NEW GRAD:

EXPERIENCED RN:

We learn to not sweat the small stuff.  We learn to pick our battles on the things that compromise our patients and our fellow healthcare workers. We learn to choose our words.  Be professional.  Be kind.  Be humble.  We learn to adapt and to accept the things we cannot change.  We learn that some things cannot be negotiated.  For those things, we go up the chain of command.  We learn that we are only in charge of the things that we do and we can only hope to influence those around us to do the same.  We learn that what is taught to us in school is not always translated into practice- even though it is always what we strive to do.  This is what we learn.  This is what experience looks like.