To take a moment and reflect back on everything I have accomplished and done within the last few years, and are now part of my story which I am currently embarking on.

Starting with getting my pre-health diploma at Fleming during the Covid-19 pandemic, which got me into the RPN program at Fleming, and now beginning my journey at Trent for the RN compressed program. The transition from online learning to in person was a bit frustrating, but all my professors and peers gave me the support I needed.

I could not be happier with my experiences in placements including long term care, general medicine, telemetry, and the emergency department. These placements taught me gratitude and gave me responsibility for my actions. I got to practice my critical thinking and hands on skills I learned from Fleming, and continue to use as I work in the emergency department as an RPN. Without my experiences throughout practical nursing school I would not have met the requirements of entry to practice as an RPN currently, as per CNO entry to practice guidelines state that “education programs to ensure that the curriculum prepares graduates to successfully achieve professional practice standard before entering practice” (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2023).

An experience that has affected me was achieving my first NG tube placement where I had a supportive team, and the patient being thankful and understanding. During this experience I was very nervous as it was my first time. I was in consolidation and my preceptor pulled me aside and asked if I wanted to insert a NG tube, I said yes. We gathered supplies and entered the patients room, the patient being in discomfort and most likely irritated was very accepting to letting me insert the NG tube. I know placement of these is uncomfortable, but my patient was calm and thanked me afterwards. The patient made my day and made me feel confident about my hands on skill.

I thank Fleming professors for my simulations I had on NG tube placement. My professors were accommodating and understood the stress of being a student learning for the first time.  I would have felt lost in the moment without getting any hands on experience in my simulation labs. In the article Silva et al (2023) argues that “different simulation designs can influence the student’s emotional self-regulation, consequently influencing the learning outcomes”, thus portraying that without the labs I would not have been as confident and educated which could have led me to have a bad first experience.