The life of an educator.
Thank God, the end of the academic year is almost here! Let me count the days...under twenty to be exact. I know that from the outside looking in, most of you will think the working life of those in post-secondary education is pretty slack. Compared to the life of those of you working on the front line, it probably is. For all of us though, working hard all year to make everybody succeed and to meet their needs, to support and encourage them, to role model for them, to teach, befriend, and take them under our wings (if they will let us...without smothering or creating dependence) is an all-consuming effort. It takes a team of like-minded, enthusiastic and knowledgeable instructors to deliver a program of excellence. The responsibility is awesome and mentoring and socializing newcomers to the field of health care and nursing takes guts and energy like you can't imagine. Our preceptors feel it when they take on a student for several weeks. A preceptor is someone from the front line, such as a nurse. The person works in the field and buddies up with a student who is on the verge of graduating from the same discipline. The idea is to provide a transitioning period and to give the student a taste of the front line for real. Even though the preceptor volunteers to do so year after year, they too know and understand how draining, yet fulfilling, the whole concept can be, so we absolutely identify with them.
By this time of year then, in June, we are nothing if not bone tired. Yet we continue on. We've already received the list of accepted applicants for next Fall and you would think that would weigh us down. Strangely enough, it does just the opposite. We are excited again and chomping on the bit to get everyone jumped into the stream and pointed in the right direction...I guess it's because we must love what we do. We know that without a continual influx of new graduates, into any field, the system would soon become shaky and possibly crumble. We know that there have been more years than anyone would like to count when nurses and other health care workers have foregone their breaks and holidays simply because there was not enough bodies to replace them. This is the grain of truth that provides a somewhat grim reality.
This is the time of the year then when we are facing grad. Grad is a celebration of achievement and a time to give credit where credit is due. It is a formalized time to bestow distinctions, usually for any one of the following, certificate, diploma, baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral degree. Grad is a time for happiness, enthusiasm, and excitement. Success is in the air for students and their families as much as for the program personnel who put them through their paces. The idea abounds that a new world has opened for each student. Where doors were previously closed they are suddenly flung wide open and the sky is the limit for opportunities. Yet everybody is weary by grad, including the students. On the one hand, the people involved in their training know what it's like to work in the real world. We think to ourselves, "look what we've gotten them into... Real World 101! Here they come, "ready or not". Don't get me wrong, programs have rigorous standards and upon graduation, we are saying they are qualified to practice because they have passed every manner of testing we could reasonably throw at them. Does that mean all graduates are created equal? Of course not. We all know of exceptional professionals in every field, but we also know of others who are not quite so brilliant, not so likable, and not so reliable. It has always been and always will be a facet of human nature, since human beings remain imperfect.
We understand what the new graduates will go through with their "graditis", after all, they've just learned the latest and most up-to-date, evidence-based information available. Graditis or being a "know-it-all" is a condition that happened to all of us. More seasoned professionals generally roll their eyes and bide their time until this phase passes. Ironically, the leap is made. From yesterday as students, to today as graduates, they now stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their former trainers, teachers,and peers. Suddenly as our new colleagues, they deserve our congratulations and respect. We knew them only a short time and must say good-bye, but we will meet again somewhere along the line and hopefully it will be as part of their new capacity. For now, we're off to bring forth the next group to help make sure there will always be enough of you, that new graduate who promises to forever sustain the system.
Thank God, the end of the academic year is almost here! Let me count the days...under twenty to be exact. I know that from the outside looking in, most of you will think the working life of those in post-secondary education is pretty slack. Compared to the life of those of you working on the front line, it probably is. For all of us though, working hard all year to make everybody succeed and to meet their needs, to support and encourage them, to role model for them, to teach, befriend, and take them under our wings (if they will let us...without smothering or creating dependence) is an all-consuming effort. It takes a team of like-minded, enthusiastic and knowledgeable instructors to deliver a program of excellence. The responsibility is awesome and mentoring and socializing newcomers to the field of health care and nursing takes guts and energy like you can't imagine. Our preceptors feel it when they take on a student for several weeks. A preceptor is someone from the front line, such as a nurse. The person works in the field and buddies up with a student who is on the verge of graduating from the same discipline. The idea is to provide a transitioning period and to give the student a taste of the front line for real. Even though the preceptor volunteers to do so year after year, they too know and understand how draining, yet fulfilling, the whole concept can be, so we absolutely identify with them.
By this time of year then, in June, we are nothing if not bone tired. Yet we continue on. We've already received the list of accepted applicants for next Fall and you would think that would weigh us down. Strangely enough, it does just the opposite. We are excited again and chomping on the bit to get everyone jumped into the stream and pointed in the right direction...I guess it's because we must love what we do. We know that without a continual influx of new graduates, into any field, the system would soon become shaky and possibly crumble. We know that there have been more years than anyone would like to count when nurses and other health care workers have foregone their breaks and holidays simply because there was not enough bodies to replace them. This is the grain of truth that provides a somewhat grim reality.
This is the time of the year then when we are facing grad. Grad is a celebration of achievement and a time to give credit where credit is due. It is a formalized time to bestow distinctions, usually for any one of the following, certificate, diploma, baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral degree. Grad is a time for happiness, enthusiasm, and excitement. Success is in the air for students and their families as much as for the program personnel who put them through their paces. The idea abounds that a new world has opened for each student. Where doors were previously closed they are suddenly flung wide open and the sky is the limit for opportunities. Yet everybody is weary by grad, including the students. On the one hand, the people involved in their training know what it's like to work in the real world. We think to ourselves, "look what we've gotten them into... Real World 101! Here they come, "ready or not". Don't get me wrong, programs have rigorous standards and upon graduation, we are saying they are qualified to practice because they have passed every manner of testing we could reasonably throw at them. Does that mean all graduates are created equal? Of course not. We all know of exceptional professionals in every field, but we also know of others who are not quite so brilliant, not so likable, and not so reliable. It has always been and always will be a facet of human nature, since human beings remain imperfect.
We understand what the new graduates will go through with their "graditis", after all, they've just learned the latest and most up-to-date, evidence-based information available. Graditis or being a "know-it-all" is a condition that happened to all of us. More seasoned professionals generally roll their eyes and bide their time until this phase passes. Ironically, the leap is made. From yesterday as students, to today as graduates, they now stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their former trainers, teachers,and peers. Suddenly as our new colleagues, they deserve our congratulations and respect. We knew them only a short time and must say good-bye, but we will meet again somewhere along the line and hopefully it will be as part of their new capacity. For now, we're off to bring forth the next group to help make sure there will always be enough of you, that new graduate who promises to forever sustain the system.
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