Small tasks, big excitement

It’s official. I am a nurse. I know, I know, I graduated in June, passed boards in July, but now here it is September, and I’ve started working. Now it’s really official.  I’m a med-passing, care-giving, IV rate calculating nurse, and it’s so exciting. Even the things that I practiced as a student are new and scary and intimidating and fun all over again.

I was never one of those student’s who practiced writing “RN” behind my name. I was always too afraid to jinx it, despite not being a superstitious person.  It just didn’t seem like something that I should do. There was a time and place for it, and I didn’t want to ruin the fun. Even after I passed the boards, I added “RN” to my name at the end of a few e-mails just for fun, and yes, I posted it up on Facebook. It wasn’t until last Thursday when I got to sign off my care plans, initialing them “A.B. RN” that  it really hit me. I’m a nurse!

It wasn’t even the big things like passing meds or prepping patients for surgery that made me feel “official,” it was the little things. Finally being able to verify breast milk with another nurse (hospital policy that all breast milk is verified by 2 RNs before feedings). It was something I was never able to do before, and here I was, verifying it! I get to be that nurse!

It’s all exciting. It’s all a little scary. But my preceptor is great, a wonderful nurse and resource and definitely made me feel comfortable in my skin as a new nurse. I can’t wait till I am back on the floor and calling the shots (no pun intended!)!