I have been a nurse now for almost 5 months. Hard to believe this 36 year old mother of four boys and three dogs and wife is actually a Licensed Practical Nurse in the states of Michigan and Wisconsin. It has been a hell of a journey getting here, but here I am none the less.
Yep... here we are...there I am way in the back surrounded by so much handsomeness!
When I moved to Michigan, there was a lot of turmoil in my life. I really didn't know who I was or what I was going to do. Living in a very small town, jobs were limited. However, with the population being of the "older generation" one field that there always seemed to be job openings for was a CNA. So, with the help of Michigan Works, I began classes to get my CNA license and soon I was employed in a nursing home caring for the elderly. I seemed to fit in well in thie field of work and while it was backbreaking and thankless, I soon couldn't picture myself doing anything else. In fact, I tried giving it up for a while to persue other options, but I just didn't seem to fit right with any other jobs. So after some soul seeking, I ended up back in CNA classes to once again get my CNA license for the state of Michigan, as I had not worked as one for two years and my license had lapsed. This time I took the class in another arena, the local community college. It seemed this was a "meant to be" sort of thing, because I soon found out that I would be able to get my nursing degree through the same college! So began the journey!
After some work, some blood, sweat, tears, cursing, fighting and lots of sleepless nights while working and going to school full time, I managed to make it through the LPN course and in January I too my NCLEX, which I passed the first time around. So, now I sit here, getting ready for my graduation on Friday and it is finally sinking in that I am a nurse.
I was one of the lucky few to get a job right away. Actually, I had gotten a job as a CNA in an assisted living facility with the promise of advancement when I got my license. I am the low man for now, which means I get to work the shitty shifts. Mostly NOC shifts. And because it is a small facility, and we are not skilled care, it is just me and one CNA on this shift. Kind of a stressful thing when I think about all the bad things that can happen. But for now, I will focus on the good. Soon it will be summer and I will only have one online course to take.
Oh, did I mention I am going to go through all of this again for another year? Yes, I am moving onward and upward to get my RN while also working towards my BSN. I figured I made it this far, whats another year or two at this point? From there, who knows what will happen. For now, I will just stare blankly at my microbiology book in hopes something sinks in before my final tomorrow.
My journey has begun, but it definitly is nowhere near over.
