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Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Dream Job

Today I am basking in that wonderful feeling of having landed the perfect new job. I am excited, nervous, and anxious to begin. I will be leaving an organization I have worked for the past 19 years. I've worked in several positions there;  some staff, and briefly in management. But, it is time for me to move on.

I am no stranger to taking on a challenge. This will be the most challenging yet. All those other experiences have taught me I can do this. Imagine becoming an OR nurse right out of nursing school! Yup, did that. Then, 2 years later I walked into a busy Boston hospital, thinking I was experienced enough for that. Of course, I found out it was like starting all over again.

Later, after I became an expert in that field, I longed to be a critical care nurse. How naive I was to think I could do that job. But learn it I did. And for 15 marvelous years I worked with the best group of nurses I have ever met.

Of course, commuting to the city was taking up too much time away from raising my girls. So, on to home care I went. I remember looking into that blue bag with a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff and thinking I had lost my mind. I was going to take care of cardiac surgery patients discharged home after 5 days! However, that experience was the most rewarding of my nursing career. I learned that my assessment skills went way beyond the technology I was use to relying on.

Now, I will be going back to the technical. This position will be improving patients early recovery at home with new technology. It seems I have come full circle.

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Are we making progress?

Are we making progress in nursing on incivility and lateral violence. I hope so. Every nursing publication and web site I subscribe to has brought it to the forefront. Since nursing has once again achieved the most trusted profession, we have  a lot to live up to. Treating each other with respect and kindness has a rippling effect. Let's pay it forward to one another. We've worked too hard for too long to let bickering amongst ourselves tarnish this great opinion others have of us, because we are better than that.