Nursing is taking care of an adult with stage four cancer
and his (very) elderly father coming to you and asking, with tears, in his eyes
if his son will ever leave the hospital.
Nursing is having the son in law of a dying man ask you why
the strongest man he knows is so weak now as he punches a wall.
Nursing is holding a sobbing woman in your arms after her
husband was just diagnosed with cancer.
Nursing is getting an unsatisfactory customer report because
you didn't bring antacid medication quickly enough. They don’t know that one of your patients
ripped out his IV in a confused fit at the same time and another was running a
fatal heart rhythm. And you can’t tell
them.
Nursing is being spat on, cussed at, kicked at, bitten,
yelled at, misunderstood, and abused by patients, but more often, the patient’s
families.
Nursing is realizing an ordered antibiotic will cause an
anaphylactic reaction in you patient, and getting yelled at by the doctor when
you call to tell him he needs to prescribe something else.
But nursing is also an amazing gift. And sometimes patients say thank you. Sometimes they let you hug them or tell you
about their lives. I never feel ashamed
to tell people what I do. I’m a
nurse. I belong to a vast group of
others that also care and there are always, always nurses working at hospitals
around the world. We know your history,
your medications, personalities and quirks.
We provide the care that is prescribes, and more often than not, suggest
what should be prescribed. Because we
know you best. I am your advocate and I’m
happy to serve.
Also I get paid. That
doesn't hurt. Although it is definitely not
as much as people think. Just keepin it real.
 |
| Insert obligatory Nurse cartoon here ;) |
You are an amazing soul.
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