Short and Long Term Goals

Hello!

Guess what?  I finished nursing school, passed my boards, and got a job!  Yes I did!

Last week I began orientation for the new job and I still can’t stop looking at that badge with those letters: R. N.  Throughout the week, HR people kept asking me “are you here for the nursing such and such?” or “are you a nurse?” and I”m still skipping a beat before remembering/acknowledging, “….. … ….YES! I am!”

I’m lucky for many reasons — that I even got a job in this market — but also because the hospital I’m working for seems to be good to the nurses and to actually care about professional development.  I felt so beat down and jaded by the end of nursing school, but learning about all the opportunities and professional support my hospital offers, I’m beginning to get excited again about my nursing career.  Some things I’m interested in pursuing in the short term are the clinical ladder, using my educational benefit for conferences, and finding ways to mentor new nurses once I get on my feet (I’m already mentoring nursing students!).  I also want to get in the nook and crannies of the administration (committees? finding HR allies?) and introduce LGBTQ competency – it was the one area that was really lacking throughout our training and in their policies.  But, of course, I primarily want to be patient with myself in the next six months as I transition into being a real nurse and learning real nursing – which I understand will not be easy!  I’m scared, but I’m ready for the challenge.

In the longer term?  I’m starting to let myself think about becoming a nurse practitioner again.  I really feel that getting the midwifery training and type of job I would like is very unlikely in the region where I currently live.  I know one young midwife that had to drive three hours to her clinical site and I’ve been told many times that if you want a job in midwifery, you have to move.  If I do go back to school within the next few years, I’ll likely pursue the Family Nurse Practitioner and Midwife titles.  Ultimately, I do want to be a midwife – I’m just not sure how/when/where!

In the mean time I have *so* much to learn and am happy to be on the journey there!