Nursing: Not a bed of Roses (Why I call myself Narsdoktor)

I always imagine myself to be successful. I always think positive about myself..

I came to the US of A in 1990. My reasons are just like any RN: because of poverty and the need to go abroad to uplift my condition in the Philippines. Although, I went to KSA prior to my arrival in NYC, it did not really do a lot of improvement in my life at that time.

As soon as I got to New York City, I was in motion. I studied every night so I could pass the NCLEX just once. I did not have time and money to enroll myself in some review classes. All I did was study Appleton every night. I worked extra so I could send more to my family in Cebu. I would work double shift 3x a week.
Needless, to say, it was not a bed of roses. I was always haunted by memories of being away from my family. Loneliness would creep in from time to time.

I passed the NCLEX right away and was promoted the next day to a supervisory level.
I thought, it would be better, but worse. As a manager you are on call 24 hours a day. Some vacations were curtailed because of the Dept of Health survey (state). In short, you are management personnel, they can twist you like a pretzel.
I became a rebel, answering back to my superiors because, I always want to do what is right for my patients, for my staff, for everybody. I am not the regular "subservient Filipino nurse" in town. I was a different Filipino RN.

I was forced to resign, but landed a very challenging job the next day. I became an emergency RN, not by choice but by unforeseen circumstances. It was actually a blessing in disguise. I was too good at it, I got my Certification (CEN) just after one year of ER exposure. It sparked a little encouragement in me, so, I went back to school for my Masters degree in Nursing. I enrolled in a City University of NY (CUNY-Lehman College). In order to pay the tuition fees, I needed to get another job, on top of my obligations like sending money home to the Philippines, my board and lodging and the like. In short, I had three jobs while I was taking up my graduate school. I could not believe until now that I did it!

I studied part time and worked full time and I finished it.
I guess, my determination made me do it.
I also got married while I was in school. My husband was very supportive of what I do even until now.

I did not stop at my graduate school, I was too ambitious, nobody can stop me. I went to get a Post-Master's Certificate in Adult Nurse Practitioner. My father in law volunteered to pay for it because the tuition fee was quite expensive. I need to maintain a 4.0 (equivalent to flat one in the Phil), I needed to impress him.
For two years, I did not see my husband because of my studies. When I went home, he was already asleep, when he leaves for work, I was still sleeping. We were in that kind of arrangement for 2 years until I finished school and landed my dream job.

I became an adult nurse practitioner of a care management company with flexible hours, benefits galore and huge salary. I have been doing this for 10 years and counting. This is the kind of job everybody is fighting for. I am my own boss.

It is like my retirement job really. Where in the world can you find a job like this?
I call myself narsdoktor. I am a primary care provider with prescriptive privileges, pretty much like an MD. Our salaries and responsibilities are almost the same.
I could say, I am reaping the fruits of my labor, after experiencing different jobs as an RN. I will never go back to work as an RN. I am pretty happy as a narsdoktor.

http://narsdoktorsausa.com

"Success doesn't come to you…you go to it."Marva Collins