Have I been hiding under a rock? No, just Nursing School.

Wow, it has been a long time since I have written anything in this blog. May of 2012 was my last entry and 2011 before that. Life has a way of taking up all of your free time, if you let it. I didn't have a choice. Nursing school doesn't leave much in the way of a social life or free time. The first couple of years weren't that bad... the last couple, though.

There are many choices of study when going to college. Many careers are not that involved and students enjoy a much different life style. Constant parties every night, that sort of thing. Nursing school is VERY different.

People assume that nurses really don't do much except wipe shit covered asses and take a temperature every now and then. Those people couldn't be more wrong. Nurses need to know damn near as much as doctors, if not more. We are advocates, educators, counselors, caregivers, change agents, managers, and researchers. We break things down in layman's terms when patients don't understand all the medical jargon. We soothe and comfort patients when they are scared. We assess our patients every day, sometimes several times per shift, to ensure that our patients are on the mend. We educate patients on health promotion and disease prevention. We provide emotional support. We assist patients in making the necessary changes in their lives to accomplish their own health maintenance. We allow our patients to make their own autonomous choices regarding their care, whether we agree with their decision or not. We interpret lab values and vital signs looking for signs of impending danger. We perform many procedures at the bedside and are responsible for administering medications that keep patients alive. We need to know all about the medications that doctors prescribe, the potential side effects, and interactions that could occur with any medications the patient is already taking.

Those are just a few of the many things that a nurse will do in a given day. But I also have to give a shout out to the other members of the healthcare team: respiratory therapists; occupational and physical therapists; dieticians; nursing aides; housekeeping; and unit secretaries. Without all of these people working in tandem, the system would fall apart. Each profession is equally important.

I digress though...

The past six years have been a roller coaster of ups and downs. It is about to culminate in a couple of weeks when I take my board exam. Nursing isn't a profession where you can graduate and just get a job anywhere. A student must prove that he/she has gained enough knowledge to perform our duties properly and keep people safe.

I should be studying right now, but, alas...here I am...

This was the last day that I had to wear the incredibly hideous uniform that student nurses wore. It was the final 12 hours of my 240 hour precepting experience (which can be considered interning...we do the work, we are supervised, and we don't get paid).

Here is my cap and gown...

My degree, honors cords, and nursing pin...

And the cake my parents got for the party.

It was a long journey, but I made it. I am still standing and am looking forward to the next chapter of this book. It begins once I pass my NCLEX exam, so...off I go to study for a bit before work.


Coming soon...my recent vacation.