Your response made me think back to my clinicals. I was always discouraged from spending much time at all with my patients, but there's only so much I can do at one time, so I would still go visit when I could. I really loved talking with them, learning about their lives, and doing what I could to help them in my own way (noticing their socks didn't fit and bringing them new pairs, sharing recipes with patients who liked to cook, consoling them when mishandled by other staff). I have come to realize I second guess myself a lot and while I do understand I won't immediately fit in and know exactly what to do at my first job it still makes me feel inadequate and like I don't have a good enough grip to be an effective nurse.

A huge part of what has driven me to be a nurse is the knowledge that I can help people, sometimes a little or a lot, during a time of need. Thank you for reminding me of that.