Next Steps

The final year of nursing school begins! This semester I study Psychiatric Nursing and Critical Care for patients in the Intensive Care Unit.

My first clinical assignment deals with the treatment of a schizophrenic patient at a New York hospital. I approach this area with interest and some anxiety as it will bring me in touch with an older relative in my family with a similar history. But, the personalization of nursing care, I have found, is difficult and necessary. Delving into my own issues surrounding each illness, previously conceived notions, and personal experience make it possible to provide sensitive care, but it can be intensely emotional.

During the summer I will finally, finally, have the great joy of working on both maternity and pediatric floors. And come fall I will be out in a New York community providing care. Ideally this will culminate with graduation in December, but I may need one more semester to finish up, at which point I graduate in the spring of 2012. Either way this has been a long journey and with thoughts of warm weather in the future and images of budding trees in my mind I feel a new leaf turning.

I want to thank everyone for their continued interest and support in my nursing education. It would be impossible to persevere through full-time work and part-time school without incredibly flexible friends and family.

Be well,

Katherine