Ashley Zych RN….. Oh Crap!

It’s been an interesting week. It was my first time on the floor as a Registered Nurse. Oh boy my shifts did not disappoint. They were a whirlwind. I honestly wish I could sit here and tell you all the amazing skills I performed. But honestly it was a whirlwind. I don’t think I ate lunch until three or four o’clock. I did not go to the bathroom once. I just didn’t remeber until I got home and I was bursting.

The second shift went a lot smoother. When I walked out to my car I peered out of the parking garage and it was beautiful. I thought to myself “wow my dream came true.” There are very few moments in my life that I can say “my dreams” have come true. But that moment I couldn’t believe I live in this beautiful place, that I work for an amazing hospital, and honestly that I am an RN. One of my friends asked me what I liked most about my first day. It was that I got to be a nurse. It obviously was a huge plus that everyone was so stinking nice and supportive. They welcomed me with open arms. My patients were awesome. I wish I was saying all of this to brag. But as I was pulling away I had this thought about what was next.

I had to pull myself back. I am literally living out the thing I have thought about for years. But for my human brain it was so easy to think about what is next. How I wish I had a husband or that I knew where my nursing career was going to look like. It can be hard to stay in the moment. So hard. Even when you are living out the very thing you have been dreaming about.

In my residency program we have talked about grounding exercises. Things that you can do in moments of stress that help you stay in the moment. It can be taking three deep breaths, counting your fingers, or pressing your toes into the ground and then releasing. It could be anything. I wish I could say I used a grounding technique to keep me in the moment. I basically told myself how ridiculous I was for thinking about the next thing. I want to enjoy this moment. Before I know it the honeymoon phase will wear off and the rosy colored glasses will fall off. That is why these moments are so important!