Behind the mask

I didn’t always know I wanted to be a nurse. I graduated as a Licensed Vocational Nurse(LVN) in 2014 at the age of 28. I immediately started working in the operating room (OR) as a scrub nurse. For those that don’t know what that is, it is literally defined as “a nurse who assists a surgeon by performing certain specialized duties during a surgical operation”. These last 6 years have been some of the hardest and best of my life.

As a scrub most patients never know who you are. It’s very much a thankless position. I am usually scrubbed in, setting up my equipment in the corner when the patient comes in the room and they already have some medicine on board. I may talk to them, introduce myself and comfort them, but they will never remember our conversation.

Where I work, most of our surgeries are scheduled and routine, but every once in a while we get some real emergencies through the door. But no matter the case, it is our job to put your care first. Taking care of that patient at their most vulnerable is our top priority.

I go into work, change into hospital issued scrubs, dawn a paper hat and surgical mask every day. And that’s just before I even scrub in.

I am currently taking online classes to get my RN. I love surgery and one day I want to become something called an RNFA which is a perioperative registered nurse who functions in an expanded role or an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) functioning as a first assistant to the surgeons. Basically my job now just a lot cooler and with more privileges.

I am so glad I found nursing. I love what I do and I wouldn’t change it for the world!

This story was shared with us by a brave human named Sam.