it all started here... day one...

Ok... so it isn't really day one... but the more I work, the more I feel I should be blogging about my experiences.

I am a new RN. I graduated in May 2006 from a 2yr Associate degree in Nursing program.

My personal history is this:

I have traveled a long road to finally get to this spot in life. I graduate high school in 1991, attended a 2 yr college while I tried to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up.

During that first year in college, I got pregnant. Dang it! No where did I write I wanted to be a MOM at 20. Well, plans change and I quickly warmed up to the idea of having a baby. I took classes to be a CNA. After all, my grandma was a nurse, my mom was a nurse, my aunt was a nurse... you get the picture...

I breezed through CNA school and passed the test and had my CNA license. Yeah. When I was working as a CNA, I decided to go on to school to be an RN. After all, they did make a lot more money and look so great in white. (yes, the nursing home I worked at still required the RNs to wear white)!

I began nurses training in the fall of 1993. I was in a 3yr diploma program. I passed freshman year with flying colors. Jr year began and some where in there, my life as a single mother, took a turn. I was tired of school. I was tired of being told how old I was. I was tired of the relationship I had been in with my son's father. I did a complete 180 degrees and before I had time to think, I failed out of school. I tried to go back the following fall but it wasn't the same. I had changed. I was burned out. Nursing and school, especially nursing school has a way of doing that to ya.

The next 3 years I spent trying to figure out what or where I was going. Many times there wasn't any rhyme or reason to my flightyness. All I really knew was that nursing was not for me. Finally, in 1999, now married living on Fort Benning raising a 2yr old... I decided to get back to the medical field. I enrolled in a phlebotomy program. I passed and took my national test and got 88/100. I was very proud. I knew my stuff! I was a registered phlebotomist.

While in GA, I got pregnant again. My husband and I were not getting along. I moved home. A friend, LB, told me of a job opening at the local hospital in laboratory. I applied, got the job, and was making $6.85 ($.35 more than what Wal-mart paid). I felt like my life was getting back on track. I divorced my husband, and here I was a single mom with 3 kids making $9something an hour. I decided maybe I needed to do more than just work in laboratory.

In the fall of 2003 I started taking A&P, followed by Microbiology. In the Fall of 2004 I began nurses training. It was a long and difficult road. Not only was I going to school in the daytime, but I worked 2nd shift full time in the laboratory. I chose to take the extra LPN class even though I was planning on continuing my education. I passed my LPN boards and started back to school for my RN in Aug 2005.

I graduated in May 2006. I had applied for OB. I really love OB and working with babies and helping women become moms. I felt like I was really living the dream when I was hit with a surprise of my own. I was pregnant... AGAIN. If you are keeping track, this was my 4th pregnancy. I was engaged to my fiance planning on being married in Sept. Then the biggest shock yet... TWINS! I continued to work in OB until the high-risk maternity people badgered me enough to go off work. I was 24 weeks along. The twins were born in Jan. The hospital had already filled my spot in OB. I was crushed.

In the long run it was good b/c it has allowed me to stay home with my twins. They are the last babies I will ever have (yes, I know this for a fact b/c I had my tubes tied). One day I hope to return to OB or try something different like ER... but for now I will write about my days of working on a skilled nursing unit.