My Experience Because nursing school is incredibly demanding and difficult, I expected nothing less in shadowing a first-time nurse on a medical-surgical unit. Before I entered the hospital, I was terrified of all the things that could happen to me on the first day. However, my nerves suddenly disappeared when my hooves guided me to the hospital. I immediately felt a connection to Swedish American Hospital. Not only did I have a connection with the hospital itself, but I also gained a connection with everyone around me. The facial expressions and attitudes I received while wearing the uniform made me feel what I have always wanted to feel, that nursing is the most trustworthy and ethical profession there is. I felt praised, honored, doing everything the nurse can for her patients, makes the nurse know their patient better than anyone else. The nurse I shadowed is confident, organized and on top of things. The nurse's role is to check on patients as often as necessary, especially if they have questionable vital signs, pain problems, confusion, or postoperative restrictions. Don't wait for your patients to ask for painkillers, especially if they have just had surgery. Nurses assess their patients, give them a nursing diagnosis, create a plan that meets certain goals or outcomes that meet their core needs, perform interventions to achieve those goals, then evaluate the outcomes and begin the process again. From this shadowing experience, I learned that the role of a nurse is much deeper and involves more critical thinking. A nurse's role is not just to take vital signs and document what is normal or not, not just to register patients, and not to simply dispense medications. Nurses educate patients a lot, teaching them about their ailments, how to manage them, teaching them about medications and side effects. You are responsible for delegating tasks to care staff such as nursing assistants, while remaining fully accountable and legally responsible for anything that may go