my first day as a RN!!!!!

Wow. Years spent in school, and life choices brought me to this point. You see, today was my first official day as a staff RN! A lot of training awaits, but I could not wait to get to work today, and I slept about...oh, 4 hours!
At no point did I understand what I was getting myself into, and what a RN really does.....so today was a real wake up call.
Admitting patients, trying to explain different things, getting concerned over the sleepy LOL from surgery, and trying to get someone's pain under control. What a day. But, I clocked out with the most IMMENSE satisfaction that I could ever imagine. To all my fellow nurses: NEVER forget that job satisfaction should be part of your job everyday. If it's not, find it! life's too short!

Orientation in the classroom

Ok, I'm sick of looking at computer screens to orient. I need to get to the floor and actually interact with patients....I'm just bored! Seriously, though, class is going well...we've learned this neat relaxation technique, and learned the computer system....but I just can't wait to get to the floor. But that's all at the moment.

getting more and more nervous....

So, my OFFICIAL pass letter came today....and yes, it was accompied by yet another form asking me for $50 to process and send my RN license. You know, if I could just pay x dollars at once, it wouldn't be so bad. Instead, you get these little bleeding amounts that mean you have to figure out where you have the money at, and how much you need until that first check, and how much more you need to get you by for groceries, and which bills will have to wait a month...
(sighs) I'm beginning to think I should have kept working...but the time have has recharged my batteries...and I'm actually excited/nervous to start doing the floor work...which means I must be stir-crazy bored. Somebody remind me of this fact when I start complaining about the floor.

what school really taught me...

85%DRUNKARD

Created by OnePlusYou

just saying...

what nursing teaches you about real life....

So, after a few weeks off, it hit me. My life has been greatly blessed by the ABILITY to touch so many people through my words and deeds. My knowledge helps teach people how to be or get better, and how to enrich their personal lives.
I am not a NASTY nurse. I am a firm believer that your attitude on the clock determines what kind of shift you're going to have. You can't change the patients, you can't change the orders, but you CAN change how you react to it.
Personally, I believe that this is why my personal life has been the smoothest it's ever been. I enjoy the world, the annoyances don't seem to bother me as much anymore, and my friends have never seemed so important!
After 4 years of not really having any kind of relationship, I now have choices when it comes to who I WANT to spend my time with. I value the time I have been spending with 2 or 3 select people who seem to make the days go by faster....and fill them with hope and the promise of change.

Day 2 of 10.........

So, as a favor to my dad, I agreed to let him get out of town this week....before I start orientation. It's only day 2 out of 10...and I'm bored....it's tough to imagine that he does this all the time. I'm taking care of my grandmother...basically it's cooking meals, emptying commodes, changing the bed, company. Noting too major, so go figure....
Thank god that some system around here is working...it took about 30-45 mins for my computer to find the connection, but it eventually comes online...so it's a good deal. Won't be doing any shopping online here, but it's good to be able to check in on things...other than that, I guess I better go read out with my grandmother at the table...keep her a little company...

hmmm...what have I done?

answer: Not a dang thing. Trying to catch up on reading, clean the apartment, get things together for licensure/orientation, It's hard to believe I have exactly 12 days until I start my new job! In fact, yesterday I got a email with my scheduled plan for orientation. 6 days of classroom, and 2 days of floor work for the first 2 weeks...then floor work. Then classes again in September. I'm looking forward to it.
One of my friends just took NCLEX today, and got 90 some questions...I'm sure she passed though. So, crossing fingers for her.
I also have a call into valpo university about their RN-MSN program. I know I just got out of school, but if I can get through some pre-reqs before concentrating on a MSN in education, that would be really cool.
On a side note, I thought I'd comment on the news story making the rounds about the woman who died in the ER waiting room. Apparently, that facility has other state complaints against it. It's sad to see that indifference can be so ingrained in the healthcare culture, especially since the patient was a psych case. Overall, perhaps the waiting room should be able to be observed from triage, either by camera or by triage nurse at station. here's crossing fingers that the real reasons behind that come out...