-Thoughtfully record a personal career development plan-
I always thought I had the path my nursing career would take mapped out. Go to school, graduate, pass NCLEX and get my RN, get a job at the hospital (preferably in labor and delivery). Simple as that. I'd gotten every job I'd ever applied for...until I graduated from nursing school. I had applied to over 80 jobs and had only TWO interviews in the space of a year. I knew the economy for nursing jobs in UT was tough, so I wasn't too discouraged until one of my classmates who had never had a job, EVER, had interview after interview and was hired at UVRMC. Needless to say, the career path I had always imagined did not come to pass...I recently, like 8 weeks ago, started working as THE nurse at a residential treatment facility for teens. While I love my job, and I truly do, I have struggled with accepting the title of nurse in this role because it is not what I envision a nurse to be. When I pictured myself as a nurse I pictured myself in scrubs, walking the halls of the hospital, providing bedside care, and (ideally) helping to bring new lives into the world. Reconciling my current job with my identity as a nurse has been challenging, and the path I always envisioned and planned on my career following has taken an unexpected turn. So, currently my career path is under construction. I'm grateful to have a job that I love, pays the bills, and is willing to work with my crazy school schedule. The last few years have been so crazy and busy I'm excited to graduate and enjoy traveling down the career path on cruise control for a year or two. Then, I'll pull out the map and re-evaluate where I am and where I want to go.
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