Samantha Kenney Life of A Nursing Student

      This semester though bringing its challenges and still bringing its difficulties as the semester comes to a close, this semester was just the first steps in becoming a registered nurse. These first steps have been scary, sometimes felt like baby steps and sometimes felt like big leaps that have been difficult to handle, but as the semester has evolved, I feel nothing more than an ever greater desire to be a nurse.      There have been times, even like today studying for two of this semesters third exams, when things have been difficult to juggle, and truly felt like they have pushed me over the edge. Regardless of this feeling of being pushed over the edge, because there is so much knowledge being forced into my brain, I somehow find joy and comfort in the information I'm learning. In some weird way or another it all feels right.      I have truly worked so hard this semester to succeed to be able to continue my career as a nursing...

      As I originally entered pediatrics clinical, I was more scared than anything due to the fact that I really did not have much experience with kids, let alone taking care of sick kids. To me after the first day of clinical I assumed that I would dread waking up every Wednesday morning, and feel like I was walking around on eggshells, however, after experiencing my last day, I am going to be upset every Wednesday I wake up and do not get to go to CHOP and take care of the children.      Though you may assume a student nurse does not get to do much on clinical at a children's hospital (as I also assumed prior) I learned so much from my opportunities at CHOP. Even on the occasional days or hours where I was left to do not much but watch, it was still one of the best experiences I have gotten. I cried in the car on the way home from my last clinical, because I was really so moved how just a simple 6 weeks could change my outlook on nursing and mak...