So, I took a leap, landed my dream RN position and life happened.
As much as I yearned for passion and excitement and the will to accomplish great things in the Operating Room, tragedy stuck that affected me personally and physically in ways a couldn’t have ever imagined possible, leading to heightened anxiety attacks and my need to make a sudden exit from an area of nursing I imagine retiring in. The OR gave me all the feels and thrills any new grad with wide eyes would ever imagine. I walked in daily with wide eyes and disbelief that such an opportunity had been presented to me. I was on cloud nine! I left with my spirit crushed and questioning my place in the nursing profession altogether. I had felt I pushed those closest to me away, trying to chase my dream while they needed me the most and man, did that weigh heavy in my soul. Just like that, a light bulb turned on in the depths of my mind and screamed- they need you. I picked up my children that day realizing a babysitter had been seeing them more than I had. Something tore within me. This wasn’t the mother I had ever wanted to be. For reasons I will not disclose here, I realized my OR days were over.
Through my college clinical mentor I was able to apply and hire into a job that not only gave me the confidence and healing time I needed but allowed me to be the mom and partner I needed to be. I ventured off into an area of nursing I have never imagined going into while I was in college but if I think about it, it was my basis of becoming a nurse when I was in high school. Pediatrics. More specifically, school nursing. When I dreamt about what I wanted to be when I grew up in high school, I was always drawn to school nursing since I had a front row view as a senior office aide. Through my career, I always cared for adults and never imagined it any other way. While I did well caring for children in the hospital during clinicals, I knew that wasn’t the place I saw myself. Nearing the end of my nursing school journey, I was given the opportunity to shadow an elementary school nurse. Life changing. I was amazed by the change from the hospital setting to the public health setting. As I learned the perks and overall flow of the job, I could easily see myself in that environment. I left the clinical experience with a mentor and a friend and a contact for her director if “it happened to be an interest”.
Needless to say, it became an interest once I realized the hospital was not an option to maintain my work-life balance at the time. I interviewed with an elementary school and was offered the position on the way home! In shock and glee, I accepted. I went from being looked down upon and brought down to being in charge of my own office with the kindest coworkers, parents and students I would ever have imagined having. Being the only nurse in my environment, the famous “eat your young” nursing mentality was no where to be seen, I was supported and lifted up by my superiors and I am so grateful they took a chance on me. My college mentor became my coworker and work mentor. I became a present person at home, with my family and enjoyed my time off during things I wanted to do instead of things I thought I had to do to prep for my workday. The added time off let me rest and the smaller healthcare team allowed me to strengthen my leadership training into skills and daily practice. I share the same schedule with my children; they go to school with me and they come home with me. This makes me present 100% of the time and no more babysitting except for the occasional date night. I get to spend every moment with them, making memories and living our best life. I get to be the library mom and the 4H mom; leading me to make my own local friends too. As previously mentioned, life changing. My clientele is amazing and I truly enjoy caring for them, especially having my little people there as well.
So for those wondering why the shift, why the happy OR posts to the happy School RN posts… I chose life, I chose peace, I chose work-life balance. Never settle, chose your happy. Life choices make all the difference.
Until next time, peace ✌🏻!
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