Confessions of a Nursing Student

I didn’t choose nursing; nursing chose me right after I realized I was terrible at sitting still in an office job. I was working as a commercial clerk, staring at spreadsheets all day, when I thought, “Wait… is this really my life? I’m smart, capable, and clearly destined for something more exciting than paper and emails.” That’s how I ended up deciding to study nursing at Savonia University of Applied Sciences in August 2023, trading calculators for needles, and spreadsheets for anatomy, medication, and real nursing skills. Suddenly, my lessons were about the human body instead of human resources, and instead of counting numbers, I was counting heartbeats and learning how to give injections.

The skill labs were like a comedy show. We practiced injections, wound care, and other procedures on our classmates. Sometimes I was poking my friend with a needle while they squealed, flinched, or made dramatic faces like they were auditioning for a soap opera. You know that moment when it’s the first time your classmate is injecting you? That mix of excitement, nervousness, and trust is unforgettable.

Then came the simulations, the Oscar-level drama moments. I am shy, and honestly, I tried to escape from these situations as much as possible. But I survived all the way until the very last one. The teacher looked at me with a smile and said, “Elmira, please pick who will participate in this simulation.”

And guess what? Out of all the names in the world, I picked my own name! You should have seen my face, a perfect mix of shock, regret, and why is life like this? The whole class started laughing, and I had no choice but to accept my destiny. I had to act while everyone watched me live on a screen. My heart was racing faster than the patient’s!

Later, in the Simulated Participant program, I played a parent role in six scenarios with four very dramatic “children”: diarrhea, fever, testicle inflammation, and difficulty breathing. The manikin (a dummy child doll) even shouted, “Äiti kotiin! Äiti koskee!” (“Mom, I want to go home. Mom, I’m in pain.” In Finnish.) I’m not a mother in real life, so keeping a serious face while my “child” was yelling for me was a real test of emotional control.

But my favorite memories are from internships. Oh, the patients! Every time I went to give an injection or insert a cannula, they asked that one fateful question: “Oletko opiskelija?” (Are you a student?). The moment I said “Yes,” their eyes widened like in a horror movie. You could see the fear in their eyes and mine too! I tried to smile politely while my brain whispered, “Trust me, I’m more scared than you.” But they were so kind. One said, “Okay, go ahead, I trust you.” I did it carefully, and when it was done, they smiled and said, “Hyvin meni!” (“It went well!”). At that moment, I felt like a superhero, probably one of the heroes who needs three tries to find a vein.

Language barriers made it even funnier. Once, a patient said korva (ear), and I was sure they said koira (dog). I stood there, nodding and trying to connect the story — why are we talking about a dog in the hospital? Detective Elmira was on duty. Somehow, I solved the mystery, and everyone survived.

Now, after all the chaos and laughter, I’m planning to work in a hospital. My advice to future students: If a manikin yells at you, a classmate flinches during injections, or a patient looks scared because you’re a student, don’t panic — just smile, nod, and hope your patient didn’t actually ask for a dog. Always keep a coffee nearby — it’s the real medicine that keeps nurses alive.

– Elmira

If a classmate flinches during injections, or a patient looks scared because you’re a student, don’t panic, just smile.