The Ups and Downs of My Nursing Career

As I walk through the doors of Floyd Medical Center, I look back at all l have accomplished. l have come so far from that shy girl in high school to an outgoing and friendly registered nurse. As a college student at Shorter University, I felt like the days would last forever but here I am. My goals have now been achieved. All my dedication has paid off and I am finally starting this new chapter of my life. Walking down the hallway to my boss’ office, | feel a sense of relief.

Becoming a neonatal nurse has taken a long time, but I know in the end it will all be worth it. From the time my brother was born, a career of nursing was always in mind. I remember waking up in the car and mom telling me that the baby was coming. Moments later, we were informed that my brother’s stomach was shrinking inside of her and that they had to do an emergency C— section.

Thirty—two weeks into my mother’s pregnancy, and my 4 lb. 7 02. baby brother was born. Immediately after, he was taken to the NICU where the nurses hooked him up to tubes and wires. The doctors explained to us that he was premature and that his lungs were underdeveloped. After 16 days, he got to come home. What a miracle! Having another little body in the family was an amazing first experience for me. When I first walked into the nursery, I was scared.

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but I left that day knowing that I wanted to grow up and make a difference in these little ones’ lives. Being only 4 years old, my future was set. Caring for children has been my number one passion since then. Many thoughts race through my head as I meet the other nurses and get assigned to a unit.

Walking thru the doors of the nursery, lam blasted with colors of pink and blue all over the room. I think about how small and fragile all these newborns are, how all these machines keep a baby breathing, and just how precious an infant’s life truly is. In this moment, my heart is content. The first concept that I learn is how the seconds after birth are very critical. They teach me how to weigh the babies, and how to calculate their vitals. Although I learned all this in college, it is nothing compared to listening to a baby’s heartbeat and taking their temperature hands on. Every move we as neonatal nurses make is important to the safety of these children. One of the main things I notice is a very small infant in the corner of the room attached to numerous tubes just like my brother was. An incubator is pressed against the wall with a light extending from it and in it, the child. I ask my supervisor what is wrong with Baby Michael, as the bracelet on his foot says.

Her face gets serious as she says, “He’s 10 weeks premature, his organs aren‘t fully developed and he’s got a hole in his heart. He won’t make it through surgery.” These words sink in as l lower my head and walk away. it is there in that bathroom stall, on the third floor of the maternity ward, where my tears start to flow. Death is always a possible outcome in the nursing field, and i knew that before I even started in this direction, but why does it have to be so hard? I cannot imagine what his parents are feeling after hearing this news. My family was once in the same situation, and I know how worried we were at the thought of losing my brother. As I ponder this. I take a second and say a prayer for this baby and his family. When I am finished cleaning up, I return to my work site.

My supervisor starts explaining to me that this profession is very rewarding, but also has plenty of downfalls. Nodding my head, I start to think about the potential for success. I start to imagine all the lives that I will have a chance of helping. A smile creeps up the corner of my face as my first day comes to an end. Overall, today has been a wonderful day. My coworkers all welcomed me like family, and i got to meet all my tiny patients. I cannot wait to see where this road leads me. Thisjob is like a roller coaster, there will be ups and downs, but also fun and exciting times! lam ready to rise above the call of duty and face my challenges. Mother Theresa once said, “Their feet may be tiny but they will tiptoe right into your heart.” This is a saying I now cherish and will carry with me always.