Why Nursing?
Sam was my greatest good friend. I used to be actually fortunate to have the ability to name her that as a result of she was the perfect good friend anybody may ask for. She was variety, humorous, selfless, sensible, and delightful. She impressed me every day, even earlier than she received sick.
Sam and I cherished music. In some way it was all the time enjoying within the background, like a soundtrack to our friendship. From having dance events in our room, calling one another each time our favourite Kelly Clarkson tune got here on so we may hear collectively, to seeing Hannah Montana in live performance with our dads, we all the time bonded over music. As I child, particularly earlier than Sam received sick, I by no means realized the impression music may have on somebody. It by no means occurred to me that music could possibly be a remedy. Nonetheless, now I see the impression of music remedy every day and may see why Sam cherished it a lot within the hospital.
Now, I didn’t select a profession in music remedy. Truthfully, I didn’t actually know something about music remedy earlier than Sam’s Followers was created, however I did select a profession that retains Sam near my coronary heart. I select a job that’s impacted by music remedy and Sam’s Followers.
How I Found Nursing:
Once I was a freshman in highschool I went to my first profession truthful. Earlier than that I actually had not put a lot thought into what I really needed to do sooner or later. I look again on the time when Sam and I had been little and would play “home.” We’d spend hours in our rooms creating totally different situations and performing out what our life and home could be like once we had been older. Flash ahead to highschool and that recreation turns into a actuality. One the place I now not get to play fake and have Sam be my neighbor and lift youngsters collectively. As a lot as I hate to confess it, sadly I’ll by no means get that.
By means of that first profession truthful and studying about totally different jobs within the medical area, one way or the other, I found the profession of nursing. I knew I all the time needed to work with individuals and cherished how inspiring and rewarding a job in nursing could possibly be. Nursing is particular as a result of you might have the chance to assist individuals who essentially can not assist themselves. You bridge the hole between the scary medical phrases and procedures and translate them into one thing {that a} baby and their dad and mom can perceive. You make them really feel protected throughout the partitions of the hospital which might be full of a lot unknown.
I bear in mind visiting Sam within the hospital and seeing her work together with the nurses or watching movies from her transplant and seeing her deal with the nurses like household and joking with them about who was her favourite. The nurses impacted the McCarthy household in so some ways and I needed to be somebody like that for future sufferers.
My Nursing Journey:
Ever since I noticed I needed to pursue a profession in nursing I’ve needed to be a pediatric oncology nurse. That was my objective. I went into nursing faculty decided that I might graduate and return house and work at Nationwide Kids’s hospital on their oncology unit. I used to be drawn to that area due to Sam. I needed to work with youngsters just like Sam as a result of she impressed me a lot. I additionally assume part of me needed to assist youngsters in a means that I used to be by no means capable of assist Sam. I used to be 11 when Sam died and by no means actually understood the medical facet of Sam’s life. I by no means centered on it as a result of I selected to only be a child with Sam. Now I see the medical facet of the sickness every day, that’s my job. I begin the IVs. I give the drugs. I assist the sufferers by prognosis. I assumed that this job would carry me nearer to Sam and would perhaps present this final little bit of closure that I will need to have been lacking.
I went by 4 years of nursing faculty, having fun with clinicals and discovering totally different areas of nursing that I preferred, however nonetheless I used to be set on pediatric oncology. Earlier than my senior 12 months although I had the chance to finish an internship at Nationwide Kids’s hospital on their cardiac unit. Cardiac nursing will not be
one thing I might have ever chosen for myself. Truthfully, it sort of scared me once I first began, however I ended up falling in love with it. I cherished the affected person inhabitants, the workers I labored with, and the general nursing care associated to hearts. I struggled with this at first as a result of I nonetheless needed oncology however had not had any scientific expertise with it but in class.
Fortunately, I used to be capable of spend my second to final semester on the pediatric oncology ground in Pittsburgh. This was the scientific the place I used to be one-on-one with a preceptor. This was the final main scientific to arrange you to be a nurse and I received it in my dream space. I like oncology and may undoubtedly see myself working there sometime, nevertheless, I discovered that I missed cardiac. I used to be drawn extra to cardiac nursing over oncology. This was unusual for me to lastly admit to individuals as a result of I had all the time thought that I used to be going to be a pediatric oncology nurse.
The place I’m now:
Two months in the past, I formally began my job as a pediatric cardiac nurse at Nationwide Kids’s Hospital. I selected nursing as a result of I like working with and serving to individuals. I additionally selected nursing due to Sam and the way she impressed me. She is a serious purpose why I’m who I’m at this time, and that isn’t simply because she handed away. Though her legacy lives on, and all the time will, she gave me one thing so particular when she was alive. I selected pediatric oncology for Sam. I assumed this was one of the simplest ways to nonetheless really feel like I used to be together with her. I feel it simply took me a very long time to appreciate that it’s okay to start out a brand new recreation of home, one the place she will not be there personally. She may not be there dwelling in the home with me, however as an alternative she is wanting in from the skin. Sam will probably be with me by every thing; she is engraved into my coronary heart. I can discover her in each affected person that I work with, not simply oncology. I selected pediatric oncology for Sam, however I selected cardiac for me. I’m going to honor Sam one of the simplest ways I can, which is to be the perfect nurse I might be and I do know that Sam goes to like and assist me by all of it.
The final time I visited Sam within the hospital she took care of me. That in all probability sounds unusual, however she did as a result of that’s the sort of individual she was, all the time considering of others. She was mendacity in her hospital mattress and I used to be sitting in a chair beside her. She insisted that I put my toes on her mattress to chill out and had the nurse carry me one thing to drink whereas we watched a film. I usually replicate again on this second and it conjures up me as a result of I feel youngsters, particularly youngsters who’re sick, are the strongest individuals. Sam took care of me and now it’s my flip to maintain different sufferers. I get to assist keep on her legacy not solely by Sam’s Fan however with nursing. And what makes it even higher is that I’ve the privilege of working at a hospital that’s impacted by Sam’s Followers. Each time I see the music therapist cease by our ground or the kid life specialist brings artwork supplies right into a affected person’s room, I smile and consider Sam. I like realizing that she is right here with me and collectively we’re impacting these sufferers.