Laura - It's A New Day, A New Nursing Generation

Laura -







I’ve been an OR nurse for three years now, ever since I graduated from college. I like surgery because it’s different every single day.

My decision to become a nurse was a promise I made to my Grandma. She moved into our house when I was 14, and I cared for her at the end of her life. I washed her hair and gave her a bath every day. She told me before she died go to nursing school, and I promised her I would.

School wasn’t much fun and at times I wanted to quit. I kept reminding myself that I promised Grandma I would do this. I dreamt of her when I was stressed out with school work, and in my dreams she told me “You’re so strong” or “You’ve always been a strong person.” She inspired me to finish.

I worked at a rest home to get through school. There was one lady named Bea who was really cute. She would greet me when I walked in, “Oh, I prayed I’d have you tonight.” She would always tell me how wonderful I was. Another patient I had, who was unable to talk, wrote a message to me one day. “You will make a wonderful nurse.” They helped inspire me, and I haven’t looked back since.

When I first came out of nursing school, I thought that I should know everything as a nurse. I soon found out that you learn as you go. My family would call with medical questions, and I would get frustrated because I didn’t know everything. I had to accept that it was okay not to know everything, and that I would learn more with experience.

As a young nurse, my health care world is different than the world experienced nurses are accustomed to. Things have changed with a new generation in the nursing profession, and it’s time nurses, both fresh out of college and well-seasoned, acknowledge and accept the changes.

There has been this long-standing notion that nurses “eat their young.” This is a standard that is familiar in the nursing profession, and nurses who have been working for years feel it is their right to uphold the practice. I think it’s time for the tradition to stop. Some of the experienced nurses I’ve worked with think that new nurses are too young, don’t understand how to do the work, and are not professional. I want a chance. I am mature enough to get through school, and I need your help to get the experience I need. Be nice to me, because eventually I’m going to take care of you, too!

Seriously, be patient with me. There’s a lot to learn, and you’ve learned it, and I know it is irritating at times that I don’t know everything, but I’m going to get there too. Make me want to learn more. Don’t make me feel hesitant about asking questions. Provide me with leadership, so that I know if I have a problem I can go to you or the appropriate person and the problem will be resolved.

Everybody should treat everyone else with respect, including the patients. Address the patients as people, not just cases. "If I could talk to my Grandma right now, I would be proud to say, "I did it!"Don’t think that you are above anyone else, whether you are an administrator, doctor, nurse, or tech person. My advice to the nursing administrators is to keep your foot in the door to see what’s going on in the rooms. See how your staff function, and be in the room to see how the doctors are feeling. I’m fortunate because I currently work in a facility where this is happening.

It took me awhile, but I have learned not to be intimidated by the nurses with years of experience. I learned to accept that they are going to know more than me. And, if a doctor prefers to work with them over me, I don’t take it personally – it’s only because they have more experience. It was hard for me to understand this in the beginning, and I felt overwhelmed. But everything gets easier with time and experience.

Doctors today show more respect to nurses than they used to, at least the younger doctors do. They acknowledge our opinions. I have never experienced disrespect from doctors, but I have heard stories from nurses who were beaten down when trying to offer suggestions, or who were expected to keep their opinions to themselves, or who would just sit in the corner and be quiet and chart. Why? Because that is what those nurses are used to, it’s difficult for them to actually say something to a doctor.

The nurses say to me all the time, “I can’t believe you’d say something like that to him!” They are always shocked that I offer my suggestions. I find that the doctors are so open, and they trust the nurses, and all I have to do is show them that I know something one time and they’re willing to listen to me in the future. There are still some older doctors who don’t respect the knowledge and skills that nurses possess, but as they are replaced by younger doctors, things are changing. Nurses shouldn’t be afraid to state their opinion. It’s a new generation and there is a new way of working together for the common cause, rather than standing on hierarchy and formality.

I’m committed to patient advocacy, and trying to make a difference with every single patient. I want to make them feel secure about surgery, and help make it a positive experience. Surgery is the last place people want to be. My job is to make the patient comfortable. When they leave our hospital I want them to feel they have been well-cared for so if they do ever come back they won’t be so terrified. That’s my number one goal.

Sometimes nursing is hard, but I would never think of quitting to work in another field. I learn so much with each surgery.  I learn things that nobody else knows about.  Many people don't even know their own body, and I get to learn about it inside and out.  I love anatomy.  I love knowing and seeing how amazing it is.  And every day I learn more.  There is no better job for me.  I absolutely love it. If I could talk to my Grandma right now, I would be proud to say "I did it!"

Power Strategies:Persistence, Dedication, Dersonal Growth, Change
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