A Nursing Blurb

Throughout my time in college, I had no doubt I would graduate, get a job in the hospital (preferably on the OB floor), and be an extraordinary super badass nurse. I would work day shift, 8 hours, at the same hospital as my mom.

Well, God had different plans. What's that phrase...? "I had a plan and it made God laugh". Because it doesn't matter how much I try to plan every step of my life; He is always one step ahead.

So I spent the entire summer searching for jobs. I started out being relatively picky but when I received rejection after rejection, I was willing to apply for anything - night shift, 12 hours, med/surg, whatever it took.

Nothing.

So I eventually caved. I was bashing my head against the wall with boredom and I needed to be making money. When I went back to the nursing home I spent 2 1/2 years in as a CNA, I was super depressed. I was going to be the one kid in my graduating class that was going to have to work with the old people, get paid less, and be super lame.

I've changed my mind 180 degrees since then.

My coworkers are phenomenal. We work so well together and spend so much of our nights laughing and goofing around (while getting the job done, of course). The residents love us; we're fed and gifted and complimented all the time. I work in rehab, so it's basically the equivalent of a subacute floor at a hospital. We have IV's, feeding tubes, trachs, wound vacs, PleurX drainage systems, etc. I actually do more than a hospital nurse, according to my mom (who is one) because we don't have all of the specialists and techs on hand, so I'm learning a ton. My scheduling is super flexible (I get three weeks off for my wedding, no questions asked) and my bosses are very easy going. And I actually love the work. There is so little stress on a day to day basis, and when we have a busy day, we get through it.

I've actually become very defensive of my coworkers and my residents. I've seen some really nasty care given to the elderly. We have people coming in all the time saying how bad they were treated other places. And I know I'm doing a good job. So if I don't take care of them, someone else will, but probably not as well as I will. So why do something else? These are people with histories and lives and stories, just like everyone else in the world. I just have the privilege of spending a longer period of time with them while they recover.

So while I still get hit with the pangs of loser-feelings when I see on facebook that my peers are working in the NICU and transplant teams, I'm actually extremely grateful for what I'm doing right now. Because the people in my life mean more than my work does, and I can get up in the morning and not dread going to work. I've hardly complained about any of it since I've started.

I'm not sure what's in my future when it comes to my career. I don't plan on working full time for very long; when Luke and I decide to have a baby, I will be only working part time. But I'm totally good with where I'm at right now.