Debra - You have to Respect Yourself for Others to Respect You

Debra -







I grew up around nurses because my parents owned a nursing home. Nursing has always intrigued and fascinated me, but I never thought I had what it took to be a nurse. So I got a bachelor’s degree in international business with the goal to take healthcare reform into the former Soviet Union. I discovered shortly after graduation that I didn’t like working in business. So I went back to work for my parents and got my associate’s degree in nursing. A consultant who came to work with my family’s business saw potential in me. She helped strengthen my resolve to follow my chosen path and succeed.

I’ve decided there are two kinds of nurses. There are nurses who perform the job and are talented and quite capable of the job, and to them, it’s a job. Then there are nurses who are passionate about nursing; driven to do it. Sometimes they have tried other directions in their life and are redirected to nursing because they discover that is what they are supposed to do. My passion is nursing because I want to make everything all right for the patient. I do it with my family and my friends. I’m a helper and I want to fix things. I’m learning not to sacrifice myself and my time because I do love to help someone else so much.

What I have really discovered is that I want to be a nurse and a business woman at the same time. I am excited because my current job pulls on both sets of skills. I am drawn to it and I could dedicate every minute of every day to work. I’m learning boundaries. Even though I thoroughly enjoy my job, I have a young family so I put limits on the time I spend at work. If I don’t prioritize, I will just keep giving if I don’t have a system for cutting it off.

So, each day I write down my agenda, I’m vigilant about following it, and when it’s time to end my work day, I make sure I’m finished. This new system has worked out well and has made my life, and my family’s life, much better. In the last six months, since I started putting my family first, I am a much happier, complete person.

I’m blessed with a husband who believes in me, stands behind me and helps me see my real potential. My parents also help me see that I can do anything I want to do.."I don't ever want to settle in my career. I want to continually better myself." With their support and encouragement, I have proven myself in nursing, and I respect myself as a nurse. I work in an outpatient heart failure clinic and I have to be strong and confident for the patients. I have to be convincing with the patients to get them to do what they need to do for their quality of life. I’m the first to advocate for my patients, to stand up and say they need reduced cost medications or to get them into therapy treatments.

I’ve also established good relationships with most of the cardiologist so I’m able to tell them what I think the patient needs. My confidence in myself gains me respect and trust from the people around me.

I often enliven myself by listening to the song, Somewhere Over The Rainbow. I think, if bluebirds can fly over the rainbow, why can’t I? It gives me my power boost and gets me refocused. It regenerates my spirit and helps my fire burn inside.

I haven’t even made it halfway over my rainbow. I’m in a management position at 34 years old, and it’s only the beginning. I’ve got so many more things to do in my nursing life and in my personal life. I finally believe in myself. I don’t ever want to settle in my career. I want to continue to better myself. One of my college instructors inspired me to be the nurse I am today. She continually challenges herself, even though she is nearing retirement. She didn’t expect perfection from her students, but she did expect our best effort. She also didn’t expect anything she wasn’t willing to give herself. If I’m being honest, articulate and knowledgeable in what I do, then I’m being just like her, and I’m happy with that.


Power Strategies: Determination, Confidence, Advancement
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