fill your cup: self-care in healthcare

Five years ago I graduated from nursing school and this August will mark my 5 year anniversary of working as a Registered Nurse. "Nursing week" has made me think about what nursing means to me and how the concept of what a nurse is has changed for me over time. In April of 2017 I left hospital beside care and took a position in an outpatient surgical clinic. It was sort of scary to leave the bedside. Was I still a nurse if I wasn't juggling 5 patients, an admission, and a transfer? Was I still a nurse if I wasn't putting Foley's in, assessing patients head-to-toe, and monitoring vital signs? Was I still a nurse if I wasn't inserting IVs, teaching my patient about their new discharge medications, and assisting them safely to the bathroom? Was I still a nurse if I wasn't helping other nurses turn, lift, move, transport, assess, and code a patient? Would I still be a nurse? Last September I left direct patient care completely and took a position in the Q...

It's Nurse Week again. It used to be marked by the giving of some trivial item, such as a coaster or an umbrella emblazoned with some corporate symbol. Most health systems have taken that away saying it was too costly. It used to be marked by food but even that isn't really done anymore. And honestly if we nurses want food we can organize amongst ourselves a potluck with our own peeps/crew that is more meaningful than a Little Debbie cake or a Snickers bar thrown in our direction. The intent behind these gestures is good I'm sure, but it's not necessary. What is it then that nurses want? It's what we want every single day . Not just on "nurses day." We want to be respected. That's it. And if there is one thing that has come out lately in the news the past couple years is that nurses aren't respected. They aren't respected by police officers. Officer Jeff Payne forcibly arrested Nurse  They aren't respected by senators. Nurses play...