Fifteen months in being a float nurse in a Level 1 Trauma Center.
Fifteen months floating to 8 different units. INCLUDING the emergency department.
Fifteen months of adapting to different unit cultures.
Fifteen months of adjusting to different nurse personalities.
Fifteen months of figuring out where they keep the darn leads, dale ace connectors, tube feeding bags, and other random supplies that I really wish would be uniformed on every unit.
I could so easily stay on my very favorite unit (which I have debated about almost every week for about a year), but I wanted to show loyalty to the people who gave me a chance to even be in this position. I didn’t want to leave a department that invested in me and gave me a chance when everyone else was saying, “I’m sorry, there were a large group of very qualified people in your group, but unfortunately, we could not hire them all.”
Fifteen months later, I’m kind of glad I didn’t give up on being a float nurse. I’ve had a more colorful start to my career than most new grad nurses and definitely a much more vivid clinical experience. I feel more prepared to handle anything and understand my limitations and capabilities more deeply than others.
Fifteen months later, I have an incredible support system and a great group of people that I’m blessed to call co-workers and friends.
Fifteen months later, I have an incredible group of role models that have helped shape the kind of nurse I’m growing to be.
Great things never came from comfort zones. I’m glad that even though I struggled and then struggled again, and then struggle some more, I still was able to find the strength to push through, survive, learn, and grow. I’m happy. I was scared for a long time that I wouldn’t be. But I am.