No, no, no, Kim did not force me to host Change of Shift against my will.  :)  In fact, I like presenting the world with the finest nursing bloggers on the internet.

I'm scared because well, here's the deal... As some of my longtime nurse friends may know, I'm going into my 5th year of college, and I should be graduating in May, but I'm not, thanks to a car wreck and end-stage liver disease.  (If you'd like a refresher, here's a post for you.) I spent last year's academic year taking a tiny course load (we're talking 1 class per semester) and this summer, I decided to challenge myself by taking 3 online courses, but nothing was required for my nursing degree.  Anyways, not a single day went by that I didn't remember how badly I was absolutely itching to get back into that hospital, back into that chair beside a hurting patient.  I can't explain it, but I bet a lot of you know what I mean.  This profession, this lifestyle, this calling... it's what I was born to do.  I had been severely detoured, but I realized I will not be one to refuse to try again.  Honestly, I'm not feeling that great, I'm not better by any means, but my calling is right at my finger tips.  And so, I am starting clinicals again.  I'm so scared because my stamina and immunity are far from great, and my back pain can be chart-topping.   Also, I haven't done this in a year.  Nursing is so full of knowing so many things, so I am definitely cramming like crazy to review everything.  Thankfully though, nursing is also an instinct and a passion.  I think I have those down pat.  :)  

So here come the Clinical Journal Entries again, so feel free to subscribe and hear it all! I hope to tell you at the end of this semester, that yes, I did it.  I hope to be able to tell you that I did something I didn't feel up to doing - something hard, something scary, something meaningful.  Say a little prayer for me... I can do this, right?  

Tomorrow is my first clinical in my pediatric rotation.  :)

And now without further ado, I present to you Change of Shift 4.5 because well, it's time, and also because I'm changing my shift.  I'm going from off-shift to on-shift.  And I'm so thrilled about it.  As I go back to school, watch my passion and please pass it on to your patients, too.  Forget about the staffing, pay, politics and policies... I may just be a student, but I know just how easy it is to get hung up on all of that.  Just remember, we're in this for hope, healing, smiles, and tears.  We're in this for the love of it.  You are all amazing at what you do, and if you look close enough, you'll see the gratitude on the faces of your patients.  Go shine.  Afterall, you are a NURSE!

If the love of what you're doing exceeds the labor of doing it...success is inevitable. 
Bob Beers