Final Day on the Floor

After nearly a year working at the University of Maryland, today I walked into the hospital for the last time.  The floor has been particularly heavy over the past few weeks and the last three shifts I got worked HARD.  Thankfully the nursing gods were on my side and I would be working with one of the orientees on my last day. 

The new nurse learning curve is definitely a thing.  Throughout nursing school preceptors and nurses on the floor said it usually takes new nurses about six months to really get their feet under them (keep in mind my orientation to the floor was about ten weeks).  I have come a long way since I came off orientation and even further since I walked onto the floor for the first time.  There is no way I could have handled the four patients I had this past weekend as a new nurse off orientation. 

The crew even got me a going away cake.

Final picture with the 11 East Crew!!

Here's to a new adventure. 
I am sure there will be another learning curve in the PICU, but I am excited to see and learn a lot!