Don't Lose Your Grip Now

I had on rose-colored glasses while I was in nursing school. Everything was seen as big, bright and new. This is how we all see the World around us when presented in new circumstances. Hear me when I tell you, the battle isn't over. And it never will be.

Nursing is HARD. But you know this! Nursing school was and is everything but a cake walk. The NCLEX is scary. Your first job? I cannot express to you how big the learning curve is. This may sound all negative but I promise you, it isn't. Stay with me a minute.

This career is not for the faint of heart, which is why we are here, why you are here. It's why you are fighting for your sanity to walk across a stage to say "HELLO WORLD! I DID IT!" Nursing should be spelled F-I-G-H-T, because every day brings unexpected hurdles of the most amazing and demanding kind. But no matter how hard things get to be, you can and will overcome your obstacles. That is what growth is all about. So don't shy away from a challenge. They will always be scary, as will change. Deep down you know that you are fully capable to handle all that lies ahead. With hard work comes success.

So here you are, the NCLEX looming in the very near future. Guess what? Don't skimp on studying! Take the test once and get it out of the way. Me? I have HORRIBLE test anxiety. So I dished out the money needed to take the Kaplan review course. I honestly believe that if I didn't get that extra help, I wouldn't have passed on my first try. They didn't teach me what I already knew, they taught me how to apply my knowledge in test taking form. You are educated on how to take a test! It's actually an art. This was an epiphany for me that was a tough pill to swallow. Big pill or not, that extra boost helped me knock that test out of the park. Now? I never have to take it again. Furthermore, if you don't pass it the first time, LET IT GO. Pinch yourself as a reminder that you're human, reschedule your exam, and then hit the books again. You've got this. Truly. I believe in you as does the rest of the nursing population who has been exactly in your shoes.

When the tests are over and it's job searching time, don't get your knickers in a twist. Be open and willing for what the universe has in store for you. The World is a big place and the need is great. Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? Search for that. Keep in mind, you are fresh, new and this is your first nursing job. Many places that are hiring new grads have special programs for an easier transition. Check those out! Those are a GREAT tool. DO NOT lose hope when you get turned away. Most places are hurting so badly for nurses right now due to shortages, they are only accepting individuals with experience under their belts. That is not on you. That is on them. They are in a desperate time of need. Keep looking. Maybe you will snag your dream job at the get-go. More power to you! If it's not your calling, learn the skills, accepting the experience and then mark it off the list.

Say you snag that new job. GREAT! CONGRATULATIONS! Now get ready for the wake-up call. I had no idea that the actual job was that different from books and internships I was learning from in school. Here's the humdinger. It's totally different. This is where the knowledge gets applied. Do not get caught up in the fact that you are under the tutelage of a preceptor. This is for your benefit. Be open and willing to learn. But, do not be a doormat. Some nurses will walk over you, and for that, I am deeply sorry. They need their heads examined. If you feel like your learning experience is well below par, let your education department know! This experience is to get you ready to be on your own. The uphill slope to being on your own is a massive fight. It's exhausting and it's full of hands-on and book learning. (Yes, those books are not being locked in the crypt). Here is your window. Step through it. It's time to take what you know and grow.

I can honestly say that I felt like I wanted to go insane at the end of nursing school. That graduation was one of the most emotional times of my life. My first job as a nurse was the scariest thing I'd ever done. And I have never, ever, stopped learning. I have been humbled by something every day in this line of work. I don't ever want that to change. This is your story and you get to write it. It is also up to you what you let in. I can be very stingy when it comes to learning something new. When I got into nursing I had to let go of that attitude, because I knew I would find myself stuck. Right now I am working under a preceptor at a new PRN job, all the while precepting a nurse of 30 years at my full-time position. You are never above or below life experiences. When things get sticky, accept the plot twist and move on. You will be the only thing that stands in the way of your success.

So what, this article is chocked full of advice. In all truth, I really just wanted to remind you not to lose your grip now. You are going to be okay. The road ahead is full of hard, work, but so is life! Be willing to live it and understand your place in it.

Just don't lose your grip now.

Set those standards high and let it carry you into all of the realms of which you are being molded. If it's your destiny, the path will open wide and pull you in.

You got this. Hang in there.