Six Months

Six months ago tonight I stepped onto the floor as a new grad nurse. Three month ago tonight I started on my own "flying solo". I'm a re-tread nurse from another industry, but I am happy to have nursing as my second career. There have been many days when I thought I couldn't cut it. I work on a busy telemetry floor, though when the going gets tough on our floor, you'll find co-workers asking if they can help. Nursing school doesn't teach you about (some) physicians egos, arrogance, lack of communication skills, personality disorders. I am good at talking to patients. I am good at talking to patients families. It helps to be older and have some grey hairs sticking out here and there. I still really suck at starting IVs. There were nurses that I was scared of that became close allies. There are nurses I liked at the beginning that betrayed me and didn't have my back. I wasn't even a nurse's aide before stepping onto the floor, and I have to say that I've learned so much from the nurse's aides and they, like nurses, are overworked, underpaid and under-respected. There is still so much I don't know, but now, when I go back to nursing texts and read about things, I have a context and disease processes make sense. I don't believe I'll be at the bedside forever, but I've learned that you can't command respect from other RNs unless you've been there. The allnurses.com community helped when I thought I was losing my mind. Thanks!