1. WHY I AM A NURSE
Come walk in our shoes for a 12hour shift. Come see the joy ,the tragedy, the
comedy, the 100 ways wearepulled and pushed, then rate my “pleasant
greeting”, “answers calllight in timely fashion”, statename of patient”.
Use the bathroom now, becauseyou might not get the chance again until your
shift ends. Wear comfortable shoes. Don’tworry if they’reclean. The end up with
blood and vomit on them.
We are the patient’s advocate, the doctor’s eyes and ears, and everyone’s
scapegoat. We can page your doctor but we can’t make that doctor magically
appear. We check your stitches, wipe your blood, drain your pass and empty your
bedpan
Nursing is a tough job but we’retougher. We’vebeen yelled at by administrators,
supervisors and doctors. We’vebeen kicked, slapped, punched, spat on and
sexually harassed by patients in various states of delirium, mental illness,
arroganceand intoxication.
We’ve even had chairs and food trays thrown atus. We work mandatory
overtime, weekends and holidays. We eat thanksgiving and Christmas and dinners
with coworkers.
We deal with families who ignore visiting hours, bring food to patients on
restricted diets, and even insist on staying the night even though it’s not a private
room. We deal with the prodigal sons and daughters who order us around to
show a parent they haveneglected for years that they care. We cannotbe at your
every waking minute. We have10 other patients. We cannot answer 5 call lights
at once. We can’t stop doing cardiac pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on a patient
because you run out of issues. We are professionals with college degrees.

2. We hate that we can’t spend more bedside time with you. Swearing at us will not
make us move faster. Taking better care of your health would help. Quit smoking.
Lose weight. Start exercising. Stop alcohol abuse.
How do we survive? Weignore the nasty comments, the demanding relatives,
and the crazy staffing grids. We countto 10 before speaking. Wepray every
morning for the strength and wisdom, patience and empathy. We walk home
tired and frustrated, telling ourselves over and over, I’mnot the NurseI want to
be, but I’mthe best Nursethe Hospitalstaffing allows to be. We fall asleep
praying for the one who won’tsurvivethe night.
There is no finish line, ever. Nursing is demanding, fulfilling and wecan’t imagine
doing anything else. Nothing beats washing blood and glass off a car crash
survivor, stabilizing a broken neck, saving a diabetic’s leg, keeping a cancer
patient in remission. The day wesend a patient home we relish the unbelievable
resilience of the human body and spirit.
We did not become nurses for the hours, the salary, or the glamour of it all. We
became nurses to make a difference. We don’task for much. One sincere‘Thank
You’ makes all the difference.
JONES H. MUNANG’ANDU (author)
Motivational speaker,healthcommentator &
Health practitioner
Mobile;0966565670/0979362525
BSc .SWP & HEALTH PROMOTION(AU),
DIP; TECH (UNZA),DIP; NSG,DIP; OD,
DIP; MCPD, CERT ART MGT , CERT PSYCHCOUNS