When our older nurses die :(

[Emergent]

The new, young ones are coming up. Just got the news today about a neat old nurse who died suddenly. We always kept in touch, our paths crossed in life on a medical unit years ago.

She went to nursing school when it was run by the nuns. I always liked looking for her picture in the old building. Now a for profit owns the hospital, healthcare isn't what it used to be.

She was a strong, vital, kind, hard-working woman, wholesome and dependable.

The world is changing. Some changes are okay, but a lot has been lost to us, never to be regained. A bit of valiant, strong goodness died this week.

It's up to the younger men and women to keep these values alive now.

[SororAKS, ADN, RN]

I'm sorry for your loss. May she rest in peace, and may we all carry her legacy forward.

We owe much to the older generations of nurses that patiently taught us the ropes. I remember the things one of my professors taught me. She was an old Army nurse who was no nonsense, but compassionate. Little things, she said, mattered to patients, such as giving a warm washcloth on breakfast trays so they could wash their face and hands before eating. We were taught that no amount of education or degrees or job titles exempted anyone from doing those things, or from lending a helping hand. Practices such as giving a back rub, regular oral care, peri care, etc were not "niceties" they helped aid in healing by promoting comfort and a sense of well being.

That was in 1987. I look at things today and wonder where those days went. Yes, times have changed. But have they changed for the better? I think in some ways they have. But in other ways, much has been lost.

[aussienurseaz]

Having trained in the old hospital system over 40 years ago I would like to share some of my hospitals traditions Our hospital was closed over 20 years ago and we still are a tight knit group Have a reunion every year for every nurse ever trained there Some are in late 80s The last "Matron" is accorded the respect she had then Always makes welcome speech to her 'grads' Some of the older members are brought to reunion by other members , some are ill have Alzhiemers but all come to reminisce and catch up. When a Grad dies a notice is put in local paper featuring hospital crest and any member who wishes attends funeral and stands as an honour guard.We laugh we cry we remember the days of living together in Nurse's home at hospital We remember the older Nurse's and laugh at things we got up to We were family to each other We remember the Christmas Eve tradition of groups of us going through the wards singing Christmas Carols all in our blue or red capes ( in hot Australian summers) no AC then!Have wonderful memories of those days

[beckster]

Dear AAC.271:

I think I know the spirit in which you commented and I wish others hadn't been so quick to jump on you. I'm 62 and just retired. I'm a little long in the tooth myself but sometimes I had to just go ahead and do ******** even though it wasn't my job or my turn but I felt it benefitted the patient more in the end. Thank God nursing has grown up a little but our pay still lags far behind other professions. I think that has mostly to do with the status of women; I'm glad more men want to enter nursing so we can get rid of phrases like "Do you want to come in and play?" Or "Do you want to stay and help?", both of which mean "Will you work extra hours?" Men aren't spoken to in this demeaning fashion. So yeah, being a dude DOES help - everybody!

[Wuzzie]

Hey AAC.271 - thanks to you for posting a comment that was both honest and true. As an older nurse myself (who stills has a cap in a clear plastic hat box) each nurse here (including yourself) should be able to voice your comments and opinion without being attacked on a personal level. To my nurse peers and colleagues, where is the civility? Perhaps the tone was not as empathetic as that of others, but nothing in the statement was disrespectful. Keep in mind that your personal attacks are a very subtle and effective way of making minorities (including men in nursing) feel unwanted and are typically engineered (even if subconsciously) to silence those who say things we do not want to hear. Be nurses, be supportive. It may be that I can probable appreciate the remembrance of a beloved colleague/peer/mentor more often than most of you. I believe those of us who are closer to the end of our careers would like to know the personal ethics of the profession continue to improve.

If he had made such a comment on a thread about the advances in nursing he would have been accurate and appropriate but NOT on a thread from someone mourning the loss of a mentor. And you are making very big leaps in your jumping to conclusions as to our motives. Did it ever occur to you that some of us ARE in the minority. And maybe he should take your advice and "be supportive" rather than dismissive. How's the air up there on your horse?

[target98765]

Hey AAC.271 - thanks to you for posting a comment that was both honest and true. As an older nurse myself (who stills has a cap in a clear plastic hat box) each nurse here (including yourself) should be able to voice your comments and opinion without being attacked on a personal level. To my nurse peers and colleagues, where is the civility? Perhaps the tone was not as empathetic as that of others, but nothing in the statement was disrespectful. Keep in mind that your personal attacks are a very subtle and effective way of making minorities (including men in nursing) feel unwanted and are typically engineered (even if subconsciously) to silence those who say things we do not want to hear. Be nurses, be supportive. It may be that I can probable appreciate the remembrance of a beloved colleague/peer/mentor more often than most of you. I believe those of us who are closer to the end of our careers would like to know the personal ethics of the profession continue to improve.

It may be honest and true, but this is an inappropriate response for this post. The OP is grieving a loss; some sensativity and compassion should be extended.

[Penholder]

My grandmother was one of those nurses. She retired in her 70's and I'm sure could run laps around the young ones. I got to spend time with her before she passed and she let me know all about what she had seen. Now I start my career.

[topherm]

Times have changed but tradition should not be lost on the newer generations as it is an important part of our history and how we have progressed to where we are today. George Santayana wrote (in The Life of Reason, 1905): Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ([cite] Santayana, G. (1905). The life of reason, vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons).

As one of the older guard, I have been a nurse for 37 years, nuns ran the hospital, and we did have a way of being that is different, but we were already standing for our own worth even back then. I am also highly trained, highly educated, have worked in advanced levels of hospital management, and now independent practice, but I am still at heart a nurse who appreciates all of the traditions we come from. Oh yeah, and I am also a Dude. Thanks for you input, we should all learn from each other. Dr. C.T. Matthews, BS, MS, DBA, CPAN, RN

[tlawless1972]

What's bad is as they die their knowledge and ways die also. Have learned many tricks of the trade from old nurses

[BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN]

So sorry for your loss of a mentor! I have lost 2 great mentors that were my nursing instructors. One an Army nurse who knew the ropes and taught us well. She taught us to be confident but was stern enough with us that we knew we better live up to her expectation! The other was the one who would tell us "This is a pearl" and you knew you better listen up and hear it, memorize it and know it. She is the one who taught us self respect, such as "Don't you dare give your chair to that Doctor, he can find his own!" Lol

But they are the ones who taught us that a pat on the hand, the hold of hand, even briefly, sitting to be eye level with your patient so they feel comfortable speaking to you, a night time back rub for our elderly, fetching that pitcher of ice water ourselves, making sure the sheets are just right, holding that weepy child, using a quiet voice or just saying, "I am here for you" are all what the art of nursing is really about. There is a person in that bed. We were taught what it was to be empathetic and have empathy.

These are the things our old guard taught us. I do try to teach our younger nurses that sometimes, even

the most angry person will respond to kindness or a kind act.

We need to keep "the Art of Nursing" alive and well!

[oldRN85]

Guess that is what we can expect from a former EMT. Many frequently have a false sense of superiority.

[sevensonnets]

Hooray for old Army nurses! Great nurses and fantastic mentors!

[OCNRN63, RN]

"Standing on the shoulders of giants" is an old expression that is relevant here. We contemporary nurses "stand on the shoulders" of all the nurses who have come before us. Our vision and accomplishments rest on the foundation they built for us.

May they rest in peace ... and be fully appreciated by those of us who have benefitted from their labors.

I appreciate reading posts like this. When I read posts that denigrate or belittle those nurses who have come before us, it makes me both sad and angry. They paved the way for us, just as what we do helps the next generation of nurses. Would we like to be referred to the way some of the people here refer to older nurses?