Bandaids on Dolls and IV's from Straws

I've wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember.

When I was a little girl, I didn't play "house", I played "hospital," with my dolls (or sisters, when I could talk them into it) as my patients. They had pen dots all over their little bodies from the "shots" I gave them, and "IV's" made of pens taped together, draped through their "hospital" room.

I went to nursing college in the late 1980's. Looking back, it was a historical time, in a way . . . nurses were just starting to use universal precautions and I can remember experienced nurses discussing the necessity of doing so.

For the most part I loved nursing school! I was surprised to find I hated my pediatric rotation and loved psych. I decided to minor in Behavioral Science and have used that training often . . . both with patients and my (sometimes very dysfunctional) family and friends.

Throughout my nursing career I've had many jobs--some I've loved, some I've hated. As I've gotten older and more experienced, I realize that at least some of my jobs would have been a lot more pleasant if I'd asserted myself as I should have. I also see that nurses are so willing to accept all that's put on them . . . and people are more than willing to pile more tasks and responsibilities on nurses. (A list of the jobs I've had as a nurse appears on the bottom of my home page).

I always knew that when I became a mom, I would stay home with my kids. I've been blessed with a husband who agrees, and works hard enough that I was able to be home with them for many years.

I know there are many drawbacks to a nursing career. However, I've been additionally blessed to have found several part-time jobs over the years that allow me to contribute (in a small way) to our family finances and work enough to keep up my nursing license. For the last 2 1/2 years I've had a private duty job only about 8 miles from home. I'll blog more about that at a later time--it's my almost perfect job in nursing.

I'm thankful for my education in nursing, perhaps more at this time in my life than any other. My husband's parents are aging and having more health problems. Since they live less than a mile from us (remember, I told you there was dysfunction here!) I'm often called in when someone has a seizure or needs their blood pressure checked.

My own grandfather (who lives two states away, next door to my parents . . . theirs is a different kind of dysfunction!) is ill and my parents just do not know how to deal with him, either medically or emotionally (putting my behavioral science degree to use again).

Even if I'm not working in a "traditional" nursing job, I know I'll be using what I've learned, every day of my life.