Am I the only new nurse who doesn't hate my job?

December '08 graduate here, working in a small SICU.

I love my job!

I think my previous craptastic Corporate jobs, cushy though they were (strolling in a 9, taking a 2 hour lunch break, and leaving at 4,) gave me a little perspective, though. Nursing is much harder than any job I've ever had (and I've had lots...5 jobs in the first year out of college the first time around!) but also much more rewarding. I love my patients. I get a huge lift to see my previously vented patients walking the halls! Every day is different, every day I learn something new, and I'm being challenged every second. Part of my brain probably went necrotic during those years in Corporate America, so I'm thrilled to be using the noggin' again.

Is it frustrating? Hell yes. Every day I feel at least a little bit like a fraud. Yesterday, my patient told me I'd be a good nurse "someday," after my preceptor mentioned I was new. He's right; I don't feel like The Nurse yet. In fact, there's still very little seperating me from a nursing student, except I can pull narcotics and double check insulin. I've made amazing progress in just a few months, but the more I learn, the more I realize I have to learn. I think that is one of the hardest things we face as new graduates.

But even after my hardest days, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be working, or any other job I'd rather be doing. I haven't yet woken up dreading my shift. My husband even told me I haven't been hitting the "SLEEP" button as much as I used to. I told him, "that's what happens when you don't hate your job."

I would obviously rather be independantly wealthy, but until that happens, I feel pretty honored to call myself a Nurse.