To The Girl Thinking of Becoming a Nurse (a note to myself at 17)
In nursing, there are wonderful days, challenging days, days of frustration and days that make you dig down deep. This is a little piece that I wrote for nurse's day. I realized on social media, all I have been seeing lately are the bad things that nurses have to deal with in general. This was written as another viewpoint to be out there. We need to inspire the next generation and this is the first step I am taking in that movement!
The world will speak at you in many ways. You will read how the medical world is full of red tape, rules, ratios and never ending charting, but there are a few things they are missing. The world needs good nurses called into the profession; and you, girl, can make a difference.
Here is what no one tells you
No one tells you that you will be scared--
Of the pressure.
Of messing up.
Of not knowing something.
Of doing the wrong thing.
Of letting down your medical team.
No one tells you this will make you a better nurse.
No one tells you the ways patients will affect you--
With their struggles.
With their stories.
With their faith.
With their determination.
With their fight.
No one tells you this will make you fight harder.
No one tells you there will be days when your faith becomes shaken--
When you don't think you can.
When you don't know what to do next.
When you just want to walk out of the patient's room.
When you think, "Why am I here and how do I fight harder for this life?"
No one tells you that you will start to believe in you.
No one tells you that patients and families will change you--
With their harsh words as they are at their worst.
With their loss as if it's your own.
With their happiness in the successes of small daily battles.
With their joys in new beginnings and the miracle of life.
No one tells you that your character will strengthen through empathy and grace.
No one tells you how your coworkers will influence you--
To want to be a part of a work family.
To understand sometimes all there is left to do is pray.
To learn to be a better listener and supporter.
To realize that you are not in control.
To realize who is.
No one tells you that you will learn another side of the meaning of love.
No one tells you that you will have days when you feel the fragile flicker of mortality--
When a patient gets better and then back to worse in the blink of an eye.
When you code a patient for the first time.
When you have your hands on a chest praying for that life to stay grounded.
When that life breaks it's earthly chains.
No one tells you that you will, in these moments, recognize that there are two types of patients; those who should be able to be saved, and despite all medical resources, aren't. Those that shouldn't have a chance to survive, and by divine medicine, do.
No one tells you that you will go to church in a patient's room--
When your patient just needs to talk or hold your hand.
When your patient's family members want answers you don't, and won't ever, have.
When you and your team have exhausted all efforts and you gather around the bed and pray...and cry.
No one tells you you will find your beliefs in those walls because you finally understand He is never far away.
No one tells you of the days when--
You find peace in your calling.
You finally see why you are in this role.
You realize that you are a tool and an avenue for great work to be done.
You understand that you are human and your best IS good enough.
You believe.
No one tells you that you'll look back at your journey with a heavy heart at the ones who branded it and are no longer with you, of the ones who stay with you for all the best reasons, or the days when you felt like you were right where you needed to be.
No one tells you that when you are doing what is your calling, that it is all that matters and, most importantly, all that ever will.
No one tells you that you will find peace in your work because it is far more than just a job.
No one tells you that sometime later you will look back at how it all started, with tears in your eyes, and realize--
That the days of doubt were trials and you passed, not always prettily, but you did it and you have built character as a result.
That the positive far outweighed the negative.
That the days of not knowing your purpose are over.
That you are the mother, daughter, sister, and spouse you are because you endured.
That the pieces of all these experiences you have carried with you now quilt your being.
And, lastly--
That even on those long days and nights over the years when you felt your heart breaking and healing, that those on this adventure with you saved a piece of you as well. You're journey is not over, it has only begun; the trail is merely better marked now as a result of your experiences. It can only make your footprints clearer for those who travel along it with you and for those who follow after you.
Thank you so much for writing this, it was beautiful. It had tears in my eyes. I have been struggling with the decision to just go all in and go to nursing school mostly because all I ever hear is how horrible it is. It is so refreshing to see another prospective
Despite all the glad handing we have read, its still up to you. Where you work, how you handle and LEARN from stressful scenarios. Being a kid still wet behind the ears. Take your time. Enough of the emotion, weeping and crying, its a rough world out there..Learn from it. Being a nurse now is more stressful than years ago, read: cut back, people who should not be in management, are! Many fresh out of university or college who have no people skills. It's up to you!
Thank you to those who understand. To those who don't, I'm sorry. With all the bad spewed about my beloved profession(and I'm a good bit older now), I felt that I needed to put some positive back in our World.
If it offended you, I cannot apologize as this is a reflective piece and not meant to be directed at anyone but myself in so many terms. Whether it be the context or something else, you can interpret it how you would like, but I know what I meant and I will stand by my convictions. I have a passion for people and for writing---this is the result of that. I did it for me and then hoped it could help inspire the next generation or ignite the passion back into a depressed staff pool. Maybe you should put your own piece out there. I would love to read it.
You know, reading this again (just to see if I missed something) I'm not seeing a Christian spin theme here.
I have faith without an actual religious affiliation (coming from parents who were raised with two different religious backgrounds, I was raised without one and left to figure that out on my own).
I just see a belief in a higher power in this article. Faith that there is something more than our mundane little every day lives. Even without a religious affiliation I still believe in something more - what, I'm not exactly sure, having changed my mind about many times in my life. Maybe it's not even a religious belief that I feel, but I there has to be something bigger than myself and the physical here and now.
Maybe it's a physics belief? I think that is something everyone can agree on?
Looking deeper, I am not coming away with the OP making a statement toward religion. Even if you don't have a religious belief I think most people may believe there is likely something more … something bigger than us collectively.
Faith can mean just about anything really.
Just because I have faith that water will come out of the faucett when I turn it doesn't mean I know exactly what went into getting it there. I just believe it is there.
I think faith can mean just about anything we want it to mean. I believe there is no harm in having faith in something bigger than we are, especially in times when we are shaken to our core.
I also have faith that I just kicked over an ant hill - inciting anger in someone, some where …
I was very moved (to tears) by this article, my journey into nursing is about to begin, frankly as begun, and i really do want to keep motivated and also to motivate! Thank you so much for sharing :)
tm812
16 Posts
Thank you so much for writing this, it was beautiful. It had tears in my eyes. I have been struggling with the decision to just go all in and go to nursing school mostly because all I ever hear is how horrible it is. It is so refreshing to see another prospective