Going into the class, we were given the opportunity to watch the trailer to the documentary Nurses: If Florence Could See Us Now. The night before class I watched the trailer to get an idea of what to expect. Although the video was only a two-minute and forty-second snippet of the documentary, it drew me in and showed me how influential the profession of nursing is on people’s lives. After watching the whole documentary, I was filled with a sense of excitement to be able to enter such a privileged field. As a nurse, we get to support people through the hardest times of their life as well as some of the happiest. It is a rewarding field where every day you can walk home knowing that you made some sort of an impact. Everyone knows that death is a part of life and as a nurse, it is inevitable that you will see death. No matter what field of nursing you are in, death is likely. This is an aspect of nursing I don’t feel like anyone can really learn or prepare for before experiencing it. Even after experiencing a couple of losses I still feel that loss. I used to view it as a weakness or hindrance to what I’ll be able to achieve. That was until I realized from this documentary, that feeling these losses as well as success with patients only allow you to grow as a nurse and a person. I have always known that I wanted to be a nurse, and now more than ever, I know that this is true. As a nurse, I will never stop learning and growing as a person and the day that I no longer feel that way is the day I am no longer an asset to my patients. Overall, I loved this documentary and can see that although nursing has grown and improved over time it is still in its early phases and will continue to grow and change as more time passes. I think if Florence could see us now, she would be proud of how far we have come but also motivated to overcome what is still in front of us. 

As senior year and my time at UNE comes to a fast-approaching end, I have spent a lot of time thinking, “what next?”. I have said for as long as I can remember that I want to be a labor and delivery nurse. After three weeks of maternity, I still feel that way, but I have yet to have my clinical rotation. I loved my time on the med surge and surgical floors and could see myself working in that area as well. It is a little overwhelming to see all the fields and opportunities you have once you become a nurse. I also fully believe you never know how you feel about something until you get in there and do it. During my practicum at Mercy, I worked with several people in the new grad program. After listening to their experience, I think that a new grad program is a way I want to go. That way I can get more experience and confidence in my nursing abilities as well as be more marketable later on in my career. To prepare I have set up an appointment with career services to work on my resume as well as practice my interview. I have never been the best person at selling myself or my skills so that is an aspect of the interview process that I need to work on. Being confident in your skills as well as knowing what your good at is different than being cocky. On the other hand, not being confident in yourself is almost worse than being overconfident. There is a balance or these skills and after listening to the interviewing presentation, I think I have an understanding of how to do this. You can admit your shortcomings and mistakes as long as you have a plan to improve on them and show self-awareness of what you need to improve on as well as what you are good at. Another aspect of the interview process that can set me apart is knowing the hospital’s mission statement and showing how I can fit into that mission. Along with that remaining upbeat and confident as well as engaged in conversation is something that can set me apart. I will be honest; the interview process has never been a strong suit of mine. I have great communication skills when it comes to patient interactions and on a more casual level, but when it comes to a high-stress situation I oftentimes become flustered and freeze up. With practice and building up the skills and confidence needed to interview, I know that I will be able to succeed and show what I can bring to a job. UNE’s nursing program has provided me with the skills and knowledge required to begin a career in nursing as well as my prior work experience as a CNA. I have always been able to interact well with patients and support their needs but now I have the knowledge and clinical thinking skills required to help them on a medical level as well.