I started in an open heart unit fresh out of school 14 years ago. The
last year of school I focused all my papers on care of the fresh open
heart and learned all I could. I applied to every hospital within 300
miles of where I was attending school and was accepted at a hospital
180 miles from where I lived. I moved, and have never looked back and
have enjoyed the years spent so far living my dream. My nurse
instructor told me that six months after I graduated the years spent
in school would seem as childs play. I doubted her but she was right.
Those first six months almost did me in. I had to learn codes, death
and dying, and family dynamics. Not all cases end in victory. L/D
scares me to death. Even though you'll have many wonderful victories
it will be the failures, the deaths, and the drug errors that you'll
take home with you and will awaken you at night. I don't think there
is a single nurse that at some time hasn't made a critical error,
what makes us strong though is to pull together, attempt at all costs
to correct our error and if we fail, to realize what went wrong and
not compound the error by denial or coverup. Be encouraging to your
fellow nurses and tolerant and you will go far. Good luck with your
future endeavors.
Rob