I care. I give. Your well being is my reward. I am your advocate. When you are alone, I am there for you. When family is not present, I will be there. When you are scared, I will calm your fears. When you are weak, I will carry you. I will give you my best while you are in my care. Nursing is my skill, but caring is my profession.
Over the past few months I have come to realize and acknowledge how blessed I am to call myself a nurse. I have the privilege to impact my patient's lives in ways that others may not. I have the opportunity to educate and teach patients while they are in the hospital and before they discharge. I have the chance to attentively listen to patient's stories and meet their needs through collaboration with an interdisciplinary health care team. I am blessed to be apart of a profession that is so powerful in impacting others lives as they impact my life in return. The well being of other's is in my hands; one of the most rewarding experiences day in and day out.
Furthermore, as I dive deeper into my career I have noticed how patient's have impacted me personally and have lead me to believe I am where I am supposed to be. Some days seem so difficult and I want to throw my hands up and cry; other days I am full of joy and could not imagine a more perfect day. I am still struggling with recognizing those perfect days are not always going to happen. What I have come to recognize is if I give my all and give my best, that is what matters; keeping my patient's at the center of my care is priority; ensuring myself it is okay to ask for help is a work in progress. I must keep going to keep growing in my professional career.
Last week I had a patient's spouse break down in tears while speaking to me before her husband discharged. I can remember her exact words, "Lauren, you are something special and I wish you the best of luck with your career. The staff on this unit is amazing." As she wiped away her tears it made me cry as I was thankful for her kind words and affirmation; to know I touched someone's life and to know they touched mine is special. Not too long following this, another patient held my hand as I sat down on her bed next to her and she broke down in tears because she was grateful for my care. After I have endured a rough day, I always go back to these moments when I feel I have impacted others.
When our society thinks of a nurse, many words to come to mind. Compassionate. Hardworking. Attentive. Meticulous. Intelligent. Goal Oriented … but the word I hope most nurses have come to embody over the course of their career is empathetic.
Empathy is not the same as sympathy, but it is identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives. It is often best described not in words, but in the actions of a nurse.
Empathy is a nurse working a 13-hour shift and forgetting to eat or stopping to use the bathroom because the patient's needs are placed above his or her own.
Empathy is a nurse who learns to be silent and be in the moment with the patient or family member who just needs someone to cry with.
Most of all, empathy is a nurse who takes his or her profession seriously with patients' precious lives in his or her hands, double or triple checks his or her work, and delivers safe, professional, and holistic care. This nurse views nursing not as a job or task, but as a service to others to ensure the patient has the best quality of life possible. As a nurse, we are present with people and not just simply there; we see individuals in the worst times and best times of their lives.
"As a nurse, we have the opportunity to heal the heart, mind, soul and body of our patients, their families and ourselves. They may not remember your name but they will never forget the way you made them feel. You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them." - Maya Angelou
With Love,
Lauren
