Firsts and Lasts - Passing the Baton

FIRSTS AND LASTS

It has been my experience of life that we all have many “Firsts”. I am sure you know what I mean. Your first Boyfriend/Girlfriend, your first Kiss, your first Car, your first Job and so on. Of course, health professionals experience this as well in the course of their career. Your first Patient, your first Drug Round, your first time In Charge, your first Death.  This is all part of the tapestry of our lives as humans and professionals, a myriad of little Rites of Passage that mould us as people.  Firsts come in many forms and can be both positive and negative in their effect on you.

I have long understood this, and thus it is a surprise to me that I have come to a moment in the story of my life when I now find myself still experiencing new “Firsts” (Grandfather) but also new` “Lasts”. Lasts are events when you do something for the Last time. As with Firsts, I hasten to emphasise that Lasts are not necessarily negative events, and can be really quite uplifting.

I am currently having a plethora of Lasts, this an unsurprising result of my impending retirement in April 2015 and following a 35 year career as a clinical nurse, nurse teacher and university academic. Today (27-1-2015) I attended my last Graduation ceremony as part of the Procession. Graduation, it’s a moment of celebration, of Pomp and Circumstance, a moment for family pride and future optimism. I have always had a great sense of pride over the years, looking down from the stage at legions of future Nurses, pledging to protect the patients they will care for. Today was no different, 170 newly qualified nurses stepping out into their careers, taking them where, who knows!

And as I looked around that grand graduation hall, at new nurses, their proud families, at my young teaching colleagues, for that last time, it was with great pride that I knew I was leaving the Nursing Profession in safe hands. It was an uplifting:

LAST...

Passing the Baton 

Brangwyn Hall Swansea

THE NEXT GENERATION CELEBRATES

Tomorrows Nurse Teachers

These Two (Rhidian & his Wife) met as Students of Sept 2011 Cohort and Married

Reminds me of another Student Nurse Couple 35 Years Ago

LAST GRADUATION - January 2015

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The Day after I posted this Blog I received this :o) :

"Hi Dave,
You won't know me but I am a M12 student. Have just read your blog and wanted to wish you all the very best for your retirement.
I started my nursing degree in M11 and still remember the first time you came to talk to us, I remember feeling so excited to begin my nursing degree, I also remember you saying that we would only really see you on our first day when you welcome us, and our final day when you say goodbye (unless we had been really bad then we would see you sooner). 18 months on whilst taking some time off for maternity I met you in the corridor with my 3 week old baby, I panicked as I saw you walking towards me that you would be cross that I had taken time out of my studies (silly really) because you came over and swept the baby out of Gwyneth Warners' arms, and coooed over her and fussed her. You were very supportive and kind to my daughter and I. So meeting you in the middle of my studies wasn't so bad after all!!
And now I am at the end of my degree and the long awaited final goodbye lecture is next week.
I feel so proud to have been a student in the university, I have been so supported by all of the staff, so thank you. I have a job in ITU and am so excited to begin my career.
It would be impossible for you to remember all of your students but there will be so many just like me who will not forget you.
Good luck"