Growing Up Nurse....

New last name, new job. Shortly after we got married, I started a new job. I transferred from the floor that I started on a "baby nurse" and moved to our stepdown ICU. It's not where ventilators and such are, but it is a critical care unit. My patients are kind of in limbo...they still need to be hooked up to heart and oxygen monitors, but aren't quite sick enough for the ICU. I work at a Level One trauma center, so we get the "sickest of the sick" and all traumas that happen around this area. Needless to say, there is a lot that I am going to get to see and learn!!!

Four weeks later, I am now off orientation and working on my own. After two years of working on a med-surg floor, it was time to move on and learn some new things! I've done a lot since these days....

My last day of clinical

First day as a real RN!

I've worked through training two (amazing)  new nurses and watched them succeed. I've also made it through more than a few long shifts of managing the craziness that is charge nurse! Although it was super hard to leave my amazing coworkers and start over with a whole new group and environment, I took the plunge. I haven't forgotten about y'all though....I look forward to girls' nights!!

Everything has been amazing so far. My normal workload will be 2-3 patients verses my former load of 5-6! I get to spend a lot more time with my patients and I am learning so much. The people I work with have been so helpful and friendly. Moving into the unknown was scary, but I am so glad I had confidence in myself. In keeping with tradition, I used a little self-timer action and snapped a (blurry) photo of my new venture:

Tonight will be the conclusion of my first week solo and I'm eager to see what awaits me!