I Became A Registered Nurse

My second clinical day took place on September 24th, 2015 at Saint Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, New Jersey. My preceptor Maria Brilhante, MSN, RN, allowed me to observe the morning huddle that took place with all the nurse managers that are in the hospital. The purpose of this huddle was to keep the director of nursing informed about the census on each unit. I found this processed to be very uniformed and professional because the DON was engaged. The day went on with me attending meetings on how managers could implement plans to contain cost for the hospital. Maria did her daily rounds on her patients and her nursing staff. She has a folder that contains papers on how each nurse is progressing from the time they get off orientation. Her motto to the nurses is, “You are good at what you do, so when I coach don’t take offense. I am only trying to get you to be great”. This boost their confidence which I thought to be important.

Witnessing the patience, strength, and compassionate attributions that nurses convey within their care was remarkable. Having the opportunity to make a positive difference in the life of another human being was a very overwhelming and humbling experience for me. Therefore, these encounters set the foundation towards my pursuit of a nursing career.

Van Gogh once said “your profession is what you’re put here on earth to do, with such passion and such intensity that it becomes spiritual in calling”. That is what nursing is to me. A passion that started early in life. During my senior year in high school, I completed the nursing assistant course over a holiday break in order to begin working as a certified nursing assistant at a local hospital and nursing home. I continued serving others, in this capacity, while I pursued higher education earning my Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Clarkson College. After graduation, I began my career as a Registered Nurse at Sacred Heart Hospital. Over the last nine years at Sacred Heart, my experience grew as a staff nurse on a Cardiology Step-down Unit,

Working with the nurse who cared for my ailing grand-aunt, was a life changing experience. I would assist with bathing, grooming and toileting as well as reading to my aunt a couple of her favorite mystery novels. Evening though my grand-aunt 's condition was irreversible, I felt at peace because her nurse made sure she was comfortable and her needs were met. The compassion, empathy, work ethics and support the nurse provided for my family and grand-aunt during this difficult time resonated with me, the nurse inspired me in so many ways and even encouraged me to pursue a profession in nursing.

Being a CNA is hard and taxing on people mentally and physically. It a tiresome job that turns most people off from the start. But, I do think joy can be found in this job. Most will say that being a CNA is like being a glorified butt wiper which I mean yes we do wipe butts but there is a lot more to the job then that. There is relationships that are built with the residents and patients that is unique to a CNA. My job is hard and sometimes I just want to throw in the towel. But then there's that moment that changes it all and makes you love the job even though it very hard. Being a CNA is all about the passion, relationships with people and hard work.

I am a CNA, I am the person who helps your loved ones, children and maybe even yourself with everyday aspects. I am the person who helps your grandmother get ready in the morning or helps your uncle eat his lunch. I am slapped, bit and yelled at more times than not. I change diapers and clean up vomit daily. I wake up early and stay up late to help you when you whenever you need me. With all of this hard and tiring work comes the rewarding parts. I get to play card games like Go Fish and learn new ones from the residents like Bridge. I sit and talk with residents and hear their stories from when they are young. I get to soothe your premature baby and sit with her as she heals and grows until she goes home. I play board games and color with children who are suffering from chronic illness and cancer. I hold your mothers hand as I tell her it’s okay to go and that she is so loved. I am a CNA, and though I may not be for long I put my entire heart and soul into it and love every second. I have long desired for the chance to work in a medical setting and working in an assisted living home has made me realize that the job comes with so much more than the job description entails.

Nursing is more than traveling room to room, patient to patient, to provide medical care. Nursing is about treating the patient with the utmost respect and compassion. It’s more than providing medical care, but supporting the patient and family. Being a nurse only requires a bachelor degree and a “RN” badge, however, a great nurse possesses that knowledge, along with determination, a positive attitude, compassion, and patience. I believe that I display these characteristics and have a true passion for helping others. Throughout high school, I always had an interest in the medical field and biology. In my junior year, I decided to enroll in the CNA course to pursue my passion for nursing early on. Through this class, I experienced moments of self discovery

Prior to beginning the nursing program the only patient contact that I had was in an outpatient clinic setting and had often thought how great it would be to become a nurse. As my preceptor clinical experience has come to an end, I can being to look back and reflect on my experiences not just over these past few months, but from the beginning at Avalon Care Center my first exposure to a long term care facility. Which at that time had made me question, if nursing is the right career path for me? Since then, I have had many wonderful experiences from being able to watch an open heart surgery for a valve replacement and a total neck resection for throat cancer with, jaw reconstruction with the use of the patient fibula. Still to this day, I

Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant was the biggest challenge I’ve ever taken on. My decision to become a nursing assistant started when I was in ninth grade. My class went on a field trip to the high school and we took a tour to the Health Occupational Students of America classroom. As I walked into the room, I knew right there that it was the class for me. My instructors, Mrs. Livings, and Mrs. Jorgensen were fantastic, and never failed me as a health care

I have worked in every area of the hospital and nursing homes in my nineteen years of clinical practice as a nurse. I have excelled and enjoyed the care that I have provided over the years. I have been a charge nurse wherever I have worked and enjoyed brainstorming and critically thinking through what needed to be done for a patient when they were not doing well. I have prevented many code blues and have been a preceptor to many excellent nurses.

A day in the life as a CNA (Certified Nurse Aide) can have its ups and its downs. As a CNA you can work in a couple different areas of the nursing field, you have options of where you want to be and you are not finite to any certain place. Most CNA’s start out working in a nursing home then exude to other places such as hospitals. As a nurse aide you have many options of being in a certain field of nursing. That is what I love about nursing; it is versatile and you can work wherever you want in the country. You can travel and see places you haven’t seen while doing what you love to do as a career.

My career commitment as a nurse has grown tremendously over the past three years; through my daily experiences as a Medical Assistant. I have devoted my time as a full time student and employee of the health care profession. Both of these occupations have helped shape me into the person I want to be for as long as time allows. Daily I witness these community role models that posses abilities such as problem solving skills, promotion and protection of an individual’s advocacy all tied in with compassion to meet the health care needs of an individual.

My personal nursing mission statement is changing and developing as my career advances, however, one core piece will remain constant. I will strive to provide the best, safest, most ethical and compassionate nursing care that I can for all patients and family members with whom I come in contact. I began my post-high school academic career as an accounting major. I enjoyed the challenge of manipulating a report until I had balanced. I thought I had found my calling. As my first semester was nearing an end, I found myself contemplating the thought of sitting behind a desk all day. I wondered

First, what brought me to the nursing profession. All through my childhood years I wanted to be just like my mom, a daycare provider. I wanted to be able to take care of young kids and not have to sit in a desk all day. I never thought of another profession until my grandma, a nurse, had me shadow her for an entire day. I learned all about the different specialties and jobs in a hospital. After that day I had an interest in the health field but I wasn't sure what health profession was fit for me. About a year ago I started working at the nursing home in my hometown for some experience in the health field and to be around health professionals. After working there for four months I tested out and became a CNA. I absolutely loved every part of working there. I helped all the residents with their daily needs such as dressing and toileting. In the nursing home I worked at, there were three different parts; assisted living, long term, and rehab and hospice. I was able to work in the long term care unit but most of the time I worked in the rehab

It was an unpleasantly early morning in the hospital waiting room. Nurses buzzed around, busy attending to their patients while a faint beeping sound could be heard in the background. I was starting my second shift of the day at the hospital, just finishing working a shift in the dark, grimy morgue. Groggy, I sat down at my desk to begin another four hours of labor. My position was to assure that the paper work was properly completed and that all patients were attended too. While being a supervising nurse was a great responsibility, it left time to day dream.