Entry 3.5

I apologize to anyone reading this that I am not exactly the best at expressing my thoughts as clearly as they are in my mind. I also am not the most computer savvy person. That was the disclaimer.

My last blog entry was short and sweet and honestly just for the sake of me possibly forgetting to blog before Sunday I would not have to worry about the grade. I have made it a goal to put more of my heart and soul into this blog regardless of who (if anyone) is reading it.

This Thursday I met my first patient. She was a sweet old lady who had quite an extensive medical history but from what I could tell, her deepest pains came from her loneliness. It broke my heart to see how miserable she was but as the day went on she began to pour out her heart and soul to me which made me realize that she just needed a friend. I sat and listened to her reminisce on her long life, I heard of heart break and hope, laughs and tears. At the end of the day I felt as though I had made a new friend.

Going into the first clinical, I imagined geriatrics would not be my cup of tea. However, after leaving the facility, I realized that although the elderly are slow to move and even slower to process their thoughts, they are wise beyond my years and have had many experiences that I can learn from. I can honestly say I enjoyed my first clinical and loved the nurse/patient relationship that was established. I know this career is for me. I am addicted to my scrubs, love it when people ask me medical questions (not that I know the answer) the respect I get when I tell people I am a student nurse, and the skills I continue to learn.

When I got home I was absolutely exhausted (I woke up at 4:59 am and arrived at the health care facility at 6:15 am...a little early). I napped for about 3 hours. When I woke up my patient and experiences from the day were still on my mind.

I am still loving nursing school and feel as if I am getting somewhat closer to my classmates, especially the ones in my lab group. Thank you to all who responded to my last blog post giving me words of encouragement about the TCC program! I know that this is the right path for me and I am so excited for what the future holds. After I graduate TCC I want to transfer to a university and do a RN to BSN bridge program (I am hoping for University of Miami or University of Hawaii). I then want to become a combat nurse or involved in the Nurse Corps of the Navy (I love the coast!). I feel strongly about doing my part in serving the country and I feel as though joining the Navy will introduce me to incredible oppourtunities (maybe a sexy soldier! or even better a McDreamy!); keep in mind this is not even half way through my first semester of school and my goals are highly likely to change.

I am also beginning to realize in order to succeed in a field like this, I am going to have to make some extreme sacrifices such as my partying/social habits as well as boy drama in my life. After my clinical it killed me to have to turn down a night out on the town celebrating a friends birthday but I knew it was the right choice once I cracked open my textbook and began creating note cards. One of the biggest sacrafices I foresee myself struggling with will be work. I am a WORKAHOLIC and more devoted to my job than anything else in my life (nursing school is tied with it). There is nothing that bothers me more than being bored and unproductive. When I have down time at my job I am studying and when I get out of school I rush over to work. I know in the future that I will ultimately have to choose, and I WILL choose nursing.

I am somewhat nervous for the mid term although I made a 100% on the test run quiz (yay go me!). My intense studying begins right now after I finish this blog. There is so much more I wanted to write about but my mind is drawing a blank. I am trying to stay positive, keep my head up and a smile on my face and NOT FALL BEHIND.

<3 Bonnie :)