A little update since I haven't blogged in so long- I am currently working as a nurse (duh) in a new hospital in an Intensive Care Unit. We do everything from Medical/ Surgical to Coronary Care to Cardiovascular to a small amount of Neuroscience (MSICU, CCU, CVICU, & NSICU). I always thought I would specialize in something, but at least this keeps me up on all of my body systems. Who am I kidding though, most of the time I feel like I don't have a clue about what the hell I am doing. Comforting, huh?! So much for getting out of school and not having to study anymore. Haha, yeah, no deal. I still have to study a ton. I've learned nursing school didn't teach me squat. Bleh. One of my coworkers was telling me the other night about her sister who never got a degree and now makes 6 figures and gets to dress up to go to work everyday. We, on the other hand, wear what is basically pajamas to work everynight. I had to work my ass off to get two degrees over 7 1/2 years of college and I make barely enough to get by. What kind of deal is that? Really. As I was standing in this lovely outfit
(plus gloves)
(plus gloves)that we have to wear in isolation (infection patients) rooms holding the head of a puking, kicking, punching, screaming, crapping patient while another nurse put down a NG tube (nasogastric tube so she won't puke anymore), I reflected on the fact, glamorous this job is, not; and we are, not. Nights like that I honestly have to search really deep to find a reason why I keep doing this and why I ever wanted to do it in the first place. Cuz' let me tell you just how fun this is. I don't even like germs (that's another blog, coming soon though). Haha, not that anyone likes germs. Wiping butts (when it's not your own kids) and being there when a family finds out that their family member is dying is not really my idea of a good time. SO glad I spent so much on school for this. Oh well, I guess it's the occasional feeling of knowing that you might have actually helped someone (patient or family) or easied their pain for a night. It's the occasional adrenaline rush that I live for. It's the love of medicine. It's the thrill of getting to do all the things I've wanted to do for so long. It's the teaching. It's the occasional thank you's. It's the hoping that you actually made a difference in someone's life. It's the things I learn everyday. It's the joy of getting to tell someone that they're doing better. It's getting to be real. It's being me...Oh well, I guess glamour will have to wait for another day.
