The good parts of nursing school

PaulBaxter · Apr 27, 2015

I've had quite a few nice things happen:

-my instructor sincerely complimented my presentation skills in post-conference

-I've liked having time during clinicals to research patient's conditions, lab results, etc

-my classmates are a warm and supportive bunch of people

-I had the privilege during a clinical visit to hold the hand of a dying patient and to spend time with the patient's daughter

-I now know a whole bunch of medical terms I didn't know before school

-Our new instructor for this semester has gone out of her way to make sure that we get what we need to know to pass our exams

datalore · Apr 27, 2015

One year in, I've had a great experience so far. I met some amazing people (including a few I can call extremely close friends now). A bunch of my classmates were reflecting on how far we've all come: a head-to-toe assessment was terrifying in the first few weeks, and now we can do them in our sleep. And it's not even the most complicated thing we feel comfortable with now! It's hard, it's stressful, it's draining... but it's also incredible how much you learn and how you change! It's fun watching your classmates make the journey, and occasionally you see someone who struggles in the beginning work hard and become very strong by the end. It's amazing to see that kind of development in yourself and in others.

PapaBearRN, BSN · Apr 27, 2015

The amount of confidence you build from 1st semester to your last is incredible. I remember being in first semester listening to the change of shift report and being completely lost from all the terminology. It feels great to walk on the unit and feel good about your assessment/skills/charting. You feel comfortable about admitting, teaching the patient, and providing discharge instructions.

IHeartPeds87 · Apr 29, 2015

Awesome thread!!! Thanks OP :)

- The feeling you get the first time you go to your patient's MAR and look up your meds only to double check what you already know...because you know what they are all for!!!

- The feeling you get when your patient load increases in clinical and you feel like you overall had a handle on your day

- How good it feels when your patient tells your clinical instructor "this one's got heart" and means you

- How good it feels when your clinical instructor gives you a well deserved compliment

- Straight cathing someone and getting "liquid gold" on your first try!!

- Being in the earshot of two RN's debating someone's plan of care and understanding what they are talking about

- Finding yourself moving from simply reporting a change in your patient's condition to the instructor to doing SBAR without even realizing it!

- The realization that in less than 48 hours I will be a nursing school graduate!!!!!!!!!!!

- Having your close friend, who graduated two years before you, scroll way up on her text messages to a message you sent her in your first clinical rotation that read "OMG what have I gotten myself into there's so much to know! I don't know what the eff Fursosemide is!!! How the hell do you remember all this??? You, me, bar, after clinical tomorrow please!" .

(um yeah. furosemide is lasix).

- Having said friend retext you that quote when you pass your last medication dosage quiz being like "look where you started. So effing proud of you!!!"

- The sense of accomplishment, confidence in one self, and excitement coupled with healthy nerves for the future

- (Until I start orientation, in which case my friend already told me that she's expecting another text message from me being like "OMG I learned nothing useful in school how the hell do you do this!!!!)