This is my journey from S.N to R.N

I had an amazing clinical today. I got to be in the PICU [at a different hospital than the one where I work] and I absolutely loved it. It reiterated that I could be a PICU nurse quite happily.

There are a few things about where I work that I definitely don’t like and that had kind of turned me off the PICU idea for awhile. But here, at this other hospital, it was great! I asked questions about how they ran certain aspects and it fit me perfectly. I clicked well with the staff and the charge  nurse liked me so much she introduced me to the nurse manager AND gave me her number and email saying I could use her as a reference anytime.

I’m super stoked.

Hopefully, I’ll get my summer externship there and will have a leg-up on getting one of the new grad positions there.

=D

Overjoyed. Today was an amazing clinical day. I felt the spark reignite. The same one that had been dull and waning for awhile. Woo-hoo!

Love,

Laney

I got another question via email.

“I’m getting ready to start nursing school and wonder if I should work while I’m there. I don’t have to work technically, but I don’t like relying on my parents to pay for everything even though they said it is fine. What do you think? I know you work on the weekends…”

Well, to be perfectly honest- if I didn’t have to work, I wouldn’t. First semester I worked 36 hours a week plus school and clinicals….and nearly burnt out.

Last semester and this semester, I go to school Monday through Thursday and then work 8am-8pm Fridays and Saturdays. Last semester wasn’t so bad, but I’m already burning out this semester and its only midterms!

They always told us in the first week of school, “Don’t work in nursing school!”, but when you’ve got a mortgage, that really isn’t an option. If you don’t HAVE to work, but maybe want a little extra cash to help out or for spending, I’d suggest getting a perdiem NA position at the hospital you’re interested in working at once you get your RN. Per-diem only requires something like 24 hours a month which is very doable. If you haven’t got your NA yet, there’s always the HUC position.

I’ve come to find that the topic of working while in this level of schooling is a very personal question and sometimes real touchy. I’ve seen divides in first semester from those who had to work and those who didn’t have to work. It was like those who had to work scoffed at those who didn’t have to work complaining about how they didn’t have any time to study.  I know I thought that in like the first month, but you know, everyone’s got their own issues- working and otherwise.

Anyhoo, that was kind of rambling at the end. Sorry about that. Best of luck to you!

How about you guys? Any thoughts on this? Do any of you have to work or do you do it because you want to?

Love,

Laney

PS- Keep the questions/emails coming! You can see other questions answered including those about how many hours to study in nursing school and the worst [and best] parts of nursing school.

[cred]

Oh yes. Pap smears.
I went to an OB-GYN clinic today. The morning started off painfully boring because I wasn’t allowed to do anything but observe. I was bored to tears.
But then, in the afternoon, it got busier and I was actually allowed to do everything from taking patients back to assisting the doctor with his appointments.

And they were all pap smears.

The first couple, I was thinking ‘Alright, seeing something new. Getting to participate. Woo-hoo!’
The next couple were like, ‘Hmm. Well, see one, you see them all, right? Not my thing for an everyday career personally, but that’s okay…’

By the end of the day, it was, ‘If I see another pap smear again, it will be too soon!!’

That was pretty much my day.

Love,
Laney

PS- Here’s some help with beating those nursing smells…learned in first semester

Well, my L&D rotation is over.

I have to say, I really enjoyed it! Who knew?! I was not expecting that. It got slow at times, but once the pushing got started, it was a fast-paced environment, good turnaround of the patients, AND you got to build a rapport with them. Everything I love!

I hadn’t realized how much the bedside nurse does. The MD or midwife really only came in after the head was on its way out. They were there to pop the baby out, deliver the placenta, and repair the perineum. That’s it. All the baby care, the comfort, the assistance with labor, being a labor coach, doing the vaginal checks, being there for the pushing which ranges from 10 minutes to 3 hours (a patient yesterday pushed for 2.5 hours!)…that’s  all done by the nurse.

I really liked the continuous monitoring (q30min for baby, q1h vitals for mom) and the fact that there is so much to keep track of. Plus, there is a mini-OR on the unit for the C-sections. How cool is that! One of the nurses today was bedside all morning and then went and was the scrub nurse for the C-section. Very cool.

And it’s exciting. Everyone has a different story and a different history. Bringing new life into the world is always exciting. It’s an infectiously happy environment. AND I liked the nurses there. They are good at what they do and they were willing to teach, which is important. It was so awesome!

Granted, I had an intimidating instructor, but it was still a great experience overall.

Maybe I’ll be in purple scrubs after this??