Janis - Making a Difference Keeps Me Coming Back

Janis -








I love diversity. The job changes I’ve made throughout my career allowed me to stretch myself to learn new things and take on challenges. I’ve worked in various nursing specialties, and in numerous communities. In each experience I gained new knowledge and skills, which I was then able to take into the next adventure.

My many experiences have been the building blocks for my self-confidence. Many times I found myself in situations where I doubted my ability to meet the expectation. In Alaska, I was hired as a charge nurse in a 24-bed hospital on a remote island where we had to do everything from OB to ER, whatever came through the door. In that job I discovered both my strengths and my weaknesses. Mostly, I found I was able to do much more than I ever thought I could.

Nights on the floor were isolating, I was the only RN and the hospital was locked up.“Yes, nursing is about the patient, but it’s also about the doctor and your co-workers and taking care of each other.”When the doorbell rang, I always hoped for an ER instead of an OB patient because it was crystal clear the situation was urgent and I had to take fast action whether the doctor was there or not. Babies and OB aren’t my comfort level and they don’t wait so I did two deliveries by myself. I’ve participated in many deliveries on a team, but only two by myself. I was scared out of my mind dealing with two different patients. And, was incredibly thankful and relieved (and proud of myself) when it was over. When you have no choice, you draw on everything you know and bring your skills and knowledge to bear to rise to the occasion to the best of your ability.

I left that job to move with my husband, a law student, and our children back to Washington State. When we arrived, there was an abundance of nurses and it was difficult to find work. I held a series of positions until I was hired as charge nurse at a clinic, where I’m still employed. This job stretched me again, because I have never worked in a clinic and it’s up to me to manage the staff and run the internal medicine unit. Again, I faced a learning curve and it was somewhat challenging because it is certainly different than any other work setting I’ve done.

I’m very up front with people and I believe you need to have fun in your work; otherwise, you have to ask why you are doing it? I mean, I’m serious about what I do and what I want to happen, but I also like to have fun. If you don’t lighten up a bit, work in health care can be overwhelming. It seems the group here has responded well to my management style. We have our ups and downs, and I feel good about the way everything is progressing. We just have to do the very best for the patients, for the doctors, for each other, and for ourselves.

The quality I cherish most in my profession is patient advocacy. I’m proud when I truly make an impact, when I know I’ve stepped in and said something, did something, organized something, or whatever it was, to make a difference. Whether it was pointing someone in the right direction or saving someone’s life, making a difference is what keeps me coming back.

I often remind myself to treat the young nurses with a firm, yet gentle, hand; to point them in the right direction. We all need to embrace the concept of taking care of people, and nurturing them too. Yes, nursing is about the patient, but it’s also about the doctor and your co-workers and taking care of each other. There have been people in my career who nurtured me, and I really appreciate them.

Nursing is constantly changing. If you don’t like change, don’t go into nursing, because it’s been changing since the first day I stepped on the ward 36 years ago. The “we always did it this way” attitude doesn’t fly in the field of medicine. Look at it as being on the cutting edge of a very exciting field. Embrace change, and you’ll find nursing an extremely rewarding career.

Power Strategies: Challenge, Change, Capability
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