Commencement.

Well, here I am. Master's degree in hand times 2 days, patiently awaiting permission to take my nurse practitioner boards, impatiently awaiting a job offer.

Yikes. How did I get here? As the class speaker asked us all on Monday, when did we stop being nursing students and become nurses? When did we stop becoming nurse practitioner students and become nurse practitioners? It feels as though all of a sudden, without warning, the rug has been pulled out from beneath me and I no longer have the cushion of being 'just the student.' At the end of actually being the student, sure, I had moments of feeling like maybe I didn't need that cushion...that there were things I could handle completely on my own, and proudly. But now. But. but...

There's a theory in nursing known as Benner's Novice to Expert model. The idea is that all students begin as true novices, needing rules to navigate the clinical world. Eventually, by graduation, the student may become an advanced beginner, or even competent! I was warned, however, that no matter which stage you reach as a student, once you graduate and begin a professional job, BAM, you are knocked down all the rungs to start once again as a novice. No matter what. So don't expect to be all high and mighty, confidently managing your Type 2 Diabetes and hypertension like you were born doing it. It's time to be humble and proceed as a true novice.

Throughout my nurse practitioner education, we had to have rubric evaluations by our clinical preceptors. I always made a pretty good impression while in clinicals, and I was, for the most part, a chill, low-stress student. My clinical skills were good, but I always needed to run assessments and plans by my preceptors, because there were just some things I didn't know. What I do know, however, is how to connect with an individual. Semester after semester, my evaluations always said the same thing. Amanda commands the respect of her patients; Amanda pays excellent attention to social details; Amanda shows true compassion; etc. I truly believe in the power of relationships and genuine interaction. It's one of my life goals to always treat others as if they are the most important thing on my mind. Most of the time, I am able to truly focus on the individual, and not be concerned about how many others are waiting for my attention.
At first, I struggled immensely to stay within my time constraints, particularly in the community health setting, where they get the shortest time, but have the most to take care of. I couldn't believe that I had to do everything, save their WHOLE LIVES, in just 15 minutes! What torture. As a student, I soon realized that in the 15 minutes, I cannot save anyone's whole lives. Priorities must be made for every person during every visit, which are not always the same for the patient and the provider. But most important is making sure that patient knows that they have your undivided attention, and that the time seems like more than it is. After all, isn't the goal, with most to get them back in 4 months with positive changes?
What I'm trying to say is, sometimes medical and nursing care has to be a fantastic fusion of science and compassion, educating and listing, prescriptions and hugs. That's what will keep them coming back for more. And that fantastic fusion can be more appropriately be coined as...
The Fifteen Minute Relationship.