If It Doesn’t Challenge You, It Doesn’t Change You.

Yep sorry! To say that nursing school has been extraordinarily time consuming would be a gross understatement. I haven’t written a blog post in a very long time. If it’s any consolation, I haven’t shaved my legs in a very long time either (speaking of gross). But I did pick you over the highly anticipated reunion with my Venus razor. #nursingschool

It’s Thanksgiving Break, which means I’m officially almost-a-quarter-of an RN! I look back on the past, mere 3 months and can’t even wrap my mind around how much we’ve learned already. As we breeze through physical assessments in clinicals, or rattle off the complex pathophysiology of disease, or calculate IV drip rates in seconds, I’m astonished at the dizzying learning curve of this program.

We formulate nursing diagnoses like pros now! Here’s an example of one I’d give to myself an imaginary patient: Stress R/T sleep deprivation, imbalanced nutrition, lack of social interaction, and ‘disturbed energy field’ (yes, it’s a thing) secondary to nursing school as evidence by uncontrolled crying, extreme exhaustion, hysteria, and patient’s statement: “Sim Man is the only one who gets me anymore”.

Okay. It’s not that bad. I’m doing fine. Really. I mean, there was that one time I melted down over Safeway Delivery being out of my favorite ice cream bar and I don’t have a car so maybe I Uber’d all the way to Whole Foods in Harbor East just to purchase its entire stock…

But seriously, I’m surviving. We’re surviving.

All jokes aside. Dear reader – possible future Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing attendee – I’m not going to sugarcoat it. This program is rigorous. It challenges you intellectually, physically, and emotionally to the core. But it’s supposed to be that way. Because we’re taking on the enormous responsibility of having people’s lives in our hands. And no matter what my sleep-deprived alter ego may say otherwise, it’s an absolute honor to be challenged for that.

So on this Thanksgiving holiday, I’d like to express some gratitude:

…To the immensely supportive professors; who demand excellence and push us to be the best we can possibly be.

…To the administration; who give us the chance to max out our schedules with invaluable opportunities such as shadowing, research, community outreach, and special interest clubs.

…To the family and friends who have supported me during this difficult and wonderful journey; from the ones at my lunch table every day to the others 3,000 miles away.

…And most of all, to the patients; who touch our lives. Who allow us to bear witness to their most vulnerable moments and inspire us with their strength, perseverance, and incredible spirits.

Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. <3

….WAIT. FINALS ARE IN HOW MANY WEEKS?