Letter from a Former Student

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

As educators, no words of encouragement lift our spirits higher than a note from a former student about his or her successes in the wonderful career of nursing.

I thought I would share a recent letter (with permission from my former student, of course):

Hello,

I would like to inform you that I passed NCLEX! Starting the exam with the expectation of 265 questions I was shocked, confident, doubtful, and relieved when the computer shut off after 75 questions. While answering questions I tried to not determine the difficulty of the questions, I just tried to utilize all my critical thinking skills learned. I can truly say, though the journey was difficult, that college of nursing prepared me well to show the world I know just enough and to begin as a practicing nurse. I am proud when i inform others that I am a graduate because that degree was earned with lots of studying, tears and prayers. Coupled with studying, doing practice questions, and praying i would like to share with you a poem I read daily...

Did is a word

Of achievement,

Won't is a word

Of retreat,

Might is a word

Of bereavement,

Can't is a word

Of defeat,

Ought is a word

Of duty,

Try is a word

Each hour,

Will is a word

Of beauty,

Can is a word

Of power.

-author unknown

I believe that you love your career and life and when love and skill work together one should expect a masterpiece. "an educator affects eternity; she can never tell where her influences stop." -henry adams

Thank you

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

Very cool. I am sure that education can be a thankless job....so glad that someone wrote you to let you know that YOUR hard work paid off too. :)

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

How lovely! This makes me want to write one of my former teachers a letter....

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

That's so sweet! It does the heart good to be shown proof that what we do matters and that others recognize it. Congratulations on a job well done!

A couple of years ago I attended a nursing conference and happened to run into one of the nurses whose meticulous care of my son in PICU many years ago allowed us to have him with us today. We hadn't seen each other in 18 years, but she remembered us clearly. When she asked me what I was doing at a nursing conference (I wasn't a nurse when she knew me) I had to tell her that I was there because of her... she had taken such good care of both my boy and me that I wanted to be just like her. When she was done crying, we went for lunch, and have stayed in touch ever since.

allnurses... never doubt that what you do matters and that people will remember you.

[Ms.TinyRN]

[No Stars In My Eyes]

We had an instructor who kind of scared alot of us because she would show up at our clinical and crook her finger at one of us.....which meant she'd found someone/something that pertained to that clinical experience and ....gulp.....we were going to have to do it while she watched. Though it was kind of a dreaded event, many times in the past 40 years I have silently thanked her for teaching me not to fear a 'new' experiences. In fact, during the first 25 years of my career I would seek out

situations and settings that would challenge me or provide new knowledge. And all because she 'scared' me and I didn't like being scared! I did send a letter to her care of my nursing school, but I don't know if she ever got it. I hope she did, but so much time has passed that she may have moved on several times over. Nevertheless, I continue to thank her in my mind.