where did the time go?

Holy cow, I've been a real nurse for 9 months.


It's unbelieveable.
Overnight, (okay, four years, $210,000, numerous lost social hours, and more bed pans than I can count) I became a nurse.

Yup, on July 5th I went from Kelly, student nurse/"wanna be R.N." to Kelly R.N./"scared shitless to enter the real world of nursing because now people's lives actually depend on what I do."

I had a little less than a month after "becoming a nurse" to let it settle in. Before I knew it, I was taking on new challenges as a nurse in the Burn Intensive Care Unit.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, "My Life As a Nurse from A-Z"

a) It's been long, it's been hard, it's been frustrating, it's been rewarding.
b) There have been tears of laughter and those of sorrow.
c) I've been covered in every bodily fluid imaginable.
d) I've successfully resuscitated someone;
e) I've stood by as a family withdrew care and I watched the monitor flatline.
f) I've had patients reinstill in me the reasons I became a nurse;
g) I've had patients who made me question every decision I've made over the last four plus years.
h) I've worked days, I've worked nights, I've worked overtime.
i) I've been awake for 42 hours straight;
j) I've slept for 18 hours straight.
k) I've held a patients hand to let them know I care.
l) I've been karate chopped at by an angry/violent patient crying out for attention.
m) I've sounded idiotic when I've called pharmacy and cannot pronounce the name of the antibiotic that I'm requesting.
n) I've saved a life when I noticed that the antihypertensive agent (hydralazine) was ordered instead of the antihistamine (hydroxyzine).
o) I've gone 14 hours without urinating; I've urinated non stop after 5 beers.
p) I've missed out on parties/dinners/movies/social gatherings becuase of working night shift;
q) I've had 8 days off from work without ever having to take a vacation day.
r) I've been asked out by a patient
s) I've seen some mighty cute doctors roaming the halls.
t) I've passed gas in a patients room
u) I've been covered in every bodily fluid imaginageble (whoops, already said that one).
v) I've seen more male genetalia that all of my "promiscious" friends combined
w)I've sen what gravity does...NONE of us want to age.
x) I've stood in the med room talking to myself about what I need to do
y) I've talked to family and loved ones about death
z) I've come a long way, but my journey is just beginning.


Thanks for all the support along the way. Now hold on tight, this is only the warm-up!