Hello friends and welcome to rubylemongirls (RLG)! If you’re new here, I am one half of RLG, Rachael, and I am a NICU night shift nurse! My twin sister and I live in Houston, TX, 2 years working, and figuring out this adulthood thing.
I’ve been wanting to put this together for a while now because I feel like it’s such an important topic and really relevant to most people. Nursing or not, navigating a relationship, entering the working world can be hard! This post is going to be focused more on nursing and what its like dating someone who works in the medical field… In saying so, after chatting with Alec, his advice can be transferred to really all couples entering adulthood, looking for insight into bettering the relationships they are in.
Dating as young adults has been for sure a transition period for myself and Alec. We have gone through highs, lows, and everything in between the past 1 1/2 ish years.
Our relationship has so many layers; entering adulthood being a new one. We have gone through so many phases of life together, its pretty crazy! I think adapting and appreciating each new chapter with grace has been a huge thing for us. I wanted Alec to answer these questions without reservation, raw, and honest. So here it is:
interview // Alec. : on dating a nurse.
1. The coolest thing about dating a nurse :
The inherent caring and loving personality that most nurses have is the greatest thing.
They literally save lives on a daily basis – what’s cooler than that?
2. The hardest thing about dating a nurse?
The schedule that nurses take on is one of the toughest things, but it’s not insurmountable. Due to the constant schedule flux, they’re also insane and emotional (but i won’t go too deep into that 🙂 )
3. What to expect dating someone who works night shifts ?
They are constantly tired, even when they act like they aren’t. The schedule never works out like you want it to, so it’s going to take extra effort on both ends to just talk on the phone, nonetheless SEE each other.
They wake up at peculiar hours of the night when they’re not working, sometimes rolling over with a “hey..are you asleep?” .. yes, its 3am. I am asleep babe.
4. Something you wish you more people knew about nursing as a profession?
They are incredibly under appreciated. Even when they’re off the clock, they are constantly worried about their patients (or maybe that’s just rach). It takes a extraordinarily selfless person to be a nurse considering they spend 12 hours at a time tending to their patients every need, no matter how ridiculous. Because of this, people often have an inaccurate perception of the brains of nurses. To me, being able to have the medical knowledge and compassionate heart simultaneously is the ultimate intelligence. This is the essence of being a nurse (from an outsider perspective). For whatever reason, doctors get a lot of glory and are looked up to in society compared to nurses. Don’t get me wrong, doctors should be praised and celebrated as well, but nurses are the real rockstars 😉
5. What people think dating a nurse is verses what it’s really like?
I think a lot of people think dating a nurse is glorious and that’s because it is. They make the absolute best intellectual partners; let me explain. I’m an engineer and there’s a big black hole in the “medical section” of my brain, so I actually get to learn a lot hearing about Rach’s day to day.
This might just be Rach but they’re overwhelmingly dramatic. You would think that for people that handle LIVES every day, they would have thicker skin and more rough around the edges. Nope. Big softies that just want to be loved on.
6. Number one piece of advise you’d give someone who is entering a relationship with a nursing student// future nurse ?
Always buy the flowers. They appreciate that. Prepare to drink a lot of wine too.
On a serious note, make the sacrifices. Just do it. Whatever it takes to stick with the relationship, it’s worth it in the end.
7.how is your perspective on life // people changed since dating a nurse ?
I’ve come to appreciate nurses way more than I ever would have if I wasn’t dating Rach. If I see a nurse in public with their scrubs on, i usually go out of my way to thank them and tell them how awesome they are for choosing their profession. Seeing the way they usually react to this, it’s clear that they aren’t appreciated anywhere close to what they deserve.
I see people in general different as well. You never know when someone just got off of a 12 hour night shift, or what they’re dealing with in their personal life. Being genuinely nice to strangers and spreading love is the greatest thing you can ever do in this life (Rach taught me this, not sure if being a nurse had anything to do with it 😉 )
& That’s a rap ladies and gents!! Wow so I had no idea the responses I would get but … just all the feels. I am constantly blown away by this amazing human being. I think my favorite thing about Alec is the way he sees the world ♥︎ Obviously dating a nurse isn’t the easiest thing, but with lots of perseverance, love, and dedication I really feel that anyone can make it work. Regardless of what you do for a living, taking time to understand your partner’s work life is an essential component to a healthy and happy relationship !
Cheers Witches;D♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎ ,,
RachaelB. 