First two months after graduation (June and July)
School is over! What a joy! After four years of uncountable nights and days, there is only one day that I am eagerly expecting: graduation day. On this day, the past is forgotten and the future is even not thought of. The only moment is now, to celebrate and to enjoy. The day after graduation day, I am realizing that things are taking another lead. Passing the NCLEX-RN exam comes into the equation, even before thinking about a carrier or where to work. Two days after graduation I am again on the school desk preparing for NCLEX-RN exam. It is not only about getting the title RN after my name, but also the overall evaluation. Everyone sends me messages of good luck and courage despite the fear and anxiety. Four weeks passes preparing and revising, and the day comes to show that I deserve the title.
The 26th June, 2010, on a Saturday morning, I am very anxious to see my results. I can’t even sit to calm myself down. As I open the computer, and login, I get a surprise! Oyeeeeee! I passed! So what?
Three weeks after passing the NCLEX-RN exam, I find myself in a psychiatric hospital acting as a nurse manager. This is something I had never thought of. Can you believe it; I can’t neither. But it is happening. My days at the hospitals are full of stories, challenges, and discoveries. Writing them on the paper can make up a book heavy to carry and long to read. However, some stories deserve to be written down and to be shared.
The following events happen almost every day, during weekdays.
It is 5:30am, on Monday morning. Ding! Ding! Ding! My alarm clock is always earlier than me. Luckily! It is 5:30am and I have to wake up to get ready for my morning prayers at 6:00am. I always take 30 minutes to take shower and to get ready. It sounds more, but I do take time on myself. It is the only time I have to physically do my self-examination. It makes sense. I do assess others almost every day, why not me.
At 6:15am I am in the church for the Eucharistic celebration. Why not start my day with spiritual food? I guess it is important. Actually, there is no guess, it is obvious!
At 7:15am I am on the table taking my breakfast as fast as I can (eat fast, obviously more). This is an important meal of the day; therefore, I need to make sure that I take something in at least before starting my day.
By 7:30AM I am at the hospital for the morning change of shift staff meeting. This is an important meeting of the day during which programs and activities of the day are exchanged between teams. Most of the times we get to speak about some hospitalized patients who require special observation. Depending on what is to be exchanged, the meeting can take about 20 minutes or more.
At around 8:00AM I am back in the nurses’ office for another meeting during which tasks are shared between nurses. It is during this meeting that care plans are communicated. It usually takes less than 5 minutes. After this meeting, most of the things goes unpredicted.
Jean-Clement, RN, BSN
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