On December 3rd I added "BSN" onto the end of my name, and on January 26th I took my NCLEX and a couple days later found out I also get to add "RN"! I am now officially Nicki Dipietro, BSN, RN. WHAT!!!!!!
There were several times I did not think I would make it. Whether it was because of a lack of confidence, failing a semester, or depression from my environment, I nearly gave up. If the person I am now could go back and talk to the girl I was freshman year of college I think I'd blow her mind.
Overall I thought nursing school was very stressful. The content is always interesting but I have always struggled as a test taker and wish there was a different way to assess learning, because over the years I have developed the "brain dumping" habit. So while I thought nursing school was hard, preparing for the NCLEX was a whole other beast. I basically started over and went through all the basics again as a refresher, and spent a good 4-5 weeks doing that, and then spent another 4 weeks doing practice questions and listening to lectures. While this seemed to have worked since I passed it actually caused me a lot of stress. Every classmate I knew of that was taking it before me was passing and I couldn't help but think that I was taking to long to sit my exam and that it would somehow cause me to fail. Which now seems ridiculous but hindsight is always 20/20.
I consider myself extremely fortunate to have also landed my dream job as a Women's Services nurse right away, and will be starting my residency program at the end of February! Not only are my manager and director incredible women, but the environment on the floor was so positive when I toured the unit. There is a genuine focus on education and the idea that the new grads need to be built up and given a solid foundation which I appreciate. I'll also be working with one of my best friends from school which is an added bonus!
While I am incredibly relieved to be done with school for the first time in my life, I also sort of miss that structured schedule it gave me for the last 16 school years! Who knows, maybe one day I'll go back. But for now I am happy to soak up these last few weeks of post-grad freedom before my job starts.
I will forever be thankful for my family, friends, professors, preceptors, and church family for helping me get through nursing school, for the many shoulders I cried on, the helping hands, and the countless prayers. It never went unnoticed.
