Yuri Arcurs | Veer

I’ve been a working nurse for three and a half months now. It’s not a lot, and I still feel like a beginner in many ways.

But even though it’s been only a short time, my career has launched and I’m on an amazing ride.

As I reach my fourth month of training, this is how I’d describe my life as a nurse so far:

• Stressful. In nursing school, you learn about stress. It’s not always a bad thing–remember, there is eustress (the good kind!) too. It’s like the stress of getting married: It’s intense and there’s anxiety, but it can be both positive and negative. In a bad way, nursing is stressful because there is so much to learn and remember, and there is so much at stake with your every action. But it’s stressful in a good way because with every day that goes by, you know you’re making a difference.
• Emotional. I always knew nursing was an emotional job, and I got a taste of it when I was a nurse’s aide, but there really are some things you can’t prepare for. We see people at their very worst; kids who are sick and parents who are worried sick. Sadness, hopelessness, frustration, anger–nurses get hit with the brunt of it. It’s all about being therapeutic and trying to remember the more positive emotions we get to experience–happiness, hope, love, caring.
• Intense. I’ve had a few patients who have been in some intense situations. I haven’t been in a code yet, and I haven’t called for an RRT, but there have been some close calls. In those moments, I’ve really been surprised at how quickly I was able to think, and how calling the doctor (which is usually pretty intimidating) is not an issue. In fact, it’s in these moments that I really feel the whole team unite.
• Not. Real world nursing is NOT like nursing school. I haven’t yet figured out if this is a good thing or a bad thing. It’s not that what we learn in school is wrong or misguided information, or that we don’t follow policy and EBP on the units. It’s just not the same.
• Fun. Nursing is fun. I think #4 has a lot to do with this. When you’re in school EVERYTHING is so intense, you can’t even enjoy your time with the patient because you’re worried your instructor is going to come by and think you’re not staying on top of your tasks. Nursing isn’t all tasks, and a lot of the time, you can do so much more for a kid just by giving him or her some TLC and having a good time than any med will do.
• Love. I use this word for many reasons–I love my job. I love my nursing team, my unit, my managers. I love leaving work feeling like I made a difference for someone. Despite the challenges, I love that it’s stressful and keeps me on my toes. I love that it’s emotional–it should be; when it’s not, it’s time to leave. I love the intensity and I love that it’s fun.

Nursing is an amazing career. Is it everything I expected? It’s way more! Here’s to another month and a half of training, and a long career ahead!

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Random, right? But she had this amazing-looking water with oranges, ginger, cucumbers, and berries in it. Just looking at it made me thirsty! It got me thinking: I wake up, drink coffee, take coffee with me to work, drink that, get more, and don’t drink anything else for the rest of the shift. How bad is that!?! And what’s worse is that I never even thought about it.

So I went home and dug through the cupboards looking for just the right water cup–one of those plastic, reusable ones with the straws (straws help me drink more of just about anything…not so good when it comes to cocktails, but GREAT when it comes to water!). I even filled it with lemons and ice to keep it flavored and cool.

What a difference! I don’t feel as tired anymore, and I don’t snack as much (when your water tastes good–try flavoring it with Mio drops too!–you don’t feel the need to snack on whatever’s lying around). It’s a lot easier to make it through my shift when I’m well hydrated. Sure, it means more bathroom breaks, but that’s a small price to pay. Even my skin feels better now.

So lesson learned: wanna feel great, hydrate! It’s amazing what you learn when you least expect it. Now excuse me while I go fill up my water bottle!

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Dear Santa.

I’ve been super good this year.

I went to all my classes, and even when I was going to skip that one Family Nursing Lecture to go to my best-friend’s graduation, I stuck it out and stayed (thank you for canceling class that day!).

I’ve studied hard and worked my butt off coming up with some pretty amazing nursing diagnoses and care plans for my patients. And even though I’ve doodled a bit too much on my notes and maybe spent too much time on Facebook in class, I’ve really been trying to stay awake!

So here’s my Christmas wish-list for this year:

1. Some new scrubs – rotating between 3 pairs is great, but a few more sets would add some variety into my daily routine (no white please!)
2. Really awesome bandage scissors – I know the seasoned nurses have said there’s no point because I will lose them anyway – I would still like a pair that cut well… with pink handles
3. Extra supplies are always good – black pens that write really well that look cute (Hello Kitty!) or maybe some colorful dry-erase markers, a spare pen light is always good too.
4. New hospital shoes – mine are feeling the wear of the last two years and are a lot heavier than I remember. Maybe some Reebok Easy-Tones, so I can go to work and workout at the same time?

I’m pretty much set after that. But if you’d like to send some Christmas magic my way as well, here are a few more things I could use:

1. A good night’s sleep – it doesn’t have to be every night (that would be a miracle!), but if you could work it out so I can sleep soundly the nights before clinical and before work, I would greatly appreciate it. Plus, you know, it will help me be more efficient during the day… so you’d be helping me in the long run too.
2. A confidence boost – I’ve come this far and done pretty well, but that doesn’t mean I don’t forget it all when it comes time to turn in a project or write another case study. If you could just send an extra boost of confidence my way and remind me, that’d be great
3. A pillow that functions as a membrane – you know, so I can stick my text book under it and go to bed and learn through osmosis. Would be particularly awesome for studying for the NCLEX…. I could be learning 24/7!

Now Santa, I hope that’s not asking too much (and if it is, I am fine with using the osmolar pillow only on nights before tests!), but I think I’ve been pretty good this year, and well, some Christmas magic would really help bring some cheer in all this rain – and get me through the home-stretch!

Fancy Photography | Veer

I’m halfway through my training program–11 weeks down and 11 to go. I can’t believe how quickly time flies (It never went this quickly when I was in nursing school!).

But nevertheless, the more time flies, the closer I get to working on my own and truly feeling comfortable in my shiny new skin.

I’m becoming more independent. That’s a huge word with so many meanings. Let me break it down the way I see it–In.De.Pen.Dent.

“In” – It’s about being “in” your zone. It’s that feeling that you can go from relaxing and getting your coffee while talking to co-workers straight to getting report without feeling flustered. When you’re “in” you’re finally able to switch on and off without it messing with your brain and stressing you.

“De” – The “de” stands for dependent. “Doesn’t that throw off the whole meaning of the word ‘independent’?” you might ask … NO! Becoming an independent nurse means knowing that you’re still dependent on others to make it through your day. You’re dependent on someone to double-check a medication for you, or dependent on your charge nurse to help you through a rough situation. It’s partly a dependence on the docs, and a dependence on your aides. Nurses can’t be nurses alone.

“Pen” – This stands for your charting, for covering your bases and remembering that age-old saying that if it wasn’t charted, it wasn’t done. But it also stands for getting organized. Becoming independent is about that moment when you get to work and you know what you need to write down and how to write it so that you can have an efficient, productive and organized day.

“Dent” – “Dent” is the constant reminder that despite becoming more comfortable in my skill level, I’ve still only made but a dent in my career as a nurse. Even though I’ve learned a lot in these 11 weeks, there’s still a ton to come in the next 11 weeks, and then more still in 11 months and years and so on. Being an independent nurse means you’re constantly learning from your experiences and changing your practice to keep up with the times.

I’m becoming more independent, but I am learning that skill and tasks are only part of the job. Eleven more weeks until I’m truly working on my own … I better keep learning!

Jupiterimages | liquidlibrary | Getty Images

Or maybe you will. You see, nurses have a unique way of seeing the world and dealing with situations.

Do you recognize yourself in the five situations below?

You’re driving home at 6am. How are you driving?

Yes, you want to get him and hit the sack, but you’re a nurse, so you’re going slow and steady. Driving home after a long shift is no joking matter, and you’ve admitted plenty of early morning commuters who have fallen asleep at the wheel. When you’re tired, you a cat nap in your car or in the break room before heading home. And road rage? That’s not even a remote option. You unfortunately know firsthand how many crazy people out there carry weapons. And use them.

You’re most cautious in the kitchen about…

Hot water on the stove, so you turn the handle of the pot inward so you can’t knock it over. You’ve seen and dealt with curious kids who’ve reached for handles of hot water – and even grown-ups who accidentally knocked it over – and you see the life altering burns it can cause.

You think there’s a potential for a deadly flu outbreak, so you…

Get a flu shot! It’s like when you’re in an airplane and they tell you that in case of an emergency you have to first help yourself before helping others. You might be a nurse if you’re the first in line to get vaccinated, and then you wash your hands frequently, take vitamin C and encourage others to do the same!

You’ve had a few Cadillac margaritas and you’re feeling a bit loopy, so you…

Call a cab. Or get a friend to drive you home. Because you know, heartbreakingly, how cars and alcohol don’t mix. Not only does it put you and everyone else on the road in danger, a DUI can cost over $10,000 and your license!

You’re at a birthday party and you see a kid choking. You…

Help the kid! A nurse doesn’t hesitate or ask anyone to sign a waiver. You ask the child if he is choking, and if they can speak – you let them know you are going to help them. A nurse knows how to do the Heimlich maneuver…you stand behind the child and wrap your arms around him, making a fist with one hand, hold your other hand over your fist and place both hands in this formation against the center of the child’s abdomen, between the belly button and the rib cage. You thrust your first toward you, against the abdomen and upward, until the object is expelled. If the child becomes unresponsive, you begin CPR and alert someone to call 911. Each time you assess the airway, you look for a foreign object – if you can see it, remove the object. Continue with CPR until EMS arrives.

And you might be a nurse if…what else?

It’s been a big year of medical issues in my family; my mom had colon cancer and breast cancer, along with a few other maladies. It’s been a year of realizing what matters in life: love, family, caring. Thankfully, my family has come out of this stronger, healthier and with a new lease on life.

I am thankful for the chance to realize that my health is mine, and I am the only one who can control it. This year, I learned that until I start living a healthy life myself, I can’t have half the impact on my family, friends and patients as I can when I am in control of my wellness.

On the flip side, I am thankful for the health of my patients, and for my ability to help them achieve a high level of health every day. Not many people can say that about their jobs.

I’m thankful for doctors, nurses and medical staff. For the technological advancements we’ve made that make the impossible possible, such as cancer and cystic fibrosis treatments. I’m thankful for the ability to walk 39.3 miles to help end breast cancer, and thankful that I only got one cold this year.

I can make a difference in my health and in the lives of my patients, and for that, I am thankful.

I’m at the halfway mark of my 22-week training program and am starting to feel like a real nurse! Prioritizing is becoming something I just DO rather than something I have to think about. And the skills that used to haunt me in nursing school are becoming second nature. I love what I do, even on those busy nights when I feel flustered.

But I’m not just thankful for my residency. I’m thankful for the staff of nurses and managers, PCSAs and LVNs, who respect and trust me, and make me feel comfortable in the learning environment. I’m thankful for those who challenge me without making me feel like I’m all alone. For those who take time out of their day, even when they’re busy, to answer a question or help me figure something out. It’s because of the influence of fabulous nurses like you that I am able to establish myself in this amazing career.

Thank you to all the nurses on my unit for making me feel welcome, competent, and like I’m part of the team – part of the family.

Happy Thanksgiving!

After reading this article, I realized – in the spirit of Thanksgiving – how thankful and blessed I am to be a nurse in America, a country that values nursing as a profession. Despite the challenges we face in establishing ourselves among the ranks of physicians and lawyers, we’ve come a long way. This year, I am thankful for the autonomy and respect that follows our amazing profession.

Here are a few quotes from the article that helped solidify my feelings of thanks. They really open your eyes to what it’s like for nurses in other countries.

1. “A registered nurse’s salary in Armenia is about $50 to $100 per month. This figure records a 5-75% increase in salaries since 1995, as it used to range between $12 – $25 dollars per month.” While cost of living is obviously nowhere near what it is here, this is still beans in terms of payment.
2. While this was a medical AND nursing conference, “due to financial constraints, the local Armenian nurses from Yerevan and Karabagh could not afford the conference registration fee which was $260 per person.” Can you believe it? That’s at least triple the average nurse’s monthly salary! Fortunately, organizations like the Armenian American Nurses Association (AANA) was able to raise funds and host a two-day conference for the nurses to attend free of charge.
3. A few nursing schools are pushing toward BSN degrees to educate women in their profession. However, the Ministry of Education and the medical schools don’t want to recognize the BSN degree. “Their main fear is that BSN educated nurses will be competing for the jobs of the medical doctors and thus raising the professional standards of nursing is not favored.” In Armenia, medical school is something you enter into right out of high school and is a four year program. A BSN program gives nurses and doctors the same amount of education. After this next quote, you’ll understand why they’re a bit bummed about this…
4. “The physicians restrict nurses from performing routine functions such as taking a patient’s blood pressure.” What it is that they ARE allowed to do, I am not completely sure. It just goes to show us how different our profession is across the world.

As an Armenian American myself, I’m so saddened, not only for the nursing profession, but for the substandard care that my people are receiving because of this lack of professionalism and education on both the part of the doctors and the nurses.

This year, I am thankful for my education, for this amazing profession that I’ve joined, and for the mutual respect we convey and receive as a profession dedicated to helping others.

David De Lossy | Digital Vision

We’ve all received those calls or comments: “I’ve been feeling like this lately, what do you think I should do?” Or, “I take this medicine, is it okay to take it with something in the morning?” And while I love what I do, part of me wants to yell, “CALL YOUR DOCTOR!” On the bright side, people tend to take you seriously when you ARE recommending something, and you’re definitely more likely to influence change toward a healthier lifestyle.

This is all a part of the “nurse life” and it’s really quite fun, until you reach a certain point. My mom underwent five surgeries at three different facilities over the last 12 months–she jokes that at least she has a live-in nurse. And of course, I am more than happy to be there for her. When it starts to get tough is when you don’t know what else to say.

When she’s dealing with neuropathic pain from her mastectomy and the meds aren’t helping, I don’t have any suggestions beyond deep breathing and relaxation (not too helpful at that point). I can’t just say, “Let me call the docor and see if he can order a different pain medication for you” when it’s 11:30 on a Friday night.

You start to feel completely helpless. “I don’t know what to tell you” is the honest answer, and you don’t want to say it because it makes everyone worry. We’re the ones who are supposed to know these things, but all I can do is sit here and help, helplessly, until we go see the doctor again.

Blend Images Photography | Veer

Our unit has expanded from fifteen rooms to thirty rooms…from one nurse’s station to four. We’re walking around more, we’ve got more to deal with, and we’re quite literally stretched out on our unit. It seemed like morale was getting low, I mean, of course it would, right? There are days when you don’t even know when someone on another station is working because there’s no time for you to meet up. It was starting to become more and more frustrating, especially for a unit whose nurses have always been close.

So what’s a unit to do?

Have a cup of tea and drink it too – Together that is! Our amazing managers instituted “tea time” on our unit. It’s something we do at least once a week on the day shift, but it’s become almost a nightly routine for night shift.  It happens mid-shift, so around 2:00am/pm and out come the pots of hot water, the coffee, the tea bags, the cookies and snacks. Someone goes around the unit and announces tea time, and for at least an hour, staff can come around when they get a chance and congregate in our work room, enjoy their tea and more importantly, the company of their peers.

This simple task has actually made a world of difference in our staff’s morale and spirits. Tea time is something everyone looks forward to for that small break in the day when we can take a deep breath, enjoy our time together, and regroup before getting back to the craziness of the shift.  Nurses – do you do something similar to tea time? Do you think it might help on your unit?