Who is your spirit nurse?

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Specializes in Peds Hem, Onc, Med/Surg.

On my unit we were having a discussion about all the quizzes that are now appearing on Facebook:

What's your personality type?

What disney character best represents you?

What type of cookie are you?

My favorite one is 'What's your spirit animal?' I find it hilarious. As I am telling the other nurses this, one of my favorite nurses (let's call her Maria) comes over to our side of the unit. I promptly let them know that Maria is my spirit nurse. :D

My nursing mom (aka preceptor) is the best. Knowledgable, kind, awesome skills, loud, and the best advocate ever. She rules the floor. You have a problem you run to her and she will get it fixed before you can say anything, BUT my nursing mom to me is like an unachievable dream. Maria on the other hand is like that cool aunt you just adore. Maria is loved by all her patients yet she is the most sarcastic nurse ever. She has the skills and knowledge but never makes you feel stupid. Every shift with her is just awesome. Even the worst possible shift is made so much better when I work with her. She is one of the most down to Earth nurses I have ever met even with her 15+ years of experience.

She also has the best snacks.

One of my favorite memories of her is when I was having a rough shift and I was crying in the med room. She came in with her snacks and within minutes she had me laughing and feeling so much better.

While I would love to be just like my nursing mom, the path of my spirit nurse just calls to me.

What's your spirit nurse like?

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Hard choice, I'm lucky to have a few.

Joan.

Older than me, but we were both staff nurses, not a "mom". Old school, not afraid of new stuff. Kind hearted, but watch out when she gets pissed off. Immediately makes me feel calm. Knows everyone, and has their respect. Great laugh. Can laugh at herself. Has my back even though I don't work with her anymore. Amazing friend.

ETA: I have no idea what a spirit nurse means. I just picked a nurse with a lot of spirit. Is that right?

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Specializes in Peds Hem, Onc, Med/Surg.

Sorry, maybe I should have been more clear. A spirit animal is meant to be a representation of the traits and skills that you are supposed to learn or have. Saying something or someone is your spirit animal is a statement that said person or thing is a representation of you or what you want to be.

like if your spirit animal is a deer then you are a graceful and fast person. Something like that.

When Maria heard I called her my spirit nurse, she had a what the *** look on her face. :D

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I kinda know how Maria feels! :)

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Specializes in Peds Hem, Onc, Med/Surg.

I have been laughing about it ever since we talked about it. I really liked learning why other nurses admired certain nurses. I personally feel that we don't appreciate other nurses enough and sometimes on AN there is so much negativity I wanted to shake things up a bit.

It just so happened to take a weird tone. :D

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

We shall name mine...."Rob". He's laid back, calm, cool, collected, knowledgeable, funny, has a laugh every now and then, is a great staff nurse and a great charge nurse, and he always helps out even if that puts him behind. I can always go to him and ask him a question without him making me feel like an idiot. That's how I want to be. He's just an awesome nurse, all around.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Mine is Cathy. The ICU could be absolutely falling apart, but she always made it better. From her ever-present Harlequin Romance book (for down time - as if!) to the famous "Cathy's ICU Evacuation Plan"*, working with her was always a blast. She retired a couple years ago, but still work as a safety sitter on night shift in the ICU. She's finally getting to READ all this paperbacks.

*"All of you who can walk- follow me!"

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Specializes in Hospice.

I call him my superman, his name is John. The smartest nurse I have ever known. He could teach a 1st grader how to read a 12 lead EKG!

His knowledge is immeasurable and I wish I knew a quarter of what he knows.

John, if you ever read this, you are the ideal nurse, you are smart, compassionate, passionate, a great educator, and I miss you!

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