Nov
6

Hi. I’m the Nurse. We’ve Never Met.

  • Did you know I had formal schooling, including college course education?
  • Did you know I took a National Certification Exam?
  • Did you know I am a licensed professional?
  • Did you know some of us are men?
  • Did you know some of us are younger? Some of us are older?
  • Did you know the only place you’ll find a ‘naughty nurse’ is either in your dreams or on the internet?
  • Did you know we don’t just work in the hospital or physician’s office?
  • Did you know the all white outfit is not the standard uniform anymore?
  • Did you know we don’t wear the nursing caps anymore?
  • Did you know I am not just the physician’s hand maiden or subordinate?
  • Did you know I am an independent healthcare professional that is the physician’s colleague?
  • Did you know I have to possess a working knowledge of Pharmacology and how it impacts your care?
  • Did you know it’s my job and responsibility to critically evaluate every aspect of your care?
  • Did you know I am required to have a sound understanding of Human Anatomy and Physiology?
  • Did you know I have to be well versed in Microbiology and how it affects the human body?
  • Did you know I have to be cognizant and well studied on a plethora of human disease processes?
  • Did you know it’s my job to assess, monitor and treat not just your illness, but you as a person?
  • Did you know I can and do possess specialty certifications that require thousands of worked hours just to qualify for consideration?
  • Did you know I command and perform critical thinking skills that require me to make life-saving decisions in a blink of an eye?
  • Did you know I am a highly trained professional with skills that demand sharp attention, a keen sense of prediction and a caring attitude?
  • Did you know I am in charge of equipment that monitor your health from inside your beating heart?
  • Did you know I am in charge of equipment that assist in your recovery treatment from inside your brain?
  • Did you know I am responsible for titrating and administering medication you receive that can induce and resist almost all your normal physiological actions and reactions? And that these medications are life-saving and life-sustaining?
  • Did you know I am also a professional stress-juggler, and all the care you are receiving I am also providing to all my other patients?
  • Did you know it’s my responsibility to coordinate your care between all the services contributing to your treatment process?
  • Did you know I am educated on the grieving process and that I am here to help you?
  • Did you know I am an educational resource for any and all information related to your better health?
  • Did you know I care?
  • Did you know?

Carpe Diem

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Posted by Sean nurse Subscribe to RSS feed
  • This is AWESOME.

    This list knocks several stones. The public (generally) does have a deranged and uneducated view of nursing. It's a shame, because I don't think people realize just how critical nursing is in preventing and treating diseases.

    And I'm glad you pointed out that nurses work in diverse fields.

    What a list! Bravo.
  • Strong One
    @ Phil Baumann Thank you so much. It's near and dear to my heart.
  • frogeyes10
    Well said!!!
  • Strong One
    @ frogeyes10 Thank You.
  • WOW. I can't believe I'm not within your 100th visitor. *guessing*

    I was in my kids' school all day that's why.

    You wrote a very good and well thought-of list.

    I voted.

    I pasted my favorites:
    Did you know I command and perform critical thinking skills . . .

    Did you know I am a highly trained professional . . .

    Did you know I am in charge of equipment that monitor your health from inside your beating heart?

    Did you know I am in charge of equipment that assist in your recovery treatment from inside your brain?

    Did you know I am responsible for titrating and administering medication . . . that . . . are life-saving and life-sustaining?
  • Strong One
    @ Karin RN THANKS I honestly thought this post up last minute. It's one of my favorite now.
  • I think you hit this on right on the money. After 20 years and some of nursing people still call me male nurse. I typically respond to them that I am a nurse, period. By the way, no, most of them don't know what we do, what we learn, what we are responsible for - that goes for patients, families and physicians.
  • Strong One
    @ Mike Thanks! And yes you are right. We've only just begun.
  • What a great list! It was right on the money and well thought out.
  • Strong One
    @ NP Thank you very much.
  • Great Post. Love the coverage of what we are capable of!
  • Strong One
    @ rdjfraser Thank you. We need to get the word out there.
  • Wow! Fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
  • Strong One
    @ Mark As always thank you for visiting and leaving comments.
  • Yes I did!! And I'm grateful for you and all the wonderful nurses that I have had the pleasure to work alongside of for years!

    <abbr>Dr. J’s last blog post..Dr. J on doctors and angry patients</abbr>
  • Strong One
    @ Dr. J Thank you very much for your comment. Thanks for stopping by!
  • Fantastic! I did not know you are a nurse! absolutely cool! I'm currently doing my prereqs for Med school :-)
  • Strong One
    @ Fitarella Congratulations and thank you! :)
  • Yes, yes, yes and yes.
    I wish the general public had a better understanding of the true nature of nursing. This list should be required reading for anyone being admitted to the hospital!
  • Strong One
    @ Wanderer Thank you, and I agree.
  • Happy New Year
  • Strong One
    @ Mark The same to you my friend!
  • Have an awesome weekend!
  • Joy
    Being a nurse - thanks for the post. And you seem to be a good example of living healthfully as we often tell our patients to do.

    However, I found such incongruity between that post & your avatar. Maybe it's because I wonder at the irony of your sixth statement had it been juxtaposed with a barely clad female torso.
  • Strong One
    @ Joy. I'm sorry you feel that way.
  • Great post. Simply great.
  • Strong One
    @ NurseExec Thank you.
  • Impressive post!

    There's a lot of odd notions surrounding some of us healthcare professionals.

    It's little wonder the public have no idea, some doctors don't have much of a clue either! :)
  • @ Melanie Thomassian Thanks! And yes you are correct unfortunately.
  • Hi,
    I LOVED this Post. Very Creative !! I'm going to post to my twitter account https://twitter.com/HEARTSTRONG1 so more people will read it....
  • @ Heartstrong Thanks for visiting and commenting. And thanks for linking the post! :)
  • We need more nurses with your spirit!
    Keep it up..
  • @ tranquility Thank you for visiting and commenting!
  • Great list! Thanks! I think I'll print this off the next time some ignorant person tells me that nurses only empty bedpans.
  • @ ButtercupRN You are VERY welcome!
  • Heather
    Thank you soooo much for this! I'm printing it out & handing it to people in my family that think a nurse is just the physician's hand maiden!!
  • @ Heather You are welcome. Thank you for visiting.
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