My_Nursing_Career

MY NURSING CAREER My Nursing Career My nursing career had an unexpected start. I cannot say that I have always dreamed about becoming a nurse. I taught of becoming a nurse two weeks before taking an interview to enter the school of nursing. During my nursing career I have worked in different areas and I believe that I cannot say that I love one area more than the other. I have been motivated by different things in my nursing career but I think that the patients motivate me more than anything else. The thing that frustrates me more is whenever the doctors treat me as if I do not know what I am doing. I hope that with the additional education it will open more doors for me. The purpose of this paper is to share my experience with others and to evaluate myself to know where I am, where I have been and where I am going. My nursing career My nursing career began when I heard an advertisement on the radio. I have always wanted to become an accountant. After graduating from high school I was job hunting and was working at a bookstore as a clerk at day and a cashier at nights. One day I heard the advertisement on the radio and I decided to take up the offer just for a job. I went for the interview and for some reason God was on my side. I entered Belize school of Nursing in September 1987 and completed the RN program July 1991. I worked in different areas such as Medical/Surgical areas, Pediatric unit, NICU and OB/GYN. I began the Midwifery Program September 1997. I took the NCLEX June 2004 and was successful. I decided to come and work in the United States so that I can have a better future and a better retirement when I get older. I am presently working at Medical Surgical unit. Motivation in Nursing Career There are many things that have motivated me along the way to continue in the nursing profession. The number one reason has been the satisfaction I get when I see my patients get well and return home. Recently I had a 35 years old female patient with a diagnosis of cervical cancer. She had a colostomy, an Indiana pouch, bilateral nephrostomy tubes, generalized edema, pain medication every two hours and she has to self catheterization every four hours. She never complains and is always happy. Whenever I walk in her room she is always the first to ask “how are you doing'” This is one reason that I am motivated and feel energized. She motivates me to continue and to work even harder to be the best that I can be. Another motivation is when I make call back phone calls to patients. Some patients will tell me how much she enjoyed the services that was offered to her and that she will recommend the hospital to all her fiends. Frustration in Nursing Profession There are a few things that make me frustrated in the nursing profession. Some patients can be abusive and is not satisfied no matter how much I do. Sometimes I would bend over backward and the patient will continue to complain. Whenever I find patients like this, I will give them the best care ever and be super nice to them so that they can feel guilty. Another frustration in the nursing career is when administration keeps bugging you for one reason or the other. The number one frustration is when the doctors are mean. I would call him/her about a patient’s lab results or for an order; which he/she should have done before leaving the hospital; and he/she will be mean on the phone. Sometimes doctors would forget that nurses work hand in hand along side each other. Additional Education I believe that with my additional education I will be able to have more options in which area I want to work. I also hope to have better benefits and I mean better salary and better retirement plans. I love bedside nursing but I think I will challenge the administrative side of nursing, Conclusion In the nursing profession there are times when we are being motivated by patients and there are times when we are frustrated with the same patients that motivate us and frustrated by the people we work side by side with. Whenever we are tired of doing what we are doing we go back to school to get additional education and then try to change