It’s hard to believe that it has been over a year and a half now since I started my nursing career. I always heard that I would learn more in my first year working as nurse than I ever did in nursing school. And goodness was this true! I didn’t know how many things I…
Tag: nurse
Healer
Weary. That word could describe a lot of us, couldn’t it?! I know for a fact many healthcare workers feel this deeply right now. Clocking into shift after extra shift, surveying the short-staffed list of coworkers, anticipating the busy flurry of flu season, and struggling to still maintain the best patient care. I’ve been told…
Making Connections
“Hello! My name is Siobhan, and I am going to be your nurse today!” I cannot tell you all how surreal it felt to be able to say these words for the first time. Once I officially got my nursing license there was no more standing in the shadow of a preceptor or instructor. There…
A New Chapter
Let us never consider ourselves finished, nurses. We must be learning all of our lives. –Florence Nightingale Work for a cause, not for applause. Live life to express, not to impress. Don’t strive to make your presence noticed, just make your presence felt. Wherever you go, go with all your heart. There are far, far…
Pinning and Precious Memories
On December 9th, our class celebrated our pinning ceremony. A pinning ceremony is a nursing-specific celebration of graduation from the nursing program. It signifies entry into the nursing field and was an incredibly special time to celebrate our nursing school journey with our family and friends. There were so many smiles and a few tears…
Exploring the Nursing Field
As the oldest of nine, I have experienced the joy of welcoming a new sibling into the world eight times. New birth never ceases to amaze me as I look down at their tiny little hands and feet and marvel that something so small can be so perfect. The wonder of new life never gets…
Finding My Why
One of the questions I have gotten asked more frequently than any other during my time in nursing school is, “Why nursing?” I remember feeling baffled the first time that I was asked this. I am always tempted to shoot back the cliche answer: “Because I want to help people!!” This is true, but I…
Critical Care Clinicals: My Experience
Critical Care: the very name of this course made me cringe when I started this semester! The complexity and intensity of care required for these patients completely intimidated me. I tried to go into my ER and ICU clinicals with an open mind, and I have to admit I was very pleasantly surprised by how…
Just Breathe
Breathe, just breathe Come and rest at my feet And be, just be Chaos calls but all you really need Is to just breathe Breathe. It sounds like such a simple statement, but do you know how powerful a single breath can be? Just think about it: how often do you consciously contemplate taking air…
A New Mentality: My Psychiatric Clinical Experience
Mental health. Depression. Mania. Hallucinations. What mental images do these words evoke for you? Going into this semester, I remember promising myself that I would face my psychiatric clinicals with an open mind. Though I have never had any interest in pursuing mental health as my full-time career, I realize how essential it is to…
A Labor of Love 