Thursday, May 8, 2008

Hug a nurse


This week in the U.S., and next week here, it's National Nurse's week.
I've been nursing for almost 4 years now, and I can honestly say that this is the best career choice that I have ever made.
With nursing, some people think that we just hand out pills. I can assure you, in my workplace alone, we do way more than that.

The one thing that people may not consider about nursing, is that there is plenty of patient teaching, and counselling that goes unnoticed. We explain the patient's medical condition, common treatments for the same, possible options and expectations for their hospital stay.
We also advocate for our patients. Many people are afraid to ask a doctor to repeat him/herself, and say "yes, I understand" only to have more questions than when the doctor first arrived.

I think I enjoy the patient teaching the most. In a previous post, I mentioned that I would love to be a nursing instructor one day, and my everyday work experience will help me along the way.

I watched Martha Stewart today while waiting in the hospital lounge. I had to laugh when she appeared on camera wearing nursing scrubs. If only she knew what kinds of debris hits those pink scrubs, she would not think that "was a good thing...".

So this week (or next) hug a nurse. Tell them you appreciate them, and that they are doing an excellent job. And then buy them cookies.

6 comments:

Ali said...

You are an amazing nurse - and I will hug you a lot longer than a week.
But cookies? Um...how about I just give you...uh...a baby instead? Deal?

Rock Chef said...

The Uni I work in has a huge nurse training program - if I hugged them all and bought them all cookies I would be exhausted and broke!

Chris said...

Ah, the trifecta of perfect comments.

Thanks, guys (and gal).

Sitting In Silence said...

Oh a a huge box of chocolate freedo frogs....

Just popped on over to check out of there were any updates on Ali...

Love the necklace....just beautiful....

Look after each other and all the best !

Danielle.

James said...

Hi Chris

Get that Cigar ready mate (for you not the baby)

Best wishes James in England

James said...

What is a trifecta some kind of medical term.....?