I am a registered nurse. When I began attending a local city college after graduating high school I had no idea what major to choose. It was an important decision to make at the age of 18. So many choices. My grades in college were very good. My GPA was great. I changed my mind at least 3 times before finally choosing to become a nurse. My Mom is an RN and only once asked me, “have you thought about nursing?” Honestly I had not.
I was accepted to the nursing program at the city college I was currently attending. I was so excited! But…I had no idea the amount of commitment, time, work, criticism and studying I was about to face. It was all worth it when I passed the state board exam earning my license to practice as a Registered Professional Nurse. I was 25 years old.
My nursing career has been diverse. Bedside/hospital staff, neurology, neuro ICU, ventilator unit. Office RN, chart abstraction (transferring paper charts to a specific computer program) in order for a facility to have full digital charting. Currently I am employed as a school nurse. The population I care for are medically fragile, special needs/special education students.
I didn’t really enjoy my other jobs as a nurse. I mean I did my job to the best of my ability. But there really wasn’t that feeling of yes!! I belong here, I’m good at this! I just figured that’s how things were. I never sought out to be a school nurse, never mind taking care of such medically fragile students. I answered an ad on Indeed dot com, received an email the next day to set up an interview and the rest is history.
I enjoy my job. I adore my co worker, Meg. We share an office. The nurses at my school are very busy. Most days Meg and I don’t sit and eat until 1:30pm. Our assigned and physician ordered procedures go way beyond bandaids and stomachaches. Even so I like going to work. I like talking to (most) parents. I especially like the majority of my co workers. Mainly we interact with teachers and para professionals; as well as physical, occupational and speech and vision therapists/teachers.
In my experience it is not often to have issues with staff. There are times when a staff member will “remind” me of what I need to do. Um, ok. I am well aware of my responsibilities. Stay in your lane. It is a rare occasion that I’ve had to “remind” anyone how to perform their job. That’s not my responsibility, hence I stay in my lane.
Recently I’ve had my nursing judgment and decisions questioned *and* judged negatively by non nursing staff. In the presence of other school staff. My nursing judgment and decisions are mine and my license that I worked so intensely for gives me the right to judge how to proceed with a situation at work. There are times when collaboration with Meg/another nurse is necessary. We are in our lane, the lane we were trained and hired for. I don’t want to step out of my lane. I worked too hard to get here.
Menay O; mom to 4, Christian and thrift shopper on the side... 