I was so scared. So naive. So green to the world of Emergency Medicine.
I am proud to say that I officially feel like an ER nurse.
People often talk about the first few months as a nurse, and how overwhelmed and incompetent you feel. They were definately not lying. They were absolutely telling the truth lol. Hell, there's even a class in nursing school that gives you tips and advice to survive through the first few months. Nothing though, truly nothing can prepare you for what lays ahead. It's shift after shift of having no clue what you will see or how you will handle it. It's new doctors that you don't understand and new patients that completely mystify you. It's seeing the grossest most repulsive stuff you've only ever read about and seeing the saddest of sad cases that leave you holding back your tears until you've made it safetly to the solitude of the bathroom.
I knew this career would be tough, that's half the reason I chose it, but what I didn't realize at the time was that it was going to change the BLUEPRINT of who I am.
It's funny how many people have told me they enjoy reading my blog. They love the gross stories and the touching ones too. It's a world I never knew about and I can imagine it must sound so interesting to people not living in it everyday. Well....it really IS so cool. I am so blessed to have these stories to tell and extremely honored that so many friends like to read about my day to day life. I haven't posted in a while and I was thinking about why that was the other day. I thought that maybe i've been tired, or too busy but ultimately what I came up with was that maybe i'm finally adjusting and settling in to my job. Things don't seem weird or insane to me anymore.
It was funny, the other day I had a cardiac patient, a crazy seizure case, a drug overdose, someone who stepped on a medieval sword and a guy screaming with a bug in his ear. When a friend asked how work was that day I said.....eh......slow night.
Now THAT is not normal lol.
Last week I went into work and recieved amazing news. The director of the ER and the clinical manager sat me down and told me that they were impressed with how fast I caught on and how well I was doing. They wanted to know if I would be the next preceptor for the ER! I would be responsible for training new nurses to the ER!!! My jaw hit the floor. What a frickin amazing honor and opportunity. I told them I don't know nearly enough but they assured me that I did and that as long as I taught the right way to do things and kept my positive attitude I'd be a great preceptor. I said "of course I'll do it"!
So....after working in the ER for a lil over 6 months...I'm training other nurses.
I've never felt so proud.
I am a strong, smart cookie and my hard ass work paid off.
Anything is truly possible if you reach for it.
Wonder what's next for me............ until next time..............
