For many nursing students, the last semester of college is a wonderful, memorable time. Classes are winding down, people start treating you like the adult you are, and free time and good friends are easy to find. Then a funny thing happens. Reality sets in. And you can spell reality with three letters: J-O-B. Our Last Semester columnist, Chelsea, gives us a glimpse into the anxiety. In the past few weeks of her clinical experience, Chelsea...  Read More »

Our friend Joye has been through a lot in her first few weeks on our Web site. She’s been rejected from nursing school, found out she actually got into nursing school, and had trouble waking up for her first class of the semester. Today, Joye is struggling to get up again. And she’s finding out that the reality of nursing school is more than textbooks and caring for patients. Let’s join her. It is two years ago on August...  Read More »

By Karen L. Madsen, MSN, APRN-BC Versatile: with many uses; able or meant to be used in many different ways; moving easily between tasks; able to move easily from one subject, task, or skill to another. Synonyms: adaptable, flexible, resourceful, multi-purpose, multi-talented, all around. When you think of a nurse, don’t you think of someone doing several things at once and doing them well? That’s what nurses do because nursing...  Read More »

In her last installment, fortunes had quickly changed for our friend, Joye. She went from the pain of a rejection from nursing school to sheer happiness brought on by a surprise phone call. Now, with emotions swirling in her head, she must face the first day of the rest of her life. Let’s join her. It’s August 18, two years ago at 7:02 a.m. . . . Oooooooh! The alarm cuts through the air like a knife. Not a butter knife, but one...  Read More »

A couple of weeks ago, we introduced you to Joye. Our new friend is like many of you–or at least in a place where many of you have been in your lives. She is a new nursing graduate. In the first chapter, Joye took us back in time a couple of years. She had just found out she didn’t get into nursing school and was turning to a brownie for some comfort. Now, let’s rejoin her: It’s 8:30 a.m. on March 16, two years ago...  Read More »