Introducing Bridget
I always had a strong interest in health sciences. However, I didn't get into healthcare right out of high school; rather, I earned a degree in sociology. As this did not have many practical applications for me at the time, I worked the proverbial odd jobs of a young twenty-something. Over time, my interest in health, holistic well-being, and the influence of many a nurse in my life, led me back to school.
I went into nursing knowing that I eventually wanted to be an advanced practice nurse. I had a wonderful nurse practitioner provider in my teenage years, and she was the model of the ideal healthcare provider that I wanted to emulate.
I completed Creighton University's accelerated BSN program in 2002. After graduation, I took a job as a staff RN on an intermediate care unit that specialized in cardiology. It was very fast-paced and a tremendous learning experience. However, this unit struggled with many issues familiar to nurses such as short staffing, high nurse and management turnover, and subsequent nurse dissatisfaction.
I then took a job in geropsychiatry at a state mental institution. We cared for the severely demented, especially those whose loss of mental capacity caused aggression. I was commonly the only RN on the unit, in charge of eight to ten staff members. This job was challenging, but the growth there was exponential in terms of leadership. I loved the patient population, but common forced overtime and working most holidays inspired me to look elsewhere.
For the next three and a half years I was an RN in family practice. I was the primary nurse for a busy MD. I think the perception is that ambulatory nursing isn't quite as demanding or enriching as floor nursing. It's true that the hours are regular, and there are not many true "emergencies." However, I learned by observation what I consider now my foundation of primary care. In addition, the doctor with whom I worked had a large and busy practice; he always had patients in the hospital. Even though I wasn't caring for these patients while they were acutely ill, I coordinated everything for them outside the realm of the hospital. I was constantly on the phone with the floor nurses with patient status updates and orders.
This was my pivotal nursing job, when I realized for sure I wanted to be a family NP.
After leaving this job for graduate school, I haven't worked too much. I did some casual call at a local internal medicine practice, but being a full-time student and then having my first child (she's 16 months and WONDERFUL) put the brakes temporarily on work. I will be leaving stay-at-home mommyhood shortly, however, and all the challenges coming down the pike are both exciting and scary. I look forward to sharing them with you.