The Awakening

I have been working at my new job for about 6 weeks now. During those six weeks I would have to say I have grown more as a nurse than I ever thought I could when I was in school or working. It's really astounding. I feel like I have been through the ups and downs that some people look back on in a career, just in six weeks. I'm going to be pretty vague here to protect the innocent :-) but nursing is hard work.

I remember when I was the drum major of the marching band back in high school what an AMAZING feeling it was to move my hands up and back down in one swift movement and suddenly hear sound erupt from the crowd of musicians before you. It was like magic, making music with my hands. It was a thrill and one of the highlights of that time in my life.

Nursing is a lot like that feeling. It is a VERY powerful job. But instead of music coming out of my hands it's people's lives. I literally have the power to heal and harm in these two hands. It almost takes my breath away. It is my greatest fear to ever do a patient harm. It is this healthy fear that I hope pushes and urges my heart and head to think through every task I complete no matter how busy I am or how many times I have given that particular drug before. Not for any single reason other than the fact that people are placing their lives into my hands.

On a lighter note, I really wouldn't trade this job, right now, for the world. As much crap as I put up with (literally) and crazy people I have to deal with, this is why I do what I do. I GET the awesome responsibility to try to change people's lives for the better.