A few things I learned becoming a nurse...

Eight years ago I was in seminary school during the nights and sunlighting (is that a thing?) as a banker.  I had no idea what lay ahead for me. I just knew I wanted to preach, teach, and heal the broken hearted.  The best way I knew how to do that was through pastoring a church.  Perhaps it was circumstance.  Perhaps it was reading a very challenging book on organized religion and church leadership.  Perhaps it was a profound experience with Jesus.  Maybe, it was all of it.  I found myself with a deep, burning (no, not kidney stones) to help those in need, and felt like I was living in a world apart from the sick, hurting and destitute.  I felt like the world I lived in was one of people who knew the Bible, who knew how to teach it, but had no idea what people yearned for, they had no connection with humanity.  I wanted more.  I wanted to be in the trenches and so I changed my degree plan.  The following are some things I learned in this process.

1)       If you’re not careful you will find yourself deeply connected to the hurting, so much in fact that you find yourself lost, confused, and hurting too.  So caution is part of the game.  But, also it’s okay to hurt when others hurt.  This was tough, because I hate hurting.  But, through my experiences with clinicals and patients I was able to connect with hurts in a brand new way.

2)      Nurses teach, teach, teach.  Every time we walk into a patient’s room we are teaching with our actions, our words, and our empathy.  It’s brilliant, because in ways I teach more now than I would have had I been a preacher.  Your life is teaching.  So, recognize, and be aware of what you’re choosing to teach with your actions, words, and empathy.

3)      We’re very, very fragile.  It is unbelievable how important sodium, potassium and glucose levels are.  Diet and exercise aren’t just fads, they are real deals.  Our health and our bodies are dying, and yet we treat them like they are invincible.  We are not invincible.   We are created beings, with short opportunities to do everlasting things.  So it’s vitally important we live our lives knowing one day we may need another person to wipe our ass.  This didn’t just make me depressed; it made me realize how very important my job is.  I want to be a damned good ass wiper, because see point number 2.

4)      My journey involved getting married, and having a baby, and preparing for a second child.  This journey taught me the power of trust and faithfulness.  There were so many times I doubted, so many.  I doubted I would make it.  I doubted I could be a nurse.  I doubted God even existed after seeing so much depravity.  But, God always revealed his faithfulness to me, and through me.  Why?  I don’t have a clue.  Maybe cause God kinda sorda digs us.  He is always faithful and he’s building my trust every second of every moment.

Becoming a nurse has taught me numerous things…certainly much more than four.  The journey is far from over, but thank God that NCLEX is finished.