The light at the end of the tunnel

I can finally start writing again. It has been 2 years since that last post and I am now a licensed RN working on a very busy telemetry floor.

If you are still a student, take comfort in knowing that it will pay off someday. Here is an update:

I started the actual nursing courses in the summer of 2008 while I was living with my husband and working part time at a very popular department store. By January I had moved into my own place and began working full time to pay my bills. I averaged only one day off per month between work, school, and clinical. That day off was usually a national holiday where the store was closed. Most days I went to school and then worked after. I saw my kids in between for a couple hours before starting over again.

My grades hovered around low B's and high C's but I was still in the tops of my class. Which explains how difficult these classes are. Last July I went further and took a position as an extern at a hospital. The pay is the same as patient care associate which is half what a nurse makes, but $3 more an hour than the department store. I was required to work at least 3 days a month, but I impressed the nurse manager with my "go-getter" attitude and she let me work one day a week.

I survived on meager wages and credit cards. The last of my credit ended in the December of 2009 which is when I finally graduated. Hooray! I don't know how, but I graduated with honors. It is only because I had straight A's in my prereq that I was able to make honors. My few C's in nursing were seriously bringing down my GPA. My nurse manager, now, wanted me to work 2 days a week and I happily obliged. What a blessing to be able to work two 12 hour shifts a week for more money, not to mention the experience.

The permission for me to take my NCLEX exam came in February, and I jumped at the first opportunity. 75 questions, and some nausea and vomiting, later I was a licensed RN. YES!!!!! Now my life will be so much better.......

And it is in some ways. I was hired by the same floor and completed orientation at the end of May. I work three day shifts a week. My children are reconnecting with me, and my youngest (14) is with me every single minute that I am not at work or school. He is quite clingy at the moment, but I will allow it since I neglected them for so long. We snorkel the reefs on my days off, and we watch alot of movies. I have started to read for pleasure again, and my interest in writing has returned, not to mention music, art, photography, fitness, and LIFE.

I am attending classes towards my BSN, but do not like having to sit in class for eight hours every Wednesday. Next semester I will be taking my classes online so I can better schedule my days. It was difficult getting into the swing of my classes this semester. There is a research, theory, and writing. When I think of writing, I really would rather focus on fiction but I am discovering that I really could get into research. I'm good at it, who knows where it could lead. If I go full time I could have my BSN by next summer, but I may skip it and head straight into my MSN. It is an option my university offers and I am seriously considering it.

Transitioning into my role as a new nurse is my biggest challenge at the moment. I have good days and I have bad days. I have found that no one wants to hear me complain but I need to get it off my chest. I plan on blogging about it, but anonymously. I do not want to violate any confidentiality, yet I do want others to learn from my mistakes and take comfort in my victories. So, do a search for nursing blogs and you may find me there. Good luck to you and all of your endeavors. You can do it!