National Nurses Week

I start my new job next Monday.  It is with mixed emotions for sure.  I have loved the WeeCare program and have made some improvements that I feel good about.  I have also learned a lot, as I have with each job I have done in the past.  New is always a little bit scary.  The learning curve makes it uncomfortable.  The new names, schedules, politics, etc. are always challenging.  I'm doubtful I will have the same flexibility of hours I have had here.  The other nurse, Kathy, likes early mornings; I prefer to come in later and stay later.  This may not be an option there.  To top it off, the legislature overturned the governor's veto meaning we will be losing our four-day work week.  It was one of the few remaining perks in an otherwise often thankless and underpaid place of employment.  Even with cost of living costs rising we have had no COLAs or any other raises for about 4 years.  I have been with the state almost 8 years and the transfer to a different division is still within state employment so it should be pretty seamless I think, aside from the learning curve, the stress and the summer I was not planning to start a new job - much more I would rather be doing. 

Not me!

In honor of nurse's week I'm posting a photo of a cap similar to the one I had, but refused to wear.  The age of caps was coming to a close and I chose this as an area of rebellion.  If the male nursing students didn't have to wear one, we should not be required.  Since we had about 4 or 5 male students and several of us protested, they had little choice but the requirement was dropped with some ill-feeling.  By graduation most of the nurses decided to do the "cap thing."  As a result I was one of only a few in my class who graduated capless.  It was a stand I took and was unwilling to compromise for the sake of pageantry.  I felt if my point were valid, and I believe it was, adding it at the time of graduation would be hypocritical.  Most of the younger students were unwilling to stand out like that.  I suppose part of it was about what it represented but I found it somewhat laughable that those 20 year olds (I was in my early 30s) were not that strong when it came to ceremony.  I felt they watered down the cause but we all have to do what we have to do.

Caps never made sense from what I can see and I don't regret being one of the first to lose it officially.  I don't often rebel but in this I did.  I did feel badly that more of the students didn't stand up for what they claimed to believe!

It turns out last week was Public Employee Appreciation Week.  Ironic that it was just prior to the change in our benefits - not for the better.

Nurse appreciation week

Along with Mother's Day, I guess this is my week. I have to mention that when I had outpatient surgery a couple years ago for something that when I worked in the hospital required several days' inpatient stay, I was really wishing for a nurse. I NEEDED a nurse! But, no, I GOT to go home to my own bed. That's pretty nice (in a "used to my own pillow" kind of way) but there are some things that do require some compassionate assistance from a professional. So, even though we now (thanks to insurance company regulations) must kick patients out of the hospital, emesis basin in hand, five minutes after they manage a sip of water, I appreciate nurses! I'm also happy with my chosen profession.

NLC - more nursing stuff

The states in blue participate in the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC). This means they accept each others' credentialing in nursing, making it easier to relocate. It also makes a lot of sense in case of emergency. They learned from Katrina that volunteers and outside help is useless if the state doesn't recognize or can't verify licensure of professionals. This meant that doctors and nurses came to help but weren't allowed. Of course we have to protect patients from fraud in times of crisis but obviously someone had overlooked an important detail in preparedness. Even local (possibly not currently working) doctors had trouble volunteering because the hurricane destroyed some official records needed to verify their credentials. So much to think about in trying times. My question is, why don't the other states get on board for the security of our nation. We are a very mobile society now and we should be able to pool our resources to help each other out.

National Nurse Week

"ST. MARK'S/WESTMINSTER COLLEGE SCHOOL OF NURSING ~
In April 1, 1894, the St. Mark's Hospital Board of Directors authorized the establishment of the first Official Nurses Training School in the Intermountain Region. Mary Edith Newitt was employed as Superintendant of the Training School. The first nurse to come to the school was Miss Anna Stair. Of a class of twelve, only four were graduated. Anna Stair, Ethel Newitt, Florence Bowler and Hattie Durfee. This was a two year program..." (From plaque at corner of St. Mark's Hospital property 3900 S 1300 E)

One reason I have enjoyed nursing as a career (26 years now!) is because it offers much variety, within a single career. I have worked pediatrics, med-surg, psych, postpartum, newborn nursery in the hospital setting. I have also worked in Head Start as a school nurse for the Health and Nutrition aspect of the program. I have worked in a child and adolescent outpatient psych setting as well as a walk-in emergency clinic. In public health I have worked in Epidemiology, TB and Reproductive Health. I am currently a nurse case manager.

The other reason I have enjoyed this career is because it is a "people" job. I do a lot of patient education and consulting so sometimes I'm a teacher. I do a lot of listening and referral for people with challenges so sometimes I'm a social worker or psychologist. I diagnose (though unofficially because this is not actually part of my scope of practice) when someone I know wants my take on things so my kids call me "Dr. Mom". I spend a lot of time on computers in databases, blogs and online searches so I've learned new skills. I consult in a medical online community as well so I earn some extra mad money in my "spare time". I try to help, and advocate for, the uninsured and am politically active in trying to push for health care reform.

How many careers can boast such a broad variety? If I get bored or just want to try something new, I can. I would recommend this to anyone interested in a rewarding service-oriented occupation. There are almost always jobs available, though they may not be exactly what I want at the time. Shift work gets old but the tradeoffs are worth it.

I have mentioned before that my paternal grandmother was an RN, trained in the St. Mark's Hospital School of Nursing - graduated in 1915. My niece, Michelle, is also an RN. I have a granddaughter who is fascinated by the idea. We'll see what happens....

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

Beyond May Day

See the official list below. There are enough recognitions for one/day. And I don't even see the "weeks" or "days" here; just the "months" so I'll list the significant ones here too.... International Nurse Day is celebrated on May 12, because this it's the birthday of Florence Nightingale.

• May 6-12: National Nurse's Week
• May 8: National Student Nurses Day
• May 6th: National Nurses Day
• May 9th: School Nurses Day (Wednesday of Nurse's Week)
• May 12: International Nurse's Day

(hug a nurse this week)
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• Indian Heritage Month (observed in Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and most Caribbean island-nations)
• South Asian Heritage Month
• National Foster Care Month
• Haitian Heritage Month
• Jewish American Heritage Month
• Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
• Mental Health Month
• Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month
• National Good Car Keeping Month
• National Strawberry Month
• National Chocolate Custard Month [what???]
  
• Foot Health Month
• National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
• National High Blood Pressure Month
• National Hamburger Month
• Arthritis Month
• Better Sleep Month [Hear, hear!]
  
• Better Speech and Hearing Month
• Correct Posture Month
• National Salad Month [???!]
• Older Americans Month [Baby-boomers don't want to be called seniors]
  
• National Barbecue Month
• National Bike Month
• National Mine Month
• National Egg Month
• National Morrissey History Month
• National Artisan Gelato Month
• National Asparagus Month [yum!]
  
• National Salsa Month
• National Share A Story month
• Fibromyalgia Awareness

National Nurse's Week

The roots of International Nurses Day goes back to 1953, when Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare sent a proposal to President Eisenhower to proclaim a "Nurse Day" in October of the following year. The proclamation was not officially made, but, this day was born and eventually gained national recognition. International Nurse Day is celebrated on May 12, because this it's the birthday of Florence Nightingale. In 2003, National School Nurses Day was moved from the fourth Wednesday in January to the Wednesday of Nurses Week. Many websites are unaware of this change and still list it as January. I'm going to rant a bit....

This is my chosen profession. Sometimes I wish I had stayed on course to be a school teacher instead because I like the idea of a couple of months off every summer and a decent Christmas break without having to try and get everything I want to do all year into my 2 1/2 weeks' vacation. But, it's been a good profession because of the variety it offers. I have been able to try out various jobs and there have been aspects I have enjoyed in each - of course nothing is perfect but I've learned a lot along the way. I especially enjoyed the years I was able to work part-time but I realize now that didn't help me get ready for retirement very well! I would sure love more time to keep up the house and yard, help my kids with their kids, and have some time for hobbies, travel, and recreation too. I always wanted a boat - or at least a jet ski - but when would I really get to use it?

The flexibility as a nurse allowed me to work evenings and nights to reduce day care costs and stress for the most part, but it was always insane that "day shift" began at 7:00 AM. How do you get small children out the door and make it to work by then? Even once they are in school it's way earlier than they start. A twelve hour shift is really 13 by the time you finish and have report. Add commute time and that's hard on families too, even though you get more days off in a week. So, eventually I opted out of the hospital and appreciated getting nights, weekends and holidays off. At least I had a profession that would offer this option even though it meant taking a cut in pay. The trade-off was worth it to me.

Nurses are definitely not adequately appreciated. I chuckle when I see shows on TV such as ER depicting doctors crawling all over each other in the department and doing EVERYTHING. Those who know realize the doctor is the rare bird here and though he is irreplaceable, the nurses are doing most of the day to day and crisis intervention work. The doctors come when called by the nurses and when needed for their own abilities but you'll see little of them when you're the patient in the hospital. Other support staff are also important, but when it comes right down to it, your comfort and most of your education, safety, healing and sense of caring comes from the nurses. Of course, just like there are bad teachers (and every other discipline), there are bad nurses. In many cases not really bad; just stretched too far and burned out. Nurses are also the first to be cut when a hospital wants to reduce cost, even though their worth is much greater than what they are paid. When I worked in the hospital the supervisor would run around and make sure nurses are sent home once enough patients were discharged, so just when you might have had a minute to catch up, breathe, and do some charting or extra cares, you were out the door and the remaining nurses picked up your patients. Of course when you were short-staffed you also picked up the slack and took on more than the usual load. So, I resented that there was no balance. We took on extra when needed but couldn't benefit from a slow period to compensate!

On the other hand, the hospitals wine and dine the docs - even go so far as to offer some of them free office space to entice them. They "sell" their facility with their impressive list of physicians. Make no mistake - when Chris was injured we were so glad to have a fine hand surgeon available to do the intricate repair that was required, but the nurse he had that night was amazing! He was all about making Chris comfortable and keeping him safe. (Unfortunately, he was discharged to home way too soon, resulting in much pain that might have been alleviated in the hospital, but, that's the nature of our current health care system of drive-through surgery.)

My other pet peeve is when people refer to a doctor's nurse who is, in fact, a medical assistant (MA) with minimal training. These people also serve an important function on a health care team because most offices won't pay for a nurse. But, please don't call them a nurse when they aren't. It devalues nurses when people think that what an assistant knows is what a nurse knows. The educational background of a registered nurse is extensive.

So, please remember a nurse this week and don't assume a nurse is a wanna-be doc. We often hear, "you're so smart, why didn't you become a doctor?" Nurses have a unique role different from the doctor and they need to be smart to perform that function well. Hug a nurse!

National Public Health Week April 6-12th

I think this means you're supposed to send presents.... I am a public health nurse. How did Hallmark miss this one?

National Nurses Week

Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)

The Flame of Florence Nightingale's Legacy
by Deva-Marie Beck (1996)

Today, our world needs healing and to be rekindled with Love.
Once, Florence Nightingale lit her beacon of lamplight to comfort the wounded
And her Light has blazed a path of service across a century to us,
Through her example and through the countless nurses and healers who have followed in her footsteps.
Today, we celebrate the fame of Florence Nightingale's legacy.
Let that same light be rekindled to burn brightly in our hearts.
Let us take up our own lanterns of caring, each in our own ways.
To more brightly walk our own paths of service to the world.
To more clearly share our own noble purpose with each other.
May human caring become the lantern for the twenty-first century.
May we better learn to care for ourselves, for each other, and for all creation.
Through our caring, may we be the keepers of that flame.
That our spirits may burn brightly
To kindle the hearts of our children and grandchildren
As they, too, follow in these footsteps.

Florence Nightingale is best remembered for her work as a nurse during the Crimean War and her contribution towards the reform of the sanitary conditions in military field hospitals. http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Nightingale.html