Jane - Even before I was Nurse, I was a Nurse

Jane -







Who am I as a nurse? I’m an excellent nurse!  I grew up in a family of ten kids and I’m one of the oldest.  I was mothering and nursing from the time I was a preteen.  So it’s the essence of my being.   I’ve been a professional nurse for 33 years, so I’ve seen a lot of changes in the field.  I currently work in open heart surgery, but before that I worked in critical care.

When I started in nursing we had to wear white uniforms, hats and white nylons and white shoes."A latte, support hose, and the maturity to pace myself. That gives me strength!"  In 1976 when I moved from one hospital to another, I threw my hat in the garbage, figuratively and literally.  It was then that I learned nursing is not about what’s on your head, it’s what’s in your head.  When I first came out of nursing school, nurses were expected to do as they were told.  We were told not to try to figure things out, the physicians would do that.  

Now, nurses have increased knowledge and are a partner in the care of the patient.  The partnership is like a dance, everyone doing their own steps, but working and moving together.  That is very different from my early days in nursing, and it’s excellent to feel like you’re part of the team.  I feel respected for my knowledge and I feel nurses are starting to give respect to each other as well.

For many years, I went to work in the morning, worked all day and felt physically and emotionally drained by the end of my shift.  I would pick up a latte on the way home so I’d have energy to keep up with my young children.  Now I pace myself more, and I wear support hose!

A latte, support hose, and the maturity to pace myself.  That gives me strength!

Throughout my career I’ve seen a lot and I’ve changed a lot.  Who I am – my principles and my work ethic – that’s what drives me to excel as a nurse.  I bring quality and commitment to my job.  As a nurse, though, I’ve had to learn to compartmentalize.  

When I’m at work, I’m totally at work.  I’m completely there for the patients.  I show up.  I have learned to put all the steps together and work efficiently by forming good habits.  I learn to depend on my skills because they have become a habit.  When I’m off the clock, real life sets in.  

If I weren’t able to compartmentalize, I may not be able to put as much of myself into my career.  I think that happens with some nurses.  They have trouble compartmentalizing, and then they are not all there for their patients.

In my nursing career I had a wonderful mentor – my buddy Doris who is retired now.  I think everyone needs a mentor like Doris. She was fully committed to her patients.  I liked what I saw in her – her values.  She would always give me an honest answer and valuable feedback.  I felt comfortable with her.  I learned ways of dealing with both patients and colleagues through her.  If I needed to talk something out – bounce ideas off somebody, she was the one I would turn to.  I miss having that resource now that she is retired.

I’ve learned to treat patients the way I would want to be treated if I were a patient.  New nurses need to know - you have a job to do and with time you will be able to fit it all together and do it well.  You won’t be able to learn everything all at once, give it time .  Don’t do anything halfway – finish each job.  If you’re going to do it, do it right.  Find a mentor – everybody needs one.  Work as part of the team and be totally committed to each patient, and your career will reward you many times over.

Power Strategies:  Humor, Excellence, Focus
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