The journey to become a Registered-Nurse had not been a walk in the park. For the most part, I had to fight off sleepless nights, geek out, get used to mealtimes of plain stuffing our faces, take in as much coffee as my system can permit,and be too pooped from the various tasks,but still get all the books or notes I could get my hands on, at the end of the day.
However, to say that it was all about struggle is just like a bare scratch on the surface. Deep down the hardships, were the people who served as my anchor, and the reasons why I got the hang of everything. Firstly, I had the presence of family-my constant support system. Secondly, I was with people whom I shared the same class and experiences with- we get strength and support from each other. Thirdly, I had my future to think about-one of the major reasons why I needed to make that dang thing right. And the list goes on.
Cut to, a few years later, I graduated in spite of all the humps along the way. I took the Nursing Licensure Exam, thereafter,and successfully obtained a title (R.N.) at the end of my last name. I am absolutely good at doing life,I thought.
The proceeding events had not been as easy as I thought they would be after the grit-your-teeth part of life called 'College'. By the time I was about to practice my earned profession, the phrase "overworked and underpaid" was starting to become synonymous to Nursing.There was a demand of nurses in the country, but they were being led to roads of volunteerism and low compensation. Thank God, I landed a job in a hospital, but sadly, my salary was lesser than what's due.
In addition, there were a lot of other factors thrown to the nurse's pool of concerns. For instance, trainings and seminars are undoubtedly vital for professional growth and development. However, for a working Nurse who is not earning enough, these costly programs may be worrisome. Nevertheless, need overpowered the existing crisis.
Suffice it to say, taking the Nursing course was a personal choice. And in spite of it's downsides,I do not regret turning myself into that direction. Furthermore, I take pride in the fact that at some point in my life, I have dedicated myself into nurturing, preserving, and saving lives. However, for a mother who has kids whose future I have to secure, being a nurse in our country for a long period is not a practical decision. Thus, I tried my chances of success in other fields. This was the point when I decided to enter the BPO and Marketing industries,respectively.
I admit that in spite having a different job, I refused to stop thinking about it. It felt like my end goal was to become a USRN, work abroad, earn-save money,and make valuable investments. Hence, I took the necessary steps to turn that dream into a reality.
Exactly two years ago as of this writing, the result of the initial move I took came out, and it was desirably more than what was expected,considering the limited time I had to prepare for it because of work.
Fast forward to the present, I still have not bagged them. Did I fall short of my aim,then? i would have thought so,if it were not for the wisdom I have gained over the years. Now that i am older, I view things in a different perspective. I have learned to shift my focus from the outcome to the grind. A graduation Ceremony is not valuable in itself, it has only become such because of the accumulated memories preceding it. We may set a goal, but we do not know when it is going to happen, or if it is bound to that. I have come to grip the reality that the true measure of success is PASSION. It does not matter if you have not reached the marked line of success yet. As long as you are sweating, bleeding, and loving every minute of your journey- you are reaping your life's bounty in the form of experiences that produce self fulfillment and happiness.
My dream may still be far, but I can work on what's in front of me. Who knows, life might have a sweet surprise.
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