Does anyone else feel like their job is comprised of conflicting expectations?
1) The ANA would like to see nursing elevated to a professional level comparable to physicians:
Improve practice through research, attend committees, police residents so they don't inadvertently kill our patients, have a fairly in depth knowledge of all of the medications that we administer and the pathophysiology of our patients' disease processes, educate staff/patients/families, become more active in legislature, etc....
2) But its pretty hard to feel like an educated professional when you spend most of your time in work attire that is fractionally more presentable than pajamas, all while:
Cleaning poop, giving bed baths, executing general housekeeping tasks, fetching maalox, serving meals, running to xray, running back from xray, turn the 500lb patient on his left side, turn the 500lb patient on his right side....and lets not forget my personal favorite: serve as unit bouncer when your ETOH w/d patient with homicidal/suicidal ideation tries to take you down on his way to happy hour.
