I'm a NURSE!

[Joe V]

When you became a Nurse, it was indeed a monumental day, wasn't it? All the years in school, then passing your licensing boards ... it doesn't matter how long ago it was, you still remember the profound feeling of accomplishment. Do you remember that day? Tell us about it.

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[scribblz, BSN, CNA, LPN]

Jumped all over my house yelling when I passed the NCLEX. My kids looked at me like I had lost my mind ?

[PollywogNP, ADN, BSN, MSN, LPN, NP]

Running from the mailbox up the stairs to my apartment and jumping on my bed at age 21!

[Davey Do]

1984: My Dad called me at work and told me I had received a letter from the Illinois Dept of Prof Reg. I knew it would be the results of my state boards. With trepidation, I asked him to open the letter and tell me what it said. I could hear the paper rustling as he tore open the envelope. Then, he merely said, "Pass".

"Are you sure?", I asked.

"P-A-S-S!", he spelled boldly. "Doncha think I know how to read?!"

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

a bunch of us had gone out for breakfast to celebrate on the morning of our graduation ceremony.

There was a notice on the nursing council website that our results would be live from 0900. I recall checking the website slightly early and the list was up. I recall that feeling of my heart in my mouth and saying to the others "its up"

I didn't realise there was about 10 pages of results intially freaked out when I didn't find my number on the first page, the sense of joy when I found my number further down the list.

This was me with the family on graduation. The second time in my adult life I decided to wear a dress and it was the coldest day of the Summer. Thank heavens for graduation robes

[Davey Do]

28 minutes ago, Tenebrae said:

Thank heavens for graduation robes

And Steve Martin Rabbit Ears!

Otherwise, I may have looked pretty silly !

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

7 minutes ago, Davey Do said:

And Steve Martin Rabbit Ears!

Otherwise, I would have looked pretty silly !

Davey, you are just rocking those ears. ??

I could have gone with those, but they wouldnt have helped keep me warm. Literally the entire month before, we'd had 20-25 degree C days. Day of graduation it was like 14 degrees C

[EDNURSE20, BSN]

Oh yes! Where I’m from we all take the licensing exam on the same day, There’s only 3 days a year you can sit the exam, and all get our results emailed to us on the same day at 0800 a whole month later! I woke up at 2 am unable to sleep I was so nervous. As soon as I clicked the email in big bold letters I saw PASSED! Was actually more a sense of relief that anything.

a couple of weeks later when I got offered a job, that’s when I got the rush of emotions. I had made it! Got myBSN, passed my licensing exam, got a job in a hospital.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

I was coming out of a procedure, still heavily sedated, and my mom, a nurse of 40+ years herself at that time, walked up and said "congratulations, Hoosier, RN!" She said I looked at her and said "who the hell are you?" and zonked out...I don't remember any of it

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I remember waiting by the mailbox every day of the two weeks since I'd taken the NCLEX. In my day there was no PVT or getting results within a day or so, you waited for your license to come in by snail mail. I was so afraid I'd get the small envelope! But when I finally got my results, they came in a BIG envelope with my license, a welcome letter and a copy of my state's Nurse Practice Act. My family and several neighbors were all watching me jump for joy, which must have looked funny but they understood. Yippee! I was an RN!

I had one last shift that night as a CNA, working in the newborn nursery. Though I was still working under that certification, I signed my charting as M. L_______, CNA, RN. Two days later I started my first actual nursing job. ?

[Queen Tiye, RN]

I cried and cried and cried the entire pinning ceremony, and I could not stop — literally.  Even when I thought I was done. I just sat there smiling and cheering for each of my nursing sisters and brothers and the tears just wouldn’t stop.  Our cohort was very cohesive and it was quite emotional.  
 

I guess I finally felt safe to relax and breathe and feel like a human again.  Although, truly, it took more than a year to begin to reclaim some sense of balance.

[Kitiger, RN]

I went charging through the house, yelling "I got it! I got it!"