The past three years have been the best but hardest years of my life.

I cannot believe this

chapter of my life is coming to an end. Prior to nursing school, I did not have any experiences

within the nursing field so I was extremely nervous to begin my nursing school journey. While

being in nursing school I had the pleasure to travel to many different countries and domestic

destinations. Each trip was filled with so many experiences that provided opportunities for me to

gain insight of different populations, which we serve on a daily basis. Life experiences can often

serve as a teacher, however, when it comes to nursing school you have to continuously build

upon your knowledge to be successful in the program. It was not until Junior 1 did I realize I had

to slow down, change my way of studying and thinking to prosper. Adult Nursing Science (ANS

I), which was a junior 1 course, taught me disease processes and how to critically think. Then, in

ANS II I learned how to build upon previous knowledge and really put my knowledge to the test

in the practicum setting. That semester was a great learning experience and I loved the clinical

aspect. I felt very prepared when I walked into the clinical setting by knowing skills, how to

properly communicate with the patients and family members, collaborating with nurses, doctors

and respiratory therapist and last but not least being professional and offering safe and quality

care. However, a skill that I felt I could use more practice in was hanging medications. Although

I did not feel strong in that particular skill at the moment I knew I would be able to master it by

the end of the semester, which I did. Moreover, one trial that I overcame within that semester

was experiencing a death of a hospice patient. I learned how to console a family and learned the

process of post mortem care.

Furthermore, as I progressed to senior 1 I also had exposure to mental health nursing. I

learned therapeutic techniques to properly take care of patients who are experiencing mental
illnesses. Within that particular clinical setting I was confident in my interactions with patients. I

developed a therapeutic relationship with the patients relatively quickly and provided a

therapeutic milieu for the patients through listening to their stories, participating in therapeutic

group and encouraging patients to participate. Out of all of the clinical sites that we visited,

Richmond Community was my favorite.

Within my practicum experiences I always remained professional and committed to

lifelong learning. I took advantage of every learning opportunity and was committed to quality

care. I showed compassion towards patients and their families, colleagues, my practicum

instructor and the staff. My level of knowledge grew tremendously over the semesters and my

knowledge and experience prepared me for my transition into clinical immersion. On September

9, 2019, I began my immersion experience on CVSU at St. Mary’s Hospital. I started with taking

on one patient by myself and gradually worked my way up to four patients with discharges and

new admissions throughout the day. My experience was very rewarding. I received my first daisy

award, the first student to do so and I received two patient recognitions. I learned how to work on

my own as well as with various disciplinary teams. I worked with patients post CABG, CABG

complications, pacemakers, cardiac catheterizations, milrinone drips, insulin drips, LVADS and

hospice. Prior to starting immersion, I was very nervous and shy. Now, I have seen myself grow

into a strong and independent student nurse. I have developed a number of great nurse-patient

relationships. Being in immersion is a different experience than being in clinical with classmates

and being a tech. I have the power to heal, educate, be an advocate, use my critical thinking skills

and make a difference in lives on a different level. I have been taken out of my comfort zone and

challenged to be the best I can be. I went into immersion with the mindset that I was going to

settle with the decision to work on the unit where I currently worked as a PCT. Now, I can
confidently say, on October 23, 2019, I accepted a position to be a cardiac nurse on the unit

where I have completed my immersion.

As I progress in my nursing career, I hope to expand my growth in time management,

communication skills with bedside report as well as speaking with physicians in a proper SBAR

format. I know perfection comes with time and I am willing to do whatever I have to do to be the

best I can be for my patients. Although, I have learned so much over the years and within my

immersion experience I know that this career requires lifelong learning, hard work, dedication

and perseverance. Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing has prepared me in ways that I

could have never imagined. If it were not for this program, I would not be the person I am today

and I will be forever grateful for this experience.