When you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.
I thought all my friends in high school were crazy for choosing careers in the medical field. Almost all of them were certified nursing assistants by the time we graduated. I thought the very idea was appalling! I hated the idea of cleaning up after myself, let alone anyone else! I did not understand the ethics and motivations that I now appreciate in this field. I did not, however, have any idea of what it was I actually wanted to do with my life.
I started out of school working in manufacturing. I did enjoy the paycheck, but my job did not make me feel complete and fulfilled. I knew people were buying my products, but i wanted more. I was also going to college at the time. For what, I had no idea; but my desire for direction was mounting. I realized that I liked my work-study job in the cafeteria of the college more than my classes. My grades were dropping as I spent more time in the kitchen. That, I decided would be my path. I eventually landed a position at a local nursing home, cooking the evening meal. I enjoyed my job immensly, yet I still felt that there was something more I should be doing. After about a year, I realized that my favorite part of my day was interacting with the residents of the home while washing tables. Most people would have jumped into NA class immediately. I was mad. I was upset that I now felt a desire to enter a field that I had teased people about for so long! Thankfully, it didn't take me too long to get over that. I enrolled at the college once again; this time I took the 75 hour NA course. I did my clinical's at the nursing home for which I worked. I am still very glad I chose this route because I could focus so much more on what I was learning. I didn't have to worry about where things were and what name went with which person. Not long after becoming certified, I moved to Des Moines and took a 60 hour advanced NA course. I began doing staff relief immediately after and cried for two weeks straight! I do not recommend staff relief directly out of class. I was thrown into unfamiliar places with short staff and even shorter instructions. I will say that I learned as much those two weeks as I did during my NA courses. Only test anxiety didn't compare to my stress level then! I talked with my supervisor and we decided that home care would be a much better choice for me. I cannot express in words how much I loved my home care position. The one-on-one care was fulfilling and rewarding to both myself and my clients. I enjoyed the patients with Alzheimer's the most. I saw how nursing and different medical situations directly affected the other staff, the patient, the families, and the communities. Home care provided me with a vast knowledge of how people cope with medical changes and emergencies, and with death. It did not, however, leave me much time to advance my degree. That is how I have come to be at Mercy Medical Center. I first worked as a transporter for the Ultrasound department. I hoped I would be able to learn the layout of the hospital setting, both physically and medically. I took advantage of all the people I met, by asking them a multitude of questions about their departments and career choices. I switched to a weekend job in the emergency room to make time for school and learn about a part of the hospital I was still not familiar with. After three years at Mercy, I have decided to pursue nursing. I have not yet decided what division of nursing in which I would like to specialize; I am hoping clinical's will expose me what I need for that decision.
Here I am, eight years after graduating high school, and not at all where I envisioned. I am in a much better place than I ever imagined. Nursing is not just a career choice to me, it is a life choice. Everything I have learned and done has made me a better person, and hopefully has done the same for my patients. I enjoy helping others through their times of need, even if it only to get them a warm blanket. What motivated my friends to become CNA's, even with my jeers, has become evidently clear to me today. I strive to keep the motivations and ethics always prevalent in my life. I want to be a nurse.
I started out of school working in manufacturing. I did enjoy the paycheck, but my job did not make me feel complete and fulfilled. I knew people were buying my products, but i wanted more. I was also going to college at the time. For what, I had no idea; but my desire for direction was mounting. I realized that I liked my work-study job in the cafeteria of the college more than my classes. My grades were dropping as I spent more time in the kitchen. That, I decided would be my path. I eventually landed a position at a local nursing home, cooking the evening meal. I enjoyed my job immensly, yet I still felt that there was something more I should be doing. After about a year, I realized that my favorite part of my day was interacting with the residents of the home while washing tables. Most people would have jumped into NA class immediately. I was mad. I was upset that I now felt a desire to enter a field that I had teased people about for so long! Thankfully, it didn't take me too long to get over that. I enrolled at the college once again; this time I took the 75 hour NA course. I did my clinical's at the nursing home for which I worked. I am still very glad I chose this route because I could focus so much more on what I was learning. I didn't have to worry about where things were and what name went with which person. Not long after becoming certified, I moved to Des Moines and took a 60 hour advanced NA course. I began doing staff relief immediately after and cried for two weeks straight! I do not recommend staff relief directly out of class. I was thrown into unfamiliar places with short staff and even shorter instructions. I will say that I learned as much those two weeks as I did during my NA courses. Only test anxiety didn't compare to my stress level then! I talked with my supervisor and we decided that home care would be a much better choice for me. I cannot express in words how much I loved my home care position. The one-on-one care was fulfilling and rewarding to both myself and my clients. I enjoyed the patients with Alzheimer's the most. I saw how nursing and different medical situations directly affected the other staff, the patient, the families, and the communities. Home care provided me with a vast knowledge of how people cope with medical changes and emergencies, and with death. It did not, however, leave me much time to advance my degree. That is how I have come to be at Mercy Medical Center. I first worked as a transporter for the Ultrasound department. I hoped I would be able to learn the layout of the hospital setting, both physically and medically. I took advantage of all the people I met, by asking them a multitude of questions about their departments and career choices. I switched to a weekend job in the emergency room to make time for school and learn about a part of the hospital I was still not familiar with. After three years at Mercy, I have decided to pursue nursing. I have not yet decided what division of nursing in which I would like to specialize; I am hoping clinical's will expose me what I need for that decision.
Here I am, eight years after graduating high school, and not at all where I envisioned. I am in a much better place than I ever imagined. Nursing is not just a career choice to me, it is a life choice. Everything I have learned and done has made me a better person, and hopefully has done the same for my patients. I enjoy helping others through their times of need, even if it only to get them a warm blanket. What motivated my friends to become CNA's, even with my jeers, has become evidently clear to me today. I strive to keep the motivations and ethics always prevalent in my life. I want to be a nurse.
So, yes, I have to take the class again for nursing school. Just to explain that there. And why can I not tab on here??? Would someone please explain that to me?!?!?!
Have a good week!!
2 comments:
It's like you're right here. I love that you write just like you talk!!! I hate the tab thing, too, but you get used to it. Slowly but surely, we'll get rid of all proper english... see??? :) :) :)
People should read this.
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