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Strive

Watching the athletes that have sold themselves to their dreams and desires makes me think about the impact the nursing profession could continue to have with the numerous people that have chosen this path as their profession. What if we strove to reach our fullest potential? This brings me to the point of my post. I can be a sap. I watch the Olympics and get emotional. Hey, guys are allowed. Especially watching athletes strive to do their best. Ask any man that has ever fought in the trenches in some sport and then have them relate the camaraderie they have experienced to the movie Brian’s Song. Ask any athlete that performs in an individual sport and ask them why it is they seek the joy that causes them to strive through all the hurt and pain for their achievements.

We are designed for relationship. The frustrating thing about nursing is that many of us have to forego those emotional ties when dealing with our patients. The constant struggle I have had in completing nursing school is that I thought I would become some automaton with no emotion. There is some logic that needs to be taken into account when dealing with our patients. We can’t become some illogical, emotional sap because we would then be pulled in numerous directions but we wouldn’t have chosen this unless we had some amount of heart. I am ready for the real education, the process of nearing but not crossing the fine line of losing my caring abilities in this crazy career of nursing.

It has a certain ring to it (Bring The Noise)

I am now a GN. What an anti-climactic finish to school. We had our exit exams last Friday and it has still taken a couple of days to sink in since we had our ‘official’ graduation back in May because the medical and nursing school I attended only has one graduation annually.

I think the angst has I was feeling towards the current administration of our program has lessened because I have actually slept since the exit exam. The requirement to graduate from our program is much higher than the national average and the amount of nonsense that we have had to put up with has certainly given us the wherewithal to get past the NCLEX. It makes me wonder if the method to the madness in the program is designed to prepare us for any situation in the medical profession.

Heaven knows I didn’t sleep before the exit exam and I say it again, I am amazed at the amount of pressure that we (I blamed the program earlier) put on ourselves all over an exam. I realize that some folks believe that this is the end of the line if they do not pass but I we are taught to be an encouragement to patients as well as classmates. Regardless of what the challenge may be, we have the capability within us to bounce back from what is thrown at us, even if you didn’t pass. It’s not the end of the world it’s just a delay in your road trip of life. I heard recently that experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want but continue towards your goal. The resolve that nursing students rely on to get through nursing school should be an encouragement to those of you still wading through the morass. Kudos to my fellow classmates of ‘08 for surviving.

p.s. I passed. That will sound so much better after the NCLEX.

Benjamin Franklin had it right

Tucked away on the back page of the local rag I read is the news that the U.S. government run postal service loses $1 billion dollars in the 3rd quarter. Combine that with the recent collapse of federally run banks in California, and there are still people (AND the media) that want to elect certain individuals wanting to give yet more power to the federal government to control our lives?! Absolute insanity.

One day to the exit exam and I am almost a free man. Free from the tyranny of nursing school that is, only to be bumped into a higher tax bracket because I will actually get a paycheck now.

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

- Benjamin Franklin

The end is near…

I am down to one week and I am so amazingly tired that it concerns me going into my final week of tests and clinicals. I find it interesting that I get the feeling from numerous students, their schools seem to be involved in the same practice of pushing students to the stress levels that we know are detrimental to the health of our patients. I actually had a teacher tell me to work on my breathing technique. ?!?!?! I am not in a freaking Lamaze class! I think I’ll stick to my swimming routine 3 – 4 times per week instead.