When did you first feel like a "real" nurse?

[mattcastens]

Yeah, it's a slow night ... so sue me!

I was thinking back to nursing school and how it was. I remember when I first gave an IV push med. Because I worked as a nursing assistant in critical care for so long before school, I remember thinking that I knew I would be a "real" nurse when I was allowed to give meds IV push. And then I did. It was a great feeling.

I also remember how it was when I was learning cardiac rhythms. I struggled so hard to follow every step and kept asking questions about interpretation. These days I don't even "see" the interpretation anymore -- it's like being able to read a book it comes so naturally.

I guess I'm saying "hang in there" to all the students. After a few years of nursing you'll look back and smile at how new it all was.

[RNforLongTime]

The First time I felt like a "real" nurse was the very first day of orientation at the nursing home where I had previously been an aide. They had hired me as a part time RN. This was good back in 1997 as getting a job around my part of the country was kind of tough. Well, that very first day of orientation, I was late!!! The alarm didn't go off or something. But I felt good when all of my "aide" friends made comments on how nice I looked in white!

[mattcastens]

Originally posted by Jenny P

We've been busy this weekend, Matt, consider yourself lucky for having the slow night. I'm glad I'm off tonight!

Yeah ... what time did I write that? 0230? 0300? Two hours later all hell broke loose both in ER and on the floors and I was running my scrubs off.

Apparently, you're not even supposed to type "quiet" or "slow".

Now I know.

[kellysue]

the first time i felt like a real nurse...when i stood up to a "GOD" and stood up for my patient!!

[babsRN]

The first time I dropped an NGT and got there I began to feel hope(was a student then)...

My big sister, 10 years my senior was also an RN, and I grew up in her shadow, always being compared to her. My mom had cancer and I hospiced her at home before hospice was cool(in the mid 70's). I was a new grad at the ripe old age of 19. The day my mom laid in bed and said to my older sister's face..." No, I want Barbie to give me my shots and draw my blood because I can't feel it when she sticks me"...that's when I knew I'd arrived. Did I mention my mom was also a nurse? ...I suppose nursing is an inheritable trait after all...

[erezebet]

The first time I felt like a real nurse was when I walked the hall all night with a soon-to-be young widow as her husband was dying. She could'nt stand to be in the room seeing him like that and I did'nt want her to be alone. All I did was keep him clean, turned, and pain-free. After he died she hugged me and thanked me for everything even though I felt like I had done nothing.

I guess you don't need to save someone's life to be appreciated

[mario_ragucci]

Gosh - I can only dream of what my first experience will be which will make me feel like a real nurse. Since i am a dreamer (not the only one) I'll go for it. I believe I will feel like a real nurse for the first time when I give my first IV to someone. Thats pretty simplistic, I know. Also, when anyone asks me for help, or advice, about their health, and listens. When I get my pin I will wear it all the time like my power. I feel like a nurse all ready, in a certain sense, because of touch. When I touch people, I can feel they are appreciating me touching their hands, and my hands are warm. You don't hafta be a nurse to have warm hands, but its the energy of care and love behind them that will feel so good to administer when I have that RN next to my name.

Thank you Matt!

[thisnurse]

i dont think i ever felt like a real nurse while i was in school, or even on orientation. i think that came my first night off orientation when i realized one of my pts was going into resp failure . we got him stable enough to send to ICU where he coded five minutes after arrival.

[ton]

the first time a real nurse?

I have'nt had that feeling yet.

Is there any hope left (i started in '77)

sssssssssssttttttttttttttt.

[radnurse2001]

The first time I felt like a real nurse---0200 patient no code holding her hand as she slipped away.

[mustangsheba]

When I was age three and took care of my little brother. It was just a matter of a degree from there.

[bungies]

I've been a Registered Nurse for... 10 weeks now, and a working graduate nurse for five weeks. I first realised I was a REAL nurse when I stayed with my grandmother during my 5-week break and she became ill. I was able to get her into a hospital by my assessment, and by detailed but concise answers to doctor/ ambulance crew questions. My aunt had tried to get her admitted two days previously, but the GP thought it was just a cold. She had pneumonia.

I FELT like a real nurse a couple of weeks ago when a febrile neutropenic patient (I work on a haematology ward) needed urgent peripheral blood cultures, and my preceptor pointed me to the room and said "go for it". I'd gone through the process with her only a few hours before, and it all happened really smoothly. If the patient hadn't known me from earlier, I swear he'd have thought I'd done it a hundred times already...