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Registered Nurse Career Interview
Jackie L. Merecki is a registered nurse at St. John’s Providence Health System in Detroit, Michigan. She works in a hospice, caring for patients and interacting with the doctors and other nurses.
Registered Nurse Career Path
When Jackie was in high school, she loved science classes, and she wanted to find a career that included that. She went on a field trip to a hospital and learned about difference between MDs and nurses, and she found her calling.
“I chose nursing because I was able to incorporate science and helping people into one field,” Jackie says.
Registered Nurse Experiences
Jackie received her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Michigan State University.
She spent spent her first year in the nursing program as an extern, shadowing an experienced nurse and helping her with her patients.
“School is very different from the real world,” she explains. “Working with patients helped me know what exactly I would be doing. School only teaches you the tip of the iceberg.”
Registered Nursing Degree Programs
“Each program can be different,” Jackie says. “I work with nurses with Bachelor degrees and Associate degrees. Basically, you just need to be enrolled into a certified program.”
A major part of becoming a nurse is to also have some experience working with patients. Depending on what kind of unit a nurse is working in, hospitals will also provide specialty training on-the-job for nurses.
Registered Nurse Job Description
Jackie works at St. John’s Providence Health System in Detroit, Michigan. Jackie works as a floor staff nurse at an oncology-hematology unit, which includes a hospice. She has to work with many patients who are near-death, but she also treats post-surgical patients, as well.
Registered Nurse Daily Routine
Jackie starts off her shifts by getting reports, such as medical history, medicine administered, and other issues, on her patients from the previous nurses. She manages when to see and treat each patient depending on the severity of their care, and she coordinates patient care with the appropriate doctors.
“You have to know when it’s appropriate to use what resources you have, such as deciding if a patient needs more intensive care,” Jackie advises “Most shifts are 12 hours long.”
Registered Nurse: Steps to Success
“I’ve relied on my confidence level,” says Jackie. “A lot of nurses are so intimidated by how much you need to know and how to act with the patients at the beginning.”
A registered nurse must also have excellent time management and organizational skills and, of course, a passion for helping others.
“Compassion and open mindedness are crucial,” Jackie explains. “Patients come in and they are so vulnerable. You have to be able to relate to people. You have to deal with all different kinds of people, and you have to get them to trust you.”
Registered Nurse Job Opportunities
Despite the shortage of nurses that exists today, it can be challenging to get started in this field.
“Right now, the healthcare system is struggling to find nursing instructors, and a low amount of instructors means a smaller number of nurses that can be accepted,” Jackie explains. “We need more educated instructors to accommodate more nurses.”
Nursing school can also prove to be very challenging for students.
“You have to have good grades, volunteer work, and recommendations to even be accepted,” Jackie adds. “And once they get out, new nurses have difficulties finding a place to work.”
Registered Nurse Favorite Aspect
“I work in a hospice unit,” says Jackie, “and it’s an honor to care for someone in their last moments of life, especially to be right there with a patient’s family I’ve cared for a lot of patients who are actively dying, and I’ve developed a lot of close relationships. To know what we’ve made them as comfortable as we can is pretty powerful.”
Registered Nurse’s Future Aspirations
Jackie hopes to go back to school and earn her Master’s, which would allow her to work more independently and have a larger role in diagnostic care in an out-patient setting.
Jackie also wants the chance to work in preventative care.
“One of the things I think that our healthcare system is lacking is preventative care,” she says. “I want to work with patients in preventing their diseases and afflictions.”
Advice for Prospective Registered Nurses
Jackie recommends volunteering to find out if this is the right career for you.
“It is very important to get a job as a nurse assistant or a medical assistant to be more comfortable and knowledgeable with the health system,” says Jackie. “It is a very intimidating thing. You should really make sure that it is something you want to pursue, and a job like this lets you know what it’s like to a certain extent. It’s all about the communication between you and the doctors and patients.”
When you begin as a nurse, it won’t exactly be a walk in the park, but education and persistence will help you succeed.
“The first year is the most challenging experience you will have,” Jackie explains. “You will be terrified, but you will learn fast. Surround yourself with people that are going to help you, and never stop educating yourself.”
