8.12 12:22 pm (nursing journey)

august 12, 2011

12:22 pm

calvin wasn't too impressed with mommy graduating today.

but boy did he look handsome!

deenie, who is also an RN, and johnny came too.

well, i am going to stray from the recent 'calvin-mania' and do a post about me.

today, i 'graduated' from BYU.

i say 'graduated' because i will be going back to school in 2 weeks to finish up my last semester. 

i will be doing my capstone in the NICU at IMC in murray. 

i need to do 210 hours there, so that comes out to be 17.5 12-hour shifts, and then 40 hours for my public nursing class (i haven't decided where i want to do this one).

 

i thought i should take a moment and write down my nursing journey.

it started in 8th grade when i was required to do several job shadows as an honors project.

i rode around in an ambulance, went to a second grade class, and spent a day with a good family friend who was an RN on a labor and delivery floor. 

i thought the teacher and nurse were cool, and the ambulance = boring.

then, fast forward to the summer between 11th and 12th grade - 

i was the new kid in the neighborhood and didn't have many friends.

my mom encouraged me to take a CNA course. i enrolled with a friend.

we were the youngest in the class by far, and we had the guts to tell our instructor that we were going to be working in hospitals, not with old people, so we didn't need to know how to change a bed pan, or how to clean an uncircumcised male. ha!

anyways, the only job we could find was at a nursing/rehab center, where i was humbled significantly.

needless to say, i fell in love with several of my sweet elderly and often senile patients.

around this same time, i got my patriarchal blessing where i was told if i pursued an education in nursing, i'd find success, and even go on to advanced degrees. it then talked about the different qualities and gifts that i have pertaining to a career in nursing. and some of the things i will do with that career.

well, once i started school at BYU, i wasn't positive i really wanted to do nursing, despite the clear directions given to me.

in fact i started out as a psych major, thought about doing photography, and finally decided on nursing.

i met with dr. white, the advisement counselor, several times to plan out my pre-reqs.

my mom came with me to most of the meetings and she can verify that i left several times in tears because he told me i would never get into BYU's program.

my mom kept reminding me of my blessing, and encouraged me to have faith, and believe in myself.

so, i retook american heritage, and physiology before applying for the first time.

i was actually in romania when i finished and sent in my application.

i was also in romania when i got an e-mail telling me i had not been accepted.

i was crushed, confused, and discouraged.

but felt comfort when i thought about my blessing - it will work out.

and that it did

i moved home and luckily got hired at the local hospital. these positions were hard to get and it was through my roommate's mom, that i got the job.

i deferred a semester from school and just worked.

i rewrote my essay, and turned in my application once more.

around the time i was supposed to hear back i was physically ill thinking about the mistakes i made on my application, like not updating my resume to show i was working at the hospital.. or thinking about my grades in chemistry and how i'd wished i'd tried harder.

anyways, the moment came and took me by surprise. it was a friday night and my roommates and i had just picked up some pizzas. it was a lovely fall evening and we had our front door open, and were hanging out on 50th east. i ran inside and was about to shut my computer when i saw the e-mail from the college of nursing. my friend/roommate carly, who also applied (and is pictured above on the right), was with me. we both started freaking out, and i was so nervous to open it. i was scared that it would say no, or that i got in and she didn't or vice-versa. well right after dear student, it said congratulations! it was an intense few moments while carly opened hers and saw she got accepted too!

there were hugs, tears, jumping up and down, and lots of smiles.

that night my parents came down and surprised me with balloons.

my mom was right all along.

they were my biggest fans, and still are.

always there cheering me on and helping in whatever way possible.

josh and i were dating at this time, and got engaged during my first semester.

he has endured being my guinea pig for the past three years as i practiced vitals and assessments, administered saline shots, and spent lots of time listening to his heart and lung sounds. 

he has put up with my crazy clinical schedules, expensive textbooks, and late nights writing pre-assessments. 

he has listened to lots of stories about body parts, and procedures, and grumpy patients. 

he has brought me my stethoscope and other forgotten things at the hospital. 

he has sacrificed time and worked hard for me to go to school and receive this education.

well, i have lots of mixed feelings about my upcoming capstone.

i am thrilled to be in the NICU at IMC - so excited!

but i am dreading leaving calvin.

i keep teasing that i am going to sneak him in and put him in an incubator so i can have him close all day. well, i am positive his chubby face will give it away. 

again, i am going to have to rely on the help and support of my parents and husband as i finish off my degree.

for this i am so grateful