DYMaui

I was a new grad in an OR at the hospital in the town I grew up in. I went through HELL there to establish myself in the only area of nursing I truly loved; all but one of the older, seasoned nurse there treated me BAD. There was one nurse in particular who was horrid. Then she became our unit manager & her treatment of me worsened, calling me a terrible mother & struck/ hit me twice! As a survivor or abuse, I didn't have the tools or mindset to recognize her behavior as abuse and her striking me as battery where I could have had her arrested. I mention this as sometimes you have to view this behavior outside of the realm of a "Human Resources" issue to how would you view this behavior if you were out in your community and this same action occurred to gather the strength to identify and address this behavior for what it is. With a truly sad heart I found out that GOD, karma, the justice of the universe or what you choose to call it, she got hers in a way that is truly heartbreaking. With the help of years of survivor therapy I recognized that hurt people hurt people and I wish her peace.

My experience happened many many years ago; Zoom meetings were developed during Covid & wasn't an option then. We were required to attend treatment center meetings twice a week, nurse support group meeting once a week & anonymous meetings 4 times a week for 36 months, then the meetings lessened to 5 days a week closer to the period of me completion. Treatment center & nurse support group had to send assessment reports regarding our active participation in these groups; you had to "share" or additional months would be added to your case. One nurse committed suicide & many lost their homes due to the inability to work for 12-18 months. I still have a somatic reaction when I recall, when given the privilege to return to work I had to have designated coworkers medicate my post op patients because I couldn't have access to narcotics; and my "drinking history " amounted to a cocktail during a special occasion or a glass of wine during holiday dinner-less than the fingers on 1 hand, but I had to identify as an alcoholic to meet the criteria for the board. A horrible experience.

I experienced the CA BRN diversion program years ago & I still feel the traumatic effects of going through the program. The worst was going to the AA/NA meetings daily & having to identify as such; there IS a difference between those troubled souls who steal, divert meds from patients /the clinical setting or must drink or indulge in drug use to function and someone's lapse lack of judgment who may have gotten behind the wheel of a car after a singular episode of "happy hour.” Don't get me wrong, both extremely dangerous but which one is the true addict or alcoholic. The having to identify as such for 4 years every single day, as we had to turn in meeting documentation as proof of attendance took a toll on my psyche to the point that I felt schizophrenic, my self esteem, physical & financial health along with my professional relationships. I recently discovered some of the paperwork of this program and the trauma hit me all over again to the point of vomiting. But it was the only way to retain my license of the career that I truly love to this day.

As a small child, I was intrigued by the medical reference OK that was part of my grandparent’s encyclopedia (remember them?) set. Every time I went to visit them, I pulled out this book & read about everything in that volume. It was published in the 1940s; maybe even before that, and the pictures were very graphic black & white medical documentation photos. I was bitten by the medical sciences bug at age 5. Being a 1st generation American (my parents were from Europe & neither finished high school) my parents did not put great emphasis on education; your a girl, you will get married & give us grandchildren, so in my earlier school years I was far from an academic. It wasn’t until community junior college that I excelled. I enrolled without any thoughts on what to study. All I knew was that my father was sick & I had to get an education to get a job to help provide for my family in the fastest way possible! And there were no serious prospects for marriage at that time either. I was with my cousin at that time, same 1st generation American, being raised by her widower father who had cancer. She needed a career option as bad as I did. I said to her, let’s enroll into the RN program, and so we did. I’ve been a RN for 40 years now & still enthusiastic about what I do! I’m still learning everyday & never “bored.” My cousin just retired after 40 years in L& D. And yes, we both married & have children & grandchildren. Nursing has been a truly wonderful career.

Hello OR nurses I was an OR nurse with over 18 years experience; I last worked in a multi speciality OR in 1997. I was there during the advent of laparoscopic procedures and had experience in ortho, neuro, gym, C-sections, urology…everything except cardiac/open heart procedures. I left the OR to learn other areas of nursing, and I learned them quickly. I have a desire to return to the OR. Has too much time past since my peri-op experience making me not of value to a surgery department. Personally, I am confident that any new technologies I will be able to pick up quickly, as I am a fast learner & I’ve got the basics of the peri-op process ingrained. Your answers will be welcomed