The summer of 1959 promises to stretch slowly forward, with one exception. The looming deadline of entering the Saint John General Hospital school of nursing as a probationer student, interrupts the worry-free days with a nagging doubt. Is nursing the right choice? Self-doubt is mingled with preparation in advance of the date of entry while Francene gets more jittery as the day approaches. She was born to nurse but did not know it yet.

This is a coming-of-age story of a young woman preparing for the challenges of a very disciplined profession. Writing with humour and compassion, the memoir explores what it takes to learn the art and science of nursing, while juggling the demands of work, a private life, and study.

Nursing prepared the author for multiple career paths in the decades that followed her graduation. The author believes that every task she set her mind to in her life was enabled by the foundational skills of her profession.