The True Character of a Real Nurse

[Lynn Schofield]

What is it that draws you to this unique and exciting career path? Why do some individuals decide to be a healer, while others are turned toward an entirely different choice? So many other professions are higher paying, less demanding, less stressful in every way. It is our

character which defines us as a healing professional. The desire to help others is in the very core of our being. What moves us to open our heart and be so vulnerable as to meet another human being in the midst of their pain and suffering? It is the character of a nurse which can endure the fire of the furnace in the moment alongside another and sustain this emotional depth. This character trait is within us not just in the moment, but throughout our lifetime.

What if it is not what we do, but how we do what we do that really matters? Often I have found that those in this healing profession not only endure the pain of patients and family members, but also carry the weight of close family members' struggles. Our journey is often laden with commitments to care for loved ones who are needing physical, emotions and spiritual uplifting, even when we are not "working our normal jobs". Some may call this codependency. Others may know it as the destiny they were meant to life out.

Nurses fill many roles, both formally and informally. Our nurturing character enables us to stay in the moment with those we cross paths. It was never meant for us to travel the wide road; the easy route. We were all given the opportunity as we stood at the entrance of our formal educational foyer to take another course. We took the road less travelled in order to arrive at this point in time, knowing the true character of a real nurse is to care, most deeply, from our very soul. Thank you for being on this journey with me.

[Crystal2dish]

Ryansofie -

I will add that I see the opportunities and possibilities opening up for nurses like ourselves. We need to redefine ourselves as nurses apart from what the MacDonaldization of nursing has become, i.e. a corporate crank out of entry level highly skilled human mechanics or disconnected PhD's.

I have been discouraged from working as a nurse because of the growing conflicts and dehumanization of "healthcare". I know that I need to redefine myself for others not as an employee but as a consultant or "gun-for-hire". I see the niche opportunities and know that I have to polish up my outside persona with college credits, possibly a graduate degree or maybe two. For example, how long do you think that the fleecing of hospice patients (among other things, of course, but money is corporate speak) in an assisted living situation would continue if you added legal advocate to your resume? Bulldog nurse with legal teeth!

I will leave the PhD in nursing for others. I refuse to stay quiet or quietly disappear because I don't "fit" into the current picture of the time. I am tired of being spoken to as though I were a simpleton because of the work I chose to do and I am tired of being paid a fraction of what I know I am worth. I am also increasingly aware of increased discrimination from "energetic" employers who are blinded by my gray hairs and apparent career stagnation from logging so many years in one field. It makes me wonder how far this division between young and old will go - to the point where we are prodded much like cattle into the proper channels for aging and dying "humanely"? Who will advocate for us then?

A recent annual visit to my physician has further steeled my determination to be a force for change. At first it was the exam room that brought me to attention: I was brought into the room before it was ready for me as the paper on the exam table was obviously used and there were not one but TWO tubes of KY jelly left uncapped on the countertop by the sink. As I stood in the room frozen in surprise, the trainee CMA proceeded to pull down a fresh sheet of exam table paper and tell me to "hop on up". She told me to hold my arm up as she took a BP without supporting the arm. This was one visit I remained fully dressed and washed my hands immediately afterwards. I realize I could have said something instead of letting my jaw catch the breeze and swing, but I realized the fledgling CMA was doing what she had been taught and for me to do anything or say anything would have sent her from the room in tears. Who is teaching these CMA's? Scary stuff.

I am learning to see these problems as opportunities for change. I don't rely on the existing system any longer to take care of my health and have become an active DIYer. Life is short. Too short. However long I have left to live this life, I want it to be sweet. Hope this rant helped...

:typing

[Shawana]

Thanks for writing this - touching!

[beccarner]

Ms Crystal, I too have been in the health-care field since 1971 as a Certified Surgical Tech before RN. Always worked in Surgery then as a twist of change I am now in the ER. Very often I feel as you do. I guess 37 years is too long. I am ready to go back to surgery for my patients are always asleep and never did give me any grief. Not only have the new nurses cease to be professional but the patients they are a changing. How can I be non-judgmental when I see a mother whom I once helped take her children away for neglect when she now has regained their care. I am so sick of seeing the Medicaid train perpetuate to the next generation of children. Am I in the wrong geological space or is it like that everywhere? The drug seekers, the fights, the bare faced lies. I had to girls come to my ER who beat the hell out of each other so as to attain pain meds! The abuse of the ER for minor sicknesses is overwhelming. Too lazy or burn their bridges with family MD by not paying......then I get an active MI in the ER and in and out in 30 min to cardiac cath and am so proud I just know this is for me. I think it should be mandatory for a nurse to retire in 30 yrs. I would but I am too young! Thanks for hearing me vent.

[lpnflorida]

Just yesterday the patient I took care of was a supervisor, who while a few years older than myself had seen the same changes that I have witnessed over the many many years as we both have been in nursing. She is lucky she thinks she will retire this year. I will face the next 13 years praying to remain in a field I love.

Funny, how both of our faces glowed when we spoke of what nursing meant to us ,not only when we first started, but to this day. We talked of the different models of nursing we had participated in over the years. The many , many technological changes we have faced. We spoke of the medical marvels, of diseases which once upon a time were not curable.

Then our faces fell as we compared a glaring differences in so many of the newer nurses we see today.

The days of love and loyalty is sadly going. Her words ring true in my ears and heart.

The days of loyalty to our patients will die when the last of our generation retires. It brought a tear to my eye. I so want the younger, nurses to pick up our flag and carry it on.

It was never purely about money, it was never I don't like this policy so I will quit. This nurse or doctor is too hard on me, so I will quit. We often stayed, we learned to work together , we grew together.

We the generation who have stayed as we loved the patients we worked with.

[TexasRN2]

Strangely enough, I never wanted to be a nurse growing up. I went into nursing just to shut my husband up. That was 20 years ago and I am glad I did. It is sad however, that what those of us who have been in nursing for years have seen the profession turn into. Someone told everyone that nursing was a recession proof, good paying job and so many go into nursing because of the money - or so it seems. I am a home health nurse/DON and find so many nurses don't have a clue what they are doing and couldn't compose a simple sentence correctly. I used to work at the VA and those nurses were so rude and just plain mean to one another. The patients complain that they wouldn't go to the VA if they could afford to go elsewhere. I mean, where else would a nurse not get fired for refusing to help with a code because she was going on break? Can you imagine?

To the LPN who can not imagine a nurse refusing to help a patient but will spend time looking for an aide to do it, I have seen that far too many times. Nurses in nursing homes sitting on their collective backsides telling the aides to go answer that light or yes, passing up a room where the light is to go find a CNA to help the patient.

Doctors wash t heir hands between patients? Are you serious? Seldom have I seen it.

Medicine seems to be going down the tubes. It is big business pure and simple. It is up to us who know what nursing should be to take the rest in hand and set the matter straight. Before the doctor touches a patient get his or her attention and offer the waterless hand cleaner. Tell your fellow nurse who is being hateful that you value her but not her attitude. I am working on my dissertation. I would like to know what any of you have experienced as a nurse. If you don't want to post it here, send it to my e-mail address.