A degree that changed me from what I was to what I am

[Binu Francis]

"A job of expectations, values, responsibility, discipline which is not realized until a patient places his/her trust in you saying sister my life is in your hand where you in the midst of fear and tension not knowing what to do."

It was my second year in my degree course where I used to skip my duty hours to sit back for leisure activities, felling that I have learned all the nursing procedures in the very first year which was not a big task to be mastered,"as thought by me". It was a view that once we got the demonstration of a procedure the job was done/learned. As time moves on, for me to face the consequence of my negligence, where towards the end of the second year in my duty hour I was caring for my patient, the doctor had ordered for the removal of her sutures. The patient was quiet a co-operative, with her trust on my ability, she spoke "sister it won't pain, I hope so. At that moment I looked at her in her eyes seeing all the expectations and confidence she had on me but to dismay her, more annoying to me I did not know how to remove the suture. With embarrassment and guilt I called my batch-mate to help me , where she enquired why couldn't I do it myself. I excused myself by saying that this is a midwifery procedure, so how do I know it. She smiled and gave a simple answer than how do I know it if you don't know it. Then she set up the tray ,called in the patient and removed her sutures. The patient in her polite gesture asked is she your senior. I understood at once what she meant sister my life is in your hand where you in the midst of fear and tension not knowing what to do loss this small little opportunity to make the patient approve me of the trust she placed on me. Later on my colleague just said SUTURE REMOVAL IS THE PROCEDURE OF 2nd YEAR.

This whole incident irritated me the for a week, which I then discussed it with my mother who by profession is a nurse, guided me by saying NURSING is a job of expectations, values, responsibility, discipline which I ought to realise as a clear statement mentioned in the nursing ethics more as," if small matters are neglected what would I do for bigger matters were placed in my trust, "a lesson learned to be cherished all life, both on and off the track making me more sincere and devoted to my code of ethics of care, concern and responsibility, to where I stand today, satisfied by my conscious

[zephyr9]

What a powerful lesson shared with so much honesty. Thank you.

[Finally2003NP-C]

I teach the final level of M/S at a local college. This person's eventual understanding of what she is and what she represents is inspiring as well as sobering. You get out of your education what you put into it. Shortcuts and not taking advantage of every situation clinically as well as academically is your choice. However, as one graduate recently told me "It can bite you in the behind." Eventually, as this person found out, you come upon a situation that should be accomplished by any graduate nurse, but cannot be accomplished because you thought you knew it all and never asked. As I frequently state to many students "What are you going to do after graduation and I'm not around." Now before I get bombarded for my insensitivity realize that once your BON gives you your license employers, co-workers, and the public expect you to be able to ACTUALLY perform basic nursing procedures (i.e. suture removal). I am glad the nurse realized she had no idea what to do and asked for help. However her collegue did not have too warm a response to her plight, but performed the procedure. Lesson learned, Nursing is a demanding profession and patients place full confidence in Nurses to know their profession,as well as be able to perfom it. Their are few compliments in many of our tasks, and patients sometimes do acknowlegde a job well done with a look, smile,or sigh. From the content of the story I'm sure the nurse learned a valuable lesson and now fully understands the responsibility we nurses have to our patients, and the priviledge and responsibility of being able to treat them.

[cherryames1949]

Any job worth doing is worth doing well. This means the small menial tasks as well as the big ones. You were lucky enough to learn this lesson early in your career. You will be a better nurse if you take it to heart. Good luck in your career.

[missdiorcherie]

I really appreciated this article. I am a new nursing student and it is good to get all perspectives on being a nurse. This will help me to try to absorb as much as posibble and to take nothing I learn for granted.

[royhanosn]

its called, experience! dont get philosophical. Your patients will pickup on your care, but dont go overboard.

you will burn out too fast, and then you will be useless to everyone. Or your body will start to react to the stress you bring

onto yourself.