It is amazing to think that it has now been four years since I wrote my very fist column for Health Care Today.

I managed to make my way through nursing school and find a job as a pediatric nurse at Children’s Memorial in Chicago. I’m not exactly sure what I expected work to be like, but if I had any expectations at all, I am certain that the experience I have had so far has exceeded them.

The commitment Children’s makes to new graduates and new employees is very encouraging. I have felt welcomed and supported from the moment I walked through the door.

As a new graduate, I love that my orientation includes clinical experience, classes and certifications.

There is a lot I have learned about pediatric oncology during classes that are taught by our Advanced Practice Nurses and Clinical Educator.

I assumed I would have to learn it all on my own, but I was pleasantly surprised to see classes specifically tailored to our learning needs.

Before we even started working with preceptors on the units, we reviewed essential nursing skills that needed to be refreshed since most of us had been out of clinical for four or more months. It was a great way to transition into the clinical work we will be doing for years to come.

Among many things, I had to get used to writing the letters “RN” after my name. It was somewhat like adding a new last name.

I have also found that I struggle most with multitasking. I am amazed how the nurses can flawlessly flow from one task to another, knowing in their heads the priorities and their plan of action for the day.

I am slowly developing these skills but I think it will take a while before I can get through a shift without breaking a sweat.

I feel I am constantly running from one room to the next and I often forget to eat or drink.

I must admit I have been tempted to hook myself up to a normal saline drip and run around with my own IV pole in order to stay hydrated.

I am realizing there is an art to nursing and I have just picked up my paintbrush. There is so much to learn.

Working in pediatric oncology, there are new chemotherapies and adjunct therapy medications being developed every day and it is fascinating to watch as the standard treatments change.

I’ll be out there on my own in just a few short weeks and I’m hoping and praying that everything will go smoothly — at least a few times a month!

Julia Judge is a 2005 graduate of Oakwood High School and a graduate of the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University. She is a pediatric nurse at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago.