Dearest RaDonna...

My dearest RaDonna.

In a few short hours you are going to take the most horrible test of your life. (At least I hope it is, because if we ever have to take a worse one I will be very unhappy.) Anyway, it is going to be hard. Bad. You are going to leave it and be convinced you failed.

You won't.

I have so much faith in you. Faith in your ability to read the questions, narrow the answers and choose the right one. I have watched you, friend, the past years. I have talked with you about nursing things, and heard the wisdom and understanding in your voice.

I always judge the people I work with by who I would let take care of my family. I know what doctors I would choose, what nurses I would ask for. More importantly, I know who I would not let anywhere near someone I love. You, I would trust. I would trust you to take good, competent care of the people I love. Even though you are young (which can be a surprisingly big drawback for old people... get me someone with experience is something I have heard several times).

So today, NCLEX becomes the last great hurdle. When it is done, when you pass (not if, just when. cause you will. cause you are brilliant. and beautiful. not that beauty matters on test taking, but it can't hurt...), you will be a nurse. not a student nurse. or a graduate nurse. just a nurse. you will have the two vital initials behind your name to be able to walk into a room and say "Hi, I am RaDonna and I am going to be your nurse today."

And life will be wonderful.

There will be days when you want to quit. days when this job is so bad you want to go home and cry. days when you WILL go home and cry. But that is okay. Because for every one of those days there will be the days when you walk out the doors feeling like you did some good today. Like you made a difference, saved a life, or just sat and talked with a patient and made them feel better about everything going on in their life. It is the small things that count. When those days happen, you will know. Know that this job, it is great. It is hard and messy and stressful, true, but still. I wouldn't trade it for any other job.

You won't read this before the big test. That is okay, because I know you are ready to go rock the NCLEX world. You can read it later, during those horrible I think I failed why won't they just post the stupid results already hours. Just know you didn't fail, and it will soon just be a nightmare that will fade in memory.

I look forward to getting your text on Tuesday.
Corrie