Medically speaking, the world has witnessed many eye-opening events in the past 2 years that led to the realization of many things. One of many is the importance of the nursing profession in today’s world where nurses act as the foundation and stand like pillars that hold the infrastructure of any medical facility. As a nursing student and the founder of this blog, I only thought it was fitting to take part as an advocate for the nursing community and talk about the things I learned in the past 2 years of nursing school. With that being said, here are 8 things I learned as a nursing student so far:
1. Nursing is downplayed – If you’re a nursing student, you probably heard something along the lines of, “You should’ve been a doctor” which can be frustrating if you love what you’re doing. Personally, being in nursing wasn’t my first choice but one of the many choices I had in mind, and I don’t regret it one bit. From the knowledge to the experiences we gain, nursing is downplayed. We need to call out the myth that nurses are a doctor’s “assistant” and educate people about the role of a nurse and how the healthcare sector is all about teamwork.
2. Pay attention to details – You can agree to disagree, but details are important if you want to do a good job as a nurse. Being detailed will reassure the client that you’re responsible and trustworthy and helps in making sure your work is accurate and tailored to the needs of your client. Thus, your client will become more comfortable around you and most likely open up to you.
3. Self-confidence + skill = competency – I think this speaks volumes already. Always trust yourself and never doubt what you can do. Particularly in the medical field, you must ALWAYS speak out when there’s something wrong and stand for what you know and learn. Every experience is a lesson. With the right skill and the right mindset, I’m positive that you will deliver the best you can to every occasion.
4. Patients are humans – Nurses play a vital role in the treatment process of every patient. Every patient is a mother, a father, a daughter or son, a friend, a husband, or a wife. They probably have a family and friends that love and want the best for them. Be gentle. Treat them like your own and nurture them and inspire them to get up on their feet once again.
5. Spread the love – Shoutout to all my classmates that are cheerful even during 8 am classes. When you fill your heart with love and optimism, it radiates to your colleagues and clients and inspires them which ultimately creates a domino effect.
6. Help yourself before others – Being there for others is wonderful but don’t forget yourself in the process. Always look out for yourself because no one’s going to do so. Besides, you can’t expect to fix others when you’re in pieces. Take care of yourself. YOU are your greatest partner.
7. Surround yourself with people you look up to – They say that you are a mix of the 5 closest people in your life. Your company can make or break you and it’s a very important factor in building one’s character. Finding the right people can be very difficult but once you do, it’s an unexplainable experience. Even if it’s only one person, it’s almost better than having 100 people you call your “friends”. And I can proudly say that I’m grateful for my group of 5.
8. Learn how to be grateful – This can be hard during difficult times and I, too, am a victim of this behavior but learning to appreciate things changes how you deal with them. For instance, when studying gets tough and there’s work stacked on top of each other, right before you start complaining, be grateful. That’s such a mom thing to say but the fact that you are alive and healthy, pursuing a degree with a purpose to wake up in the morning and have loads of unfinished work to do and have dreams to chase and opportunities to grab and succeed at your own pace is a blessing. Implementing gratitude in every aspect of your life whether it’s academics or personal matters will help you know the hidden value of life. But unfortunately, we never know the value of something until we lose it.
The fact that 2 years have passed already is mind-blowing. If you’re planning to pursue nursing, it’s not an easy field and like many things in life, you need to work HARD and SMART. But with a passion for healthcare and discipline, I'm sure it will be worth it. In the next 2 years, I hope to learn and experience more lessons and make more memories. To end this, here are some of my favorite moments from the past semester,
With that being said, thank you for reading.
eid mubarak!
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