This is Real

It's all becoming so real. I'm going to be a real nurse, on my own, no one to hold my hand anymore! I realized this the other day when the youth director at church asked me if I would be the nurse for our mission trip this summer. No big deal, right...but then I realized that means I will take care of kids that get sick or injured, and I will be in charge of all the medications! Wow! It's a lot of responsibility, and I hope I can handle it...I think I can, I think I can!

I'm in my last undergrad. nursing class right now!! Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!! Nursing school has been so tough and I'm glad that the last half of this semester has been quite a bit easier than previously! I know some of you say I don't do anything, and the last half of the semester you are close to being right...cause really I've just done stuff with my change project (doing the meeting, writing the paper, giving my class presentation). I can't say that I'm disappointed by that though! I remember spending hours on fundamentals and med-surg clinical logs the night before, staying up late, then having to leave before dawn to go to the hospital. Not fun! I remember stressing out about knowing everything about every disease known to man and having to know it all for a test. Definitely not fun. I remember having to learn a million medications that I'd never heard of and how they work, side effects, uses, etc. I thought my brain might explode...not fun. I remember the orientation day and being so overwhelmed that I began to doubt my ability to be a good nurse and doubting whether going to MSU was a good idea. I remember calling my mom and bawling to her about how I couldn't do it. But she told me I could...too many times to count when I was doubting and worrying and stressed. There's no way I could have done it without her!!!

Nursing school was super hard, but I always knew I was meant to be a nurse. I remember spending time with a patient and comforting her when she was scared about her cancer and recovering from surgery, and still grieving the loss of her husband. I remember really talking with a patient who said that no one listened to him. I remember trying to comfort a husband who was worried about his wife and her condition. I remember providing basic care to give comfort to a dying patient and holding his hand. I remember knowing just what to tell a worried family member about a procedure. These are just some of the reasons I want to be a nurse.

This is so real and it's coming fast. I'm ready to be a nurse...but worried about the responsibilities that come with it. But I can do it! I've got a God who doesn't give me more than I can handle and family and friends who always support me! I can do it!