My thoughts on nursing school....

To those of you who read my blog, I'd like to give a big shout out. I know you've been thinking and praying for me since I started Nursing School (and before, too, I know). I'm not going to lie to you folks, it's HARD. It's the hardest thing I've EVER DONE...and I've given birth to two children. There are those who actually have the gall to look down their nose at me! Can you believe it? I get the "you know, one more year and you'd be a real nurse" looks and comments from people. A REAL NURSE?!?! Please, someone tell me what's more real than spending 12 hours a day up to your elbows in other peoples' sorrows? Can you? I didn't think so. So, in December I'll take the NCLEX-PN. Because you took the NCLEX-RN does that make you better than me? Not in my eyes. But hey, if it makes you feel better then go right ahead. I know how hard I'm working. I know what I'm learning. I know who I'm doing it for. And it ain't for you, buster, so keep on a-movin'. I love my work. It's rewarding and I get to help people all day long. Right now I'm working in the most depressing environment, but at least I'm making a difference. The people I am caring for have no one else. There are circumstances beyond their control which makes it impossible for them to live on their own any longer. They are sick, in many cases too sick to be home with children who actually want them there! Some, believe it or not, are there by choice. They KNOW they're too sick to be on their own so they actually asked their loved ones to put them there. I admire that. It takes a lot to say, "hey I can't do this anymore and I need help." What if we all did that now and then? The world would be a lot better place for everyone who lives in it if we did.

As to being a "real" nurse....when I get my LVN the L stands for "license," and according to the State.....that makes me "real." But, in case you were wondering -- I don't plan on stopping there. No, I plan on going on to my BSN (and, along with that, my RN), and eventually my MSN because I want to become a Nurse Practitioner and you can only do that with an MSN or a PhD. But, for your information, I am confident in my ability to care for people and I know I could stop at "just" my LVN and be content. But unfortunately perception is everything, and I refuse to allow someone to hold me back because I lack the alphabet behind my name....so, alphabet soup here I come!

***DISCLAIMER : this post is not directed at anyone who regularly reads my blog (that I know of), and it's not meant to make anybody mad at me....I'm just tired of the backwards glances I get from people I know and it needs to stop. There is a letter in common in both RN and LVN, and it stands for "Nurse," so why can't we all just NURSE????***