Ponderings of a nurse

I never thought I would be thinking of a change in my nursing career. . . after all Labor and Delivery was the reason I became a nurse!  L&D was my passion!  I feel honored at every delivery I am present in . . . it is a magnificent event and so life changing.  To give birth to a child is a very intimate and personal time in a person's life and I am able to be a part of it.  The feeling of helping a human being enter this world is incredible! It doesn't seem possible that life could be transferred from two separate people to create a new life . . . it truly is a miracle!

However, I have been doing some thinking lately . . .

Change is important . . . without change life becomes stagnant and robotic.  Change is not easy . . in fact I both crave and hate it!  It stresses me out . . . yet gives me hope.  Nursing is such a career in which stagnation can lead to an uncompassionate and cynical healthcare provider.  As caring for other individuals is the basis of nursing there are few things worse than having a "burnt out" nurse.  In nursing school I witnessed the cruelty of a burnt out nurse first hand.  It was not pretty.  She humiliated her patients that depended upon her for the very most basic needs a human being can have.  I cringed at her inconsiderate words and behavior.  I vowed I would never behave in the way this woman did to any of my patients.

 . . . and thus my current introspection . . .

my current thoughts are leaning towards a career in the Operating Room . . . there is so much to learn and see with a complete different skill set than the one I currently possess.  The human body is an amazing machine.  To be able to see the inner workings of this machine would be "oober cool!" I have also been contemplating medical missions for years . . . I think being an OR nurse would render me a little more valuable in such a mission. 

life is interesting . . . it is unpredictable . . .fluid . . . I want to make sure my life matters. . . that I have provided something valuable to help others lead a better life. 
 

On the road once again . . stop number three. . Vatican City!

Our third stop in our Italian road trip was back up again to Rome.  This day we spent most of our time in the Vatican City, mainily St. Peter's Basilica.  It seems to me as if I have used the words awesome, incredible, beautiful, amazing, etc. way too many times during my posts already so I am a little at a loss for a new word.  St. Peter's Basilica was all of these things and more!  My only regret was that we were not able to visit the Sistine Chaple (most famous of all Vatican City buildings for the painted ceiling done by Michelangelo . . . think "creation of adam") on this visit.  We had run out of time and would only be able to see one of the two . . St. Peter's Basilica or the Sistine Chaple.  Seeing as I have seen both in previous years I left the decision up to my fellow travelers.  We stuck to the basilica.  Think of the most ornate builing you have ever seen . . . add incredible paintings and sculptures. . . then add in the tomb of St. Peter . . . add some more gold to that . . . then multiply by ten. . . you have St. Peter's Basilica!!  St. Peter's is of Renaissance architecture and time period and is one of the largest churchs in the world.  St. Peter's is regarded as one of the holiest Catholic sites. It has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom".  I have included some video footage so you can see for yourself the magnificence of this structure!  After spending several hours in the Vatican we then headed off northbound for our adventures to Pisa and the Cinque Terre!