Roll Call - Who's Been Around the Longest and Your Accomplishments

Nurses General Nursing

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Our staff was discussing you, our members. While we all like to remain anonymous, we are all proud of our accomplishments. We'd like to do a roll call of honor. Who has been on AN the longest? Who has been a nurse the longest? What is your greatest nursing accomplishment? Tell us, come on, brag a little! You deserve this recognition.

Why, yes you have!

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LOl, I'll send you a pic. I look exactly like that.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I joined AN in 2005 when I was looking for info on Excelsior's paramedic-to-RN program. Oddly, it was August 8, 2005 when I joined and on August 8, 2008, I became a licensed RN! :) I love that. I was a guide for a bit and have been a moderator for a number of years. I have gone through a divorce, marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, heart failure and recovery from heart failure (yay) while a member. I have gone from paramedic to ASN/RN to BSN/RN to MSNx2 (nursing informatics and nurse educator) while a member. I have earned four board certifications while a member: CEN in 2009, CPEN in 2010, TCRN in 2015, and CNE in 2018. I joined the Army as an ED/Trauma nurse, I served, then I left active duty. I moved from Virginia to Georgia with a side trip to the remote eastern wilds of Afghanistan. I went from an ambulance to the bedside (ED) to an office (Trauma Educator). Next month I start my new adventure in Infection Prevention nursing and I am super excited about it! I am three classes through a 12-course DNP, and I am currently on a break from that due to the new job as well as moving houses (same city).

I met my spouse, married him, and saw him finish his undergrad and get into medical school during these years. He's on his third year now and I am so proud of him. We have a lovely daughter who turned 16 months yesterday. I always thought it was goofy to have ages in months until I had a kid, now I get it! She is much more than 1 but not yet 2. I was 541 months old when she was born, haha. Yes, really!

Through it all, I have loved this site, even when I left for just a little bit (and missed it terribly). There is no other place like AN.

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
LOl, I'll send you a pic.

You silly girl!

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
I joined AN in 2005 ...There is no other place like AN.

Wow, Pixie.RN. Just "Wow".

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Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.

The best piece of advice I have gained on AN is to never take for granted great coworkers and teamwork. I can honestly say this site has helped me to appreciate my wonderful coworkers more and to actually verbalize that appreciation to them. I have also gotten great tips on everything from time management to IV starts. Went from not being able to but a 24 gauge in a bodybuilder with huge veins to being called in for difficult IV starts on 88 year old dehydrated little ladies! Thank you to everyone on AN for your wonderful advice and encouragement. I often come to this site when I am feeling discouraged or overwhelmed to get some reassurance and some laughs. =)

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There have ALWAYS been "insane amounts of inundating charting and chronic short staffing" in nursing -- a lot depended on where you worked. And sometimes you may feel like giving up. Whenever that hit me, I would remember one patient that I had helped in the past -- and what type of difference I made in his/her life. The warm feeling I had from those thoughts helped me go forward once again.

I guess what I meant was (anecdotally) I've been told that nurses were able To spend more time at the bedside and really be there for their pt in the past.

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I joined AN in 2005 when I was looking for info on Excelsior's paramedic-to-RN program. Oddly, it was August 8, 2005 when I joined and on August 8, 2008, I became a licensed RN! :) I love that. I was a guide for a bit and have been a moderator for a number of years. I have gone through a divorce, marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, heart failure and recovery from heart failure (yay) while a member. I have gone from paramedic to ASN/RN to BSN/RN to MSNx2 (nursing informatics and nurse educator) while a member. I have earned four board certifications while a member: CEN in 2009, CPEN in 2010, TCRN in 2015, and CNE in 2018. I joined the Army as an ED/Trauma nurse, I served, then I left active duty. I moved from Virginia to Georgia with a side trip to the remote eastern wilds of Afghanistan. I went from an ambulance to the bedside (ED) to an office (Trauma Educator). Next month I start my new adventure in Infection Prevention nursing and I am super excited about it! I am three classes through a 12-course DNP, and I am currently on a break from that due to the new job as well as moving houses (same city).

I met my spouse, married him, and saw him finish his undergrad and get into medical school during these years. He's on his third year now and I am so proud of him. We have a lovely daughter who turned 16 months yesterday. I always thought it was goofy to have ages in months until I had a kid, now I get it! She is much more than 1 but not yet 2. I was 541 months old when she was born, haha. Yes, really!

Through it all, I have loved this site, even when I left for just a little bit (and missed it terribly). There is no other place like AN.

You win!

(although that may not be fair to others since I haven't had a chance to read every single post in this thread...)

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Specializes in school nurse.
I HATE you.

I KNEW IT!! You two are married...

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Specializes in Dialysis.
The BON is not the nurse's friend.

It's probably one of the most frequent pieces of advice I give as well.

And neither is HR!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Wow, Pixie.RN. Just "Wow".

You know what's funny? I was seriously going to respond to this thread and be like "Yeah, you know, I've been around for a minute and it's been largely uneventful." HAHAHAHAHAHA. :roflmao: Tempus fugit!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
You win!

(although that may not be fair to others since I haven't had a chance to read every single post in this thread...)

Nah. My story is just one of many. There are some amazing nurses here!

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

About two years ago, I got asked to become an AN Guide, which I

thought was MEGA cool!

I've always wondered this - what exactly are the rights and responsibilities of being a Guide? I mean, it does sound mega cool. What all do you Guides do, besides just generally being awesome members of the community?

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