she has regarding pain medicine and spinal injections is appreciated as probably 10 times what she learned in all of nursing school.

The good news, however, is the new gig.  The Charis Center is a large clinic on Indy’s northwest side devoted to the treatment of eating disorders.  Charis employs four and a half psychologists, 3 social workers, 1 MD / medical director, 2 part-time psychiatrists, one and a half dietitians, reception, and moi!  The center treats anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other associated disorders.  Patients are male, female, all ages (currently 4 to 80 years old).

The clinic has long had an intensive outpatient program (IOP) where moderately severe patients receive group therapy 4 hours a day 3 days a week.  On October 1, 2007 they opened their partial hospitalization program (PHP) where the more severe spend their days at the center, 7:30 am to 6:45 pm Monday through Friday.  Yikes.  The need for an RN came out of this project.  Lucky April.

April’s duties include pre-screening patients for both IOP and PHP.  She holds an hour and a half orientation session with each of them and admits them.  April also coordinates new patient appointments for all new outpatients as well and is in charge of all utilization review.  And she does it all in a half day every day!

Speaking of, you got it right - she’s gone part-time!  April works 7:30 to 11:30 Monday through Friday and loves it.  Her afternoons are devoted to domesticity and health (and the occasional Ellen show), and she couldn’t be more pleased with the way it’s worked out.

So here’s to housewives, normal eating, and new challenges!