Whew! It’s been almost 4 months since I worked as a volunteer nurse at a 35-bed capacity hospital near our village. I still vividly remember that one year ago I’ve been busy preparing for my board exam. I really missed those days where life was not as complicated compare today. There were a lot of people who asked me why I took up Nursing. They asked this question a hundred times since this course is really popular. To be honest, I really don’t know. Today, it is still in demand but not on my own country. If you will answer to the question why you took up nursing because of humanitarian purposes, people would not believe in you. Oh well, I can’t blame them if they perceive nurses as servants after money.
Hospitals today required us to be trained as a volunteer nurse before you can become a staff nurse and some of them have training fees. Because of the “backer” system here in the Philippines and the tremendous supply of nurses, it’s really tough to get a job at the hospitals even volunteer jobs. That’s the reason why many of them pursue jobs at the call center industry. It’s frustrating, right? *sigh*
I thought that after receiving my college diploma and get my license, everything will turn out good. But there is really no easy way in climbing the peak of the mountain. There are a lot of rocky roads that registered nurses have to face including me! Here are some: No income as a volunteer nurse (free meal only or none at all for some hospitals), there are a lot of seminars and training required for us to attend before applying in a hospital (so what for is our 4-yrs stay in college?..hmp!), no assurance to be hired as a staff nurse (not until someone will resign or you have a backer) and so on and so forth. But God comforted me with His words found at Psalm 46:10—Be still, and know that I am God.
In the middle of trials, I have two options as what my senior pastor used to say. It’s either to be bitter or better. So I chose to be BETTER. My experiences today in the hospital is still a blessing indeed. I just want to enjoy every moment as a nurse and be the nurse that God wants me to be. :)
I summed up the things I gained…
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experiences
-first time to have a graveyard duty (11pm to 7am)
-straight duty (graveyard till the morning shift)
-cute little angels at the ward (pedia patients.. some were uber duper naughty and I remember that one boy used to call me “monkey girl!”.. err :l toxic ang swero nila kasi galaw sila ng galaw but still they are precious kids)
-PGH patients (please go home patients :)) bantay sarado baka makatakas, d pa bayad..haha)
-dead-on-arrival cases (DOA) at the ER (it helps me to appreciate my life more and other lives as well. And it’s a constant reminder from God that I need to share His love and grace to others before its too late)
-emergency and a not-so emergency cases (nerve-wracking..hahah!)
-a sincere smile and simple “thank you” from my patients and their relatives (it really makes my duty worth it)
-demanding patients or their companions (yay! it helps me to become more patient..hehe)
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skills (somehow)
-prioritization
-hmm.. i don’t want to include medical terms here but I’m pretty sure that I’m more confident now in dealing with my patients compare when I was a student nurse.
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FRIENDS
-IRclub
-bonding moments
-laugh/food trips
-pictorial sessions
My realizations these days:
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God is my backer . I know that in His time, I’ll be able to work in another hospital that will provide me an opportunity to grow in my field and will offer a good compensation.
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God is my boss. BAWAL TAMAD! Haha :)
So whatever is happening in my career, I want to use it FOR GOD’S GLORY!
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
-Psalm 37:4
"My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord.'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways,And My thoughts than your thoughts."
-Isaiah 55:8-9
