History of Me

My main reason for starting this blog is because I'm currently working an evening shift and I need something to do after work to unwind before going to bed.

I'm a new nurse-I graduated with my Associate Degree in Nursing in May 2012 and passed my NCLEX the same year. I spent my first year as a nurse working in a clinic setting. As educational as that experience was I was dying to work in a hospital. My chance finally came this August 2013 when I was offered a position at a hospital in San Diego in their New Graduate Nurse Residency Program. The program gives you four months of training. You float to a different unit each month: Oncology, Orthopedic, Stroke/Telemetry and Cardiac. At the end of the program you become a part of the float pool and are able to apply to positions on all four units or apply for training programs in the critical care units. 

Educational Background: I currently have a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego. I graduated from San Diego City College with my Associate's in Nursing. Currently my boyfriend, *Arnold and my best friend *Darius and I are working on our Bachelor's in Nursing through Grand Canyon University. 

Important People: I consider myself a very lucky gal to have met the love of my life in nursing school. I met one of my best friends in school, *Darius, and we're still very close with other friends from school too. I've heard from different nurses that the friendships they made in nursing school have lasted a lifetime-so far they are absolutely correct. One great thing about having a boyfriend and friends that are nurses is that when we all gather together at the bar our conversations tend to include the following: descriptions of what a GI bleed smells like, bowel movements (for the record my non-nursing friends and I talk about this too), new medication names we've never heard of and "what would you do if" situations that we've experienced. 

Philosophy of Nursing: My nursing philosophy is centered around the patient. I'm a big believer in treating all the patient's needs-physical, psychological and emotional. I also try hard to incorporate cultural sensitive care into all my interactions with patients. You'd be surprised how much culture plays a role in nursing. Also, I'm a big believer in alternate methods of treatment-especially when it comes to pain management. I love it when patients are willing to try non-pharmacological treatments to deal with their pain management. Overall I pride myself in always advocating for my patients and making them laugh and smile at least once during my shift. 

My goal for this blog is to share the adventures I experience during the beginning of my nursing career. There's plenty to learn and I'd love to share it with anyone who reads it. Even if you're not a nurse and just want a good laugh-I recommend this blog. My other reason for writing about these adventures is because nursing is not an easy career. It's rewarding and I love it, but it's hard work. And maybe one of the challenges I write about will motivate another newbie nurse to get through their next long shift.

*Name has been changed for identity protection