Becky, Tammy & Stephanie

I recently finished precepting my first pediatric nurse practitioner student, and her name is Stephanie. She graduated last week, so this is an exciting time for her! I have had several students follow me for a few hours or a few shifts, but Stephanie was the first to stick with me for 2 whole semesters as we prepared for her entry into the real world as a nurse practitioner. She was a natural, and I know she is going to love NP life. 

Walking with a student (and now friend!) through this journey made me think of Tammy, who was my first nurse I precepted as a RN. Tammy was my guinea pig. She stuck with me through thick and thin and somehow we made it through her orientation together. Tammy's caring personality and attention to detail made it very easy to guide her through her training. 

It takes tremendous responsibility to be a preceptor. You become a role model to help shape how an individual enters the nursing world. None of the above would have been possible without Becky, who taught me everything there is to know about being a nurse and helped me survive each shift without tears (mostly). I despised clinical in nursing school and had worries that I wouldn't like this career. Thankfully, real life is better than student life.
I worked Becky's schedule for 5 months and she stood beside me as I learned the ins and outs of how to be a registered nurse. We worked with some of the sickest kids you will find in the hospital, and somehow found solace and camaraderie through all the seriousness that surrounded us. But that is a whole other story in itself.

That was 7.5 years ago. My little brother was graduating high school the year I started my job. He has since finished college, has worked at his own grown up job for a year, and is flying through medical school.

It's fun sometimes to relive these memories and see how far we all have come.

Have a happy Sunday<3
xoxo
Connie