Back to School....

.... and I am just not into it.

When the University's email came into my box I just ignored it.

Then, the follow-up email came.  I ignored it again.....and promptly forgot about it.




Learning: for all dinosaurs like me

 
A week later, I thought I should at least perhaps take a peek at the email. 

I knew I was supposed to start the course in January - and I had procrastinated until the end of January - and now it was the first week in February.  

The email was asking those who had not yet checked in to the University - please do.   Apparently half the class was missing. 

Oops!

The course I am taking is  Assessment and Communications in my Area of Expertise.   Looking over the discussions already started and the topics and the assignments and required reading........I started to panic. 

There was no way I could catch up....I was already three weeks behind!

Why did I so stupidly volunteer for this ??

What the program  is - is a 2 year University certification course to "qualify" me in my area of Expertise....all paid for by my employer.

We are allowed five years to complete it.

 At work, looking at all the course and the readings......I quickly became discouraged.   I talked to my Manager about my misgivings.

She was very sympathetic.  

"Remember - it's an adult learning course.  It's different than when you were in University for your nursing.  We are not held by the same standards as other courses.   As long as you have learned something.  So - just sit back and learn.....!"

She rounded up a couple of the other gals taking the same course.  They tried their best to reassure me and even gave me their home email addresses so I could contact them if necessary.

Problem is, I am a little OCD and if I can't do something perfectly - I can't be bothered doing it at all.   I never want to do anything part way or half-assed.

It's all or nothing with me. 

It was helpful to read on Berate Your Professor's blog "If you enjoy learning you will do well" in this blogpost "Don't Worry, Be Happy".

Trying to "sit back and learn" is going to be difficult.

I will try and enjoy it.

I am going to audit the present class this time round and get used to negotiating the website and doing the required things one does while taking an online course - and  will start with the next class.........

Ethics and Legalities in my area of Expertise.

Fun.

For Those of You who have Been Busy studying:

Thanks to http://www.9gag.com/

Always Learning

I am an advocate of Continuing Education, whether it be CEUs or going on for one's Master's or just going back for a certification.   I have enjoyed the many classes,  Lunch'n'Learn and workshops throughout my years in nursing.  

I have already done several specialty training courses in addition to the informal learning in the course of my career....as you can see by my sidebar.

I just really enjoy learning new things.

Problem is, I am now getting to the end of my career, and although I still love to learn and extensively read and study on my own.....I just don't have the interest in going for a formal degree. 

The expense and time it would take would exceed the number of years left in my professional career and financially speaking, wouldn't be a wise thing to do.   I don't want to be working into my 70's - and that's exactly where I would be if I ever made that decision.

Besides, as I have mentioned previously,  I have many other interests - painting and all things creative -  that I will eventually want to segue into.

However.   I was asked if I wanted to take the Certification program for my present specialty.

Thinking it over, I thought....why not?

So, I have decided  to go for it. 


Again.

It's being paid for by my employer - I just have to make arrangements for it in my own time.   It is a course that most nurses take two years to complete - but we are permitted to take up to five years.

I certainly won't be stretching it out to five.  If I did, I will be at the cusp of retirement, so I am thinking I had better git 'er done in less than two.

or here is the expanded version

I can't go into great detail about the course since it is for my present specialty, although some of you who have been following this blog o' mine from the beginning will know anyhow. 

Tomorrow I will give you the general lowdown on the program.

I start it at the end of the year.

NPO, you are an inspiration. I thank you.  You gave me the kick in the butt that I needed.

And - also - all you nursing student bloggers out there who have inspired me with your love of learning as you struggle through the processes.   I thank you too.

Don't ever stop learning!

Nursing Convocation: It's the Season or How it was Back Then

In my Inbox, I receive Nursing Medscape news.

There has been a series published on the Nursing cap, the significance and the capping ceremony and all the hoopla around it that Nursing seems to have.

I think this is what my RN cap looked like from. 
what I can remember. I never wore it professionally, and
shortly thereafter gave it to my niece to play with

Just the other day they posted a series of old photos of nurses in their caps that readers had sent in...nostalgic old photos from the 70s and early 80s, and their feelings around the cap and their graduation.

My stroll down memory lane wasn't one that I would care to repeat.

The stories I read on others' blogs about their meaningful ceremony and funny but sentimental speeches with family proudly observing - almost made me wistful for a similar experience, because both my graduations - LPN and RN - were nothing like that.

As an LPN - our ceremony was brief and there was not much that was  "ceremonious" about it. 

It was held outside on the College grounds and my (and other's) parents huddled in a small group and watched (no chairs!) as we were handed our little diploma  - in a "ceremony" that was 15 minutes tops.

Nothing special done, no pinning, no cap or stripe applied.  We already arrived with our gold and green stripes - the College's colors - on our caps.

I think some of us went for coffee after, and I am sure my parents wondered why they drove the 1 hour each way for this.

I had made my own uniform - and it was (at the time) quite a modern one with a longer mid thigh tunic, fitted at the waist/flaring at the hips,  and those wide bottom-leg pants.

When I graduated from the RN program four years later, my folks declined coming to the ceremony, the last one, I am sure,  still fresh in their minds.

"We've been to two of your graduations already" they stated, "That's enough".   In their defence,  there were five of us siblings....so I suppose, after a while, the graduations did add up.

My folks weren't all that encouraging about advanced education anyway so I don't think that they realized the importance of it.  At least, to me.  I had made it entirely on my own - even though sometimes it meant I had to miss a meal or two to pay my tuition.

The RN ceremony was a little more lavish than the LPN one - and I use that word loosely.

We were the 2nd or 3rd Nursing class ever to graduate at the University - and between finishing our nursing program in December -  a whole five months before the general student body -  in addition to inexperience as to what nursing graduation ceremonies entailed -  nothing *official* was planned by the University itself.

Our ceremony took place in the University,  with their permission.

We decided to have our own ceremony separate from the University's because most of our class would be dispersed - working all over the country by the time the Spring convocation came around - and no one wanted to make a special trip back for it.

We could also then make the ceremony "our own".

Because my parents didn't want to attend another graduation, I asked my best girlfriend and her mom to be my special guests of honor.

Once again, I made my own uniform - sort of a coat dress to the knee - and slim-fitting, very much like a business dress suit.  Impractical for working, I know - but hey, I looked great - and professional!

We chose 9 roses* for each student  and we would have our caps already on - black strip already applied.

We never had formal photos taken, but the only male in our class (he didn't make it to the end) offered to take informal photos of us all.

They didn't really turn out very well so I don't really have any photos to show you.

The ceremony was short and sweet. I don't remember who the valedictorian was or what was said - if there even was something said - although I am sure there was.   I don't remember much of any it....except it all took place in the University cafeteria because that was the only place they would give us for the "unofficial" nursing ceremony. 

Not a grand venue at all.  Heaven forbid they let us use the fancy lecture forum with stage and all that they reserved strictly for the *actual* graduation!

We were called up one by one and handed our pins that we paid for.    We weren't formally "pinned" or capped, and we weren't handed our diplomas - because technically - we didn't graduate until spring,  according to the university.  

In their eyes, this ceremony didn't really *exist* - and they did not acknowledge it except only to "allow" it....

They might have handed us a blank piece of paper along with the pin as a diploma substitute. (Funny coincidence - the same thing happened at our high school graduation - except they didn't even attempt to substitute with a fake one)

We had a dance afterwards but I only was there for 1/2 hour when my girlfriend's mom started having chest pains and dizzy spells.

I spent the next 4 hours or so in Emergency with her and my best girlfriend. She was all apologetic about it...especially when it turned out to be a false alarm....but I reassured her that being there in ED with her was where I wanted to be and where I should be. 

After all, isn't this what I went to Nursing school for?

I thought it appropriate to spend my nursing graduation in the hospital....rather than at a Graduation Celebration dance.

Ironic, don't you think?

But, retrospectively,  I didn't regret it at all,  even though my BFF's mom eventually lived to be over 90 and only passed away 2 years ago. 

Today would have been her birthday.

Sure, it would have been nice to have all the pomp and ceremony that goes with graduation, feeling that it was the "highlight" of my life - accentuating the accomplishment. 

But - after the graduation - because the celebration was so minimal, there was none of the "let down" or "disappointment" of everything (meaning Nursing school) being over with.

The one thing not having a Glorious Ceremony did,  for me it accentuated the fact that the real nursing starts after the celebrations.  

Even though there is, and rightfully so,  some Significance to the ceremony itself - really, what counts is what you do after the graduation.


:)


It's all just history and one nurse's experience, for what it's worth.






*When asked "why nine roses only? Is there a significance to the number 9?" - we replied -  the money we raised for our ceremony - that's all we had enough for.  By the end of the year, we had had enough of the bake sales, car washes and the like - having to pay the entire expense of the ceremony and celebrations.....never mind study too!  After all, we were a practical bunch!

More Tattoos and Alternate Gendered Nurses

Remember my girlfriend Jan?  The one that has a son with all the tattoos she hates so much (the tattoos - not her son!)?

She tells me he is now on his way to be in a fast track program to become an RN.  I am thrilled.  Although by looking at him you wouldn't know he would be the *type*.  Shame on me for stereotyping .... 

BUT.

He looks more like a bouncer -  or a prisoner.  No Mr. Innocent-looking here.   What with all his working out and tattoos.....as a muscle bound-tattoo-covered alternate-gendered nurse - he is guaranteed to be a head turner for sure.

I can't wait for him to dive into all the nursing curriculum and see what sort of take he has on it all.  Can't wait for all the questions he might have.

I will have to point him in the direction of a couple of blogs to read... NurseXY and Nurse J...and Tex.  I am sure he will find their observations and opinions helpful.

My girlfriend Jan is just hoping he meets a nice girl in the process and produces some grand-babies.

A Travesty of Sorts

OK.  I am not a "degree nurse"....I am a "diploma nurse".  But,  I am an RN. 

I received my education before mandatory BSNs were introduced in my province - and also before many were getting their degree.   At the time I attended College (now a university),  I could barely afford to eat never mind put out more money for years more of classes* - and the College I attended did not offer a BSN at the time.   When I was finally making money - and being technically single until age 50 -  it was quite difficult to pay a mortgage and go to school and have a social life too.  There was no such thing as "online school"....and the time off was seldom granted to attend inservices let alone University courses.

 I almost went into financial ruin during my RN training.....and wasn't wanting to do it again.   And now?   Right now I am too close to retirement and have other interests that I would rather pursue than Nursing -  such as Painting or Music.

After graduation, when you go to work on the ward,  it all comes out in the wash.  As an BSN or Diploma RN -  there is no difference in your function if you are a "general duty nurse".    IF you wish to go into management or research or Public Nursing etc, a degree is a necessity.  I have always enjoyed General Duty Nursing.   The degree doesn't make you a "better nurse" on the floor,  and despite what a certain nurse inferred  in the comments section of another nurses excellent blog that RNs without degrees are somehow ignorant in things of business - I beg to differ.

 I understand that an anomaly does not a body of truth make. BUT - it still stands that I have no formal training in business yet I have parlayed what I have learned in the real world through experience into what will be a  comfortable  retirement.  I am respected enough to have a CEO request me to sit on the board of directors of a NPO (non profit org) to assist with multi-million dollar decisions about senior housing projects.

But.  Having said that.... I am puzzled that value that isn't placed on having a degree by rewarding those that have one. I would be the first in line to argue that if you have a degree, there should be appropriate compensation. Take a look at the stats that were sent out by an advertising spammer that I am sure - if you are a nurse - you received in your comments, along with permission to post.  The graph made me do a double-take.

 If it this information is true - I am wondering - why is there not much of a difference in monetary compensation between RN and BSN?   The graph actually shows that an RN makes MORE than a BSN**.    I know money isn't always the measurement of success or prestige in our hearts,   but in the real world - the way value is shown is usually in monetary compensation and I don't see that happening with the degree nurses.

Check out our BCNU Nursing wage grid.

Per BCNU contract,***  Nurses with degrees get $100 per month stipend.  If you have a One Year accredited course from a University in a specialty area and only if it is an area you work  in which it can be utilized, you get an extra $25 per month.  If you have a Master's degree, that's an extra $125 per month.  Oh. And it gets better.  You can only qualify for ONE of the above....multiple compensations are prohibited. 

That doesn't seem - to me -  to be much in the way of recognition for the extra work done, nor the body of knowledge accrued never mind adequate reimbursement of educational dollars spent.   Lucky for the employers, BSN is now entry level nursing for any new grads from the Universities and Colleges in our province.   (btw : no such thing as "associate nurse" or "LVN" in BC)

What do you think?


* In fact, I was an LPN first, then after working and scraping together money for tuition and working full time while taking university courses, I wrote the challenge exams for 2nd year entry, quit and did my RN classes for a solid 1 1/2 yrs holding my breath.....
** yes, I realize there is a shift diff payout, but still..... 
***pg 107, BCNU Provincial Collective Agreement Apr 1'06 - Mar 31'10



By the way. I am STILL accepting  names for the FREE BOOK.  Let me know if you would like this book to give to someone!!!  (yes I can have it sent to you  so you can gift it to whomever you wish!)
Last chance is September 30.  Just click on the book in the RIGHT COLUMN.

Becoming an RN: Student Nurse

For those who really struggle as a student nurse - I have complete sympathy for you. It was no picnic, that is for sure. I had misgivings, and at times when it was rough I doubted whether I had what it takes to get there....but despite everything - I perservered, and was glad I did. Here is my account of some of what I experienced on my Road to Become an RN:

"Laundered" Repost # 1

My start in Nursing - actually, I am enjoying re-vamping my old posts. There was lots I had forgotten and added in. Plus now I can put it all in chronological order. :)

Student Nurse: Becoming an RN

I certainly was determined to get there!

How difficult could this RN stuff be, anyway? I had done my LPN program with no problem.

No problem with the work....but the instructors?

Well, upon reading my diary back then - I had one bad report as a student LPN,  from an RN - that I “didn’t initiate nursing care on own”. 

honestly, she looked
EXACTLY like this

Who could blame me when the old witch (with a capital B) classroom instructor for the LPN course scared the hell out of us by describing in great detail all the ways we could kill our patients???

Then – after freaking us all out to the point of debilitation – I am told I shouldn’t work in a high stress area by my LPN clinical instructor because I didn’t look organized because of my “flyaway hair” that she continually criticized me for.

That was her entire focal point. Since when is that an actual PERFORMANCE problem? Could I help what my hair looked like? The elastic band was no match for the short over permed frizzy and feathered styles of the 1970s -  Farrah Fawcett and all that.

But, after working a couple months as an LPN, I discovered that what my instructors had told me was a bunch of crock – that I thrived in stressful situations and I didn’t kill any patients - and also I discovered that I really enjoyed the work.

On the other hand, I found the LPN instructor was having difficulty working as an RN on the same unit. Eyeopener. Hate to say it, but from my experience...."those who can - do, those who can't......" you know the rest.

Several years of working as an LPN built up confidence in what I was doing and gave me a thirst for even more knowledge – and so I applied to the brand new “access program” for LPNs - the prep program for entrance into the RN program - Second year.

I went to the Registrar of the college to submit my name to write a series of exams that challenged the first year of the RN program.

If you had all your university course prerequisites and passed the challenge exams ....you would then be admitted to the "diploma nurse" program.

After 1 1/2 years solid - with no break – I would graduate with a Nursing Diploma and be eligible to write the RN’s - CNATs exam (then named equivalent of the American NCLEX) – taken over 2 ½ days (as opposed to the 200 question/4 hour CRNE exam now).

Great.

Sounded doable. To me, anyway.

Not so much to the Registrar. “Sorry,” he said. “There is NO WAY you will be able to take all the courses you need to get into the first class in the access program starting next fall.....NO YOU CAN'T. (heard THAT one before~~) - you have too many courses to complete in one year - especially if you have to work too. You will have to wait until the second access year is offered.”

Which might just mean - never.

This was a “trial basis” course and I couldn’t take the chance and wait and maybe not ever get in again.

Disappointed, I went home.

On the way home, I got into an accident - not my fault by the way. I was rear-ended at a stop light by a truck that pushed me halfway through the intersection. (my first rear end accident of 3 for those who have been counting!)

I was to be off work for a month, unable to do heavy lifting. In that month I registered in three different towns, at three different campuses, all the courses I would need for the first year prerequisites: Biology, Sociology, Psychology, Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology and English.......plus ended up working full time after the month off.

This was the age before computers – so it would be more difficult for the different campuses to detect multiple registrations within the system and I was hoping they wouldn't suspect what I was doing.

It seems they never did because I successfully completed them all - over 2 semesters, which was no small feat given that I had never done any high school Science courses save Biology 11, and only completed a special edition Math 11E for people who found Math 11 too difficult ( I am somewhat dyslexic with numbers.  I have learned to live with it now, but in high school, math was next to impossible).

I finished all with marks good enough to be admitted to the first Access Nurse Program.

I went back to the Registrar of the College and presented him with my transcript. "Now can I get into that RN course?" Staring at the paperwork in front of him he stated, " You ARE determined, aren't you?" He had no idea.

Yes - I replied firmly - I certainly AM.

"Ok. I guess we can’t stop you." I was accepted on a “mature student” status.

Great. I went home. Put in my resignation at the hospital. Thank goodness I had 2 roommates to help me pay my mortgage at the time......a mortgage whose rate would scoot up to 24% just before I finished my diploma.

So I held my breath and did the 1 1/2 years of classes and clinicals, no break.

One of the instructors of this course, a middle eastern male, was known to give better marks to the "better looking" girls in the class and the ones with the tighter pants with the vertical smiles. Another instructor was known to give "A"s to ALL her class members despite any less than stellar performance. I was unlucky enough to get the former.

Once again the instructors would prove to be the biggest challenge.

I was told by my instructor, during the first week after clinicals - "You did A level work, but I never give out "A"s in first classes...."

WHAT???

This didn't make sense to me. VERY discouraging to work so hard but not get the credit. So, I work my butt off and do top notch work..... and only get a B???

That was the stupidest thing I had ever heard of.

After that I really didn't try very hard to get good marks. What was the point?   Why bother?

I wasn't going to get what I deserved anyway, no matter how much I tried. The girls in the other instructor's class got A's no matter how badly they did.

There was just no sense to it at all. I lost all respect of the educational system in that college.

I later found out that a distant relative was in my same instructor's class, and SHE ended up quitting because of sexual harassment – she wouldn’t “work” for her marks, if you know what I mean, so he made it impossible for her to continue. She quit and changed schools ending up graduating with honors from the RPN (Psychiatric Nurse) program.

I got sick with Strep throat during my OB rotation. I was so sick I was actually comatose for 3 days....3 days  I couldn't remember – didn’t eat and didn’t drink anything.

When I finally did come to - I had no idea what time of the day or night it was or even what day it was.

I had missed three days of Clinical OB. I wondered why I didn’t get a phone call from anyone.

Apparently the nurses just thought I had not shown up and no one – not even my instructors followed up. I could have died.

Years later, I told this story to a clinical instructor when a student nurse didn’t show up. She wasn’t going to call her.....until  I told her my story.

I can remember needing to go to work for a shift at the hospital one hour away on the day I had to sign up for another particular class. I was still working the occasional shift to pay for my 24% mortage rate and I had to leave enough  time to get to work as scheduled.

An instructor with Insecurity Issues was manning the table.

After apologizing to my fellow students, I went to the front of the line and explained politely that I really needed to leave now in order to get to the hospital on time to work my shift - is it possible to put my name in and run??

Seemed like a reasonable request to me.

In my "real life hospital experience" this was usually a request that no one would question. It wasn't like I was a trying to play hooky – or asking for a special treatment to leave for no good reason.

I had a responsibility to attend to. A real live hospital job.

What I heard from that instructor was - "SO? Get to the back of the line......it isn't my problem..." (same instructor I worked with later that couldn’t cope with ward nursing)

Not very sympathetic.

Not very flexible.

I was never so glad to get through that year and a half. All those silly "care plans" that didn't get followed, that were impractical and no "real nurse" could decipher or have the time to follow.

Contrary to my request to stay in the College Town for my practicum, I was placed in the same hospital I worked as an LPN. 

Although there was an advantage to working in a hospital where I knew and had worked with almost every RN...sometimes there were drawbacks.

Why was it when all the other students got one or two patients.... I was getting dumped on with 6 and 8 patients????   It didn't really bother me...it was fairly easy for me since organization was my middle name after working as an LPN.

I just wanted to know why I wasn't being given the same treatment as everyone else in my class.

The day I was awarded my diploma.....I was hired by the same hospital that I had worked as an LPN and was allowed to work as a “Grad Nurse” until I could write my CNATS and Register in my province.

The nurses I worked with were wonderful. I was never so happy to leave college behind.

Reality of floor nursing was infinitely better than school or training.  I found everyone very supportive and helpful in my new role as an RN on the Surgical Unit.

The biggest adjustment was that greater feeling of responsibility between LPN and RN. Apart from that ..... all went smoothly as I was thrown into the machinations of the General Surgical Ward.

I don’t believe I even got an orientation since I had worked there as a student in my last clinical.

There were no programs for New Grads. You just got out there and worked.

I was -  however -  to have nightmares about unfinished course papers and exams for the next 30 years.

The Beginning....Student Nurse LPN

When I graduated from Nursing - if someone had told me I would still be working as a nurse 34 years later....I would NEVER have believed them.

Uh-uh.

It was something I was going to do "just for now" so I could make some money - then go back to school and do what I REALLY wanted to do. Art. Music. Clothing Design. Interior Design. Anything Creative.

Nothing Nursing.

Nursing was going to be a temporary job that would allow me the flexibility and the funds to train for a career that allowed me to be creative – which did not include Nursing.

Already I had played in a band, wrote music, designed clothing from scratch, decorated houses - nothing that even closely resembled nursing.

Nursing: not the occupation one would REALLY want to get into. Not if you knew anything of what it was all about in advance.... the things one would have to do in the line of duty....and how *little* one would get paid for so much aggravation.

When you first go into nursing you think more about the Respect and Glamour of the job - you know - the *Super Hero* part of nursing.

Who thinks about the reality of it? - cleaning up people that crap themselves - head to toe poop, under the fingernails, EVERYWHERE - between the sheets and smeared all over the wall?

Who ever thinks about geezers handing over their dentures with a string of gooey mucus and metamucil that stretches from mouth to dentures - into the palm of your hand?

Who would ever think that you would have to deal with 300 pound bedridden human beings that you are expected to roll over - single handedly - and change every two hours?

Or dealing with vomiting blood or exsanguinating human beings. Or worse yet - think of all the diseases you could possibly contract. Who deals with this stuff in real life?

And who really wants a job that takes you away from family and friends right when the fun is starting or miss all the special events like Birthdays, Christmases, Family Reunions, Thanksgiving, New Years, Relatives visits from Other Countries - and -  instead of having fun - you have a work load that is impossible, patients and visitors that are complaining and doctors that are downright mean and rude to you????

I had been a patient twice before I did my training.

Had a Bilateral Bunionectomy done at age 19. You would think SOMEONE would have warned me??? I didn’t see anything then of what I experienced later as a nurse – although - I have to say - I was put in a 5th bed in the middle of a 4 bed room with very little privacy. (Little did I realize that that would still be a bone of contention 35 years later.)

Why did I EVER get into this occupation?

That thought has crossed my mind MORE than once over my nursing career that has spanned the last 5 decades. 

One would have thought that I would have clued in immediately the day I stepped inside the hospital for my first clinical. I was petrified to roll the head of the patient's bed up or down for fear I would kill them. Our instructor had scared us to death about *what not to do*.

Or, perhaps on my first practical nursing exam when I answered the question "what things can you do as a nurse to ensure your patient's safety?" and I couldn’t think of anything but "melt the sharp edges off the ice cubes" (hahaha that makes me laugh every time! Clueless).

AND - I should have had a premonition when the nasty old nurse Instructor wouldn't let me off early to be in my own brother's wedding party because apparently - "you won't be able to get the time off once you are working as a nurse!!" - and was threatened by the crotchety old Instructor that my $100 per month much-needed-measly-stipend would be withheld if I DID take even an hour off.

Nothing like running last minute to get dressed in the church parking lot - makeup and hair askew........ Flip I hate those wedding pictures - to this day I curse that nursing instructor.

Yes.

Nursing.

Why would I or anyone want to get into it? Even better question, HOW did I get into it??? I was so naive.

Once I actually started nursing I could see a lot of the positives. There was the companionship of my colleagues – they felt like family back then.

Great camaraderie.

Great for going out when I was younger AND – best of all - there was a *paycheck* ! I could now afford my own apartment. I even bought my first house on my own at age 20. I could come and go as I pleased and didn’t have to work under the thumb and microscope of my folks.

Freedom.

I could work 8 hrs per day rather than the 24 hours per day that I was doing at my parent’s Resort......and the pay was a little better than the waitressing I had been doing at that family restaurant on Main Street. (although shortly thereafter I realized my best friend was making MORE than me working 4 hours waitressing to my 12 hours of nursing )

I started out as an LPN.......and when I wanted to go back to school to take my RN.....my boyfriend at the time said that I couldn't handle it and that I was too stupid.

THAT really made me determined to go back and get my RN....if only to prove him wrong.

But - I still wasn't sure that it was something I really wanted to do.

I wasn't sure I even LIKED nursing.

But - I thirsted for knowledge. To me - Knowledge was everything. There is something amazing about coming to work every day and being challenged with something new.

I wanted to know the whys and the hows and the ins and outs of medicine.

I punted the boyfriend and chose Nursing instead.

No looking back.

punting boyfriend

I was going to be an RN.

BUT....it would only be for a while......at least I THOUGHT......