Vitals

My name is Bonnie Dee. I’ve been making a run at nursing school for the past three years. 
 
Living in Western Washington this has not been as easily accomplished as first thought. The schools here are competitive, and I am (at best) an average science student. The following are accounts of my life, interactions and general thoughts as a pre-nursing student, current hospital employee and (hopefully) future nursing student. My goal is to share the journey with you. For us to grow and learn together. 
It’s not easy, but at least we have each other. 
Keep going!! 
 
How I got here … 
A sociologist goes to the ED.
 
My best friend was pre-med in Portland, Oregon. She had this great “in” as a scribe at an ED, and suggested that I check-out what it was that social workers do in a “hospital setting”. The truth was that I was dating the man of my “dreams” and he had suggested that I forfeit my acceptance into the school of social work, and look into nursing (for its “longevity”). Yes, I was an idiot. 
 
Since my best friend made the offer and I had nothing else going on, I figured the worse that could happen was that I hated it. Never to return. But that wasn’t the case. I fell in love. I abandoned the social worker’s station and followed the RN’s around for over 14 hours. In heels!! I was that girl! 
 
I fell so hard I needed a medic. Not really, but you understand.  
I was ready to sign my life away right there. Take it all. 
 
It all sounded so “perfect”. I was going to be an ED nurse, and marry my professional fireman, and we were going to save the world. 
 
I laugh now. So wrong I was. 
 
So many things stood in my way (as is the case with most of us who set out on this journey). 
 
Looking back now, I feel like I could have sooner grown a third leg, than get to my goal. 
I had to find a school that would accept my transfer credits, and a way to pay for my tuition (as we all know it’s hard as heck to juggle a full-load of pre’q[1], plus work, commute, and adult in adult life).
I had that boyfriend of mine. Who initially started out perfect with all his suggestions. However, as time dragged on, and the layers started to peel back, there he was. My gorgeous fireman, who didn’t give a crap about anyone or anything other than money or going to the beach (oh, and emailing other girls or taking trips to Canada with them). 
 
Finally, there’s family. Gosh they are so loved, but WOW can they make things challenging. Honestly, I couldn’t get very far without them, but sometimes I wonder how we (as a unit) survived. Then again, observing them/us and it becomes very obvious why I am drawn to the life of ED. 
 
Anyway, there I was. Somehow I got a school to accept me at the last minute. So I could get my pre’q work done, and then all I needed was to get accepted to a program. That was Fall 2014. 
 
Since then, I have “survived” a school shooting, ALL my science pre’q, “needing” to be remediated, three rejection letters, my best friend is now fighting her way through of med school, and I am now in financial squalor. 
 
On the bright side, I now have two adorable nephews, my beautiful bulldog (Bonnie) is still alive (she’s going to be 9!!), my truck is still running, I have a job working in progressive cardiac care at a hospital, I finally (after 3 attempts) got a score on my entrance exams that is “worthy” for admission (crossing fingers), and my parents have not disowned me - YET. 
 
That darn boyfriend is still lurking around though. Not sure how to purge myself of him. He’s kind of like my version of booze in an alcoholic’s desk drawer. Everyone (including myself) knows I need to throw him out, but I keep taking pulls off the bottle instead. 
"We go to what we know”, a wise cohort always tells me. 
 
Keep Going 
 
Of course this is just an overview. An introduction to my experiences. My hope is to share the good, bad and the funny in order to provide hope. I believe we are all in this together. Sometimes it can be difficult to see that. It often feels like we are pitted against one another or that the journey is far bigger than we are, but I am here to say I believe it’s survivable. 

One day at a time. One class. One Exam. One interim job. One acceptance. One graduation. 
 
If you are reading this, my guess is you are similar to myself. You have struggled. Things have not come easily or your road to an RN does not resemble your peers. It’s ok. Keep going. 
Find people who support you. Find what works for YOU. When things are trying, use those moments as opportunities of growth. 
Cry, smile and move forward. 
I wish you the best.  


[1] Prerequisite (prereqs or pre’q) educational requirements