Weekend in the ER

No i was not a patient in the ER. I am fine and so is the family.. 
I was working in the ER doing my capstone for school. I am nearing the
 end of this journey. I am down to 9 weeks left. My days consists of tests
 and more tests to see how prepared we are to take the NCLEX . So 
far so good with my scores but i am still scared out of my mind as
 rumor has it the test got harder this year. This last weekend i spent
 4 days at Alta View ER working as a RN. Can i tell you i was so nervous!!
 i prayed that i would seem competent, and have some sort of idea in 
what i was doing. You would think with my years of working in the ER 
as an EMT i would be fine, but the RN aspect is so different. The first 
day i was there we had a trauma, needless to say i can not give details
 due to privacy laws, but i can tell you it got me realizing why I LOVE 
the ER. To think on my feet and know that this patients life is in my 
hands and the many other nurses, EMT's and MD's there reminded me 
why i love the ER so much. I got the desire to hit the books harder and 
to be at the best of my skills and knowledge. Now i know that there is 
lots i do not know,  but i was given many compliments on how i was 
in the trauma and the nurses were impressed i could still think on my
 feet and remember a lot of what i had learned in past experience and my amazing critical care class. My dream job would be to remain in the 
ER. i will admit i was a little sketchy on if i wanted to remain in the
 ER when i am done with school. But the feelings i felt when i left my 
shifts this weekend was something i have missed. I love being there to 
help people when they are in some of the lows in their life. I have a goal
 to make a patient smile even just for a minute when i am in the room.
 I know people come in the ER with major health problems and minor. 
No matter what they are there for i know they are coming trusting us
 with their lives or their loved ones lives. There is no room for judgement
 from me. I am there to help them and hope the situation will improve. 
Needless to say i was not out enjoying the sunshine this weekend, i got 
some emotional sunshine. Here is to hoping i can continue after i 
graduate in the ER and work where i know i have a great love for
 what i do.