Remember Your Self Worth
Nurses are busy
people, and no one will ever deny that.
Sometimes you get so busy caring for patients, running from room to
room, administering medications, and of course a million other things. So one good rule every nurse should practice
remembering every day on the way to work is:
Being a nurse is more than spending countless hours of studying during
school and training's. It's more than a
license, a pair of scrubs, or a 12-hour shift.
It's more than a person that takes orders from physicians, and its more
than someone that administers medications.
Being a nurse
means you can multi-task, you can understand complex details and instructions,
and you can tell a family member good news, that their loved one is going to be
OK. You can deliver good news, and you
can deliver bad news; you can offer comfort, while you can also offer support
and understanding. You can wish someone
well as they successfully walk out the hospital door, and you can hold back
your tears and comfort the family of a patient that took their last
breath. So before you worry about any
reminders during your shift, before you worry about remembering to re-stock
another supply, remember the one thing that is very important: Remember yourself
worth. Remember that you are flexible,
strong, intelligent, and caring. It is
exactly what got you where you are today, and without all of those attributes,
you would not be where you are, and you would not be a nurse.
Reminder Apps – Remember to Install One
Technology has
caught up with us and it will continue to evolve every day that passes. Some things will never change in nursing: the
compassion, the care, the concern, and the dedication. Some things that will, and already have
changed, are: How you go about being productive throughout your shift?
There are
various types of apps to help you be productive on your shift--reminders,
to-dos, alarms; the list is virtually never ending. Providing your employer does not mind you
utilizing your phone during your shift,
it can be a great tool to help keep you organized. Your phone can really help you organize your
work shift, and can also help you to keep up with what days and times you will
be working, in case you don’t have regular working hours. Skip the sticky notes, and set those
reminders, it will speed you up and save paper at the same time.
Caring for Your Patient
A good rule of
thumb when caring for patients is this – “The
cost of bad care is immeasurable, and the effects of good care are abundant”.
Bad care can be
not only a terrible thing for the patient; it can be costly for everyone
involved. The repercussions of poor care
for a patient can create lifelong problems, or even death. It can create an emotional strain and huge
financial liabilities for the medical facility itself. Let's face it, as a nurse you have seen, or
will see it all. You will have some
patients that are great, some that are okay, and some that you want to smack
(kidding of course) the next time they hit that call bell. However, you always need to remind yourself
that every patient is important, never lose sight of your patient’s worth. The patient before you either is, or has
been the most important person in the world to someone, and they need to be
treated with respect, care, and compassion.
So when the bell rings for you to adjust the blinds, to move their cup 1
inch closer, or to change the TV channel, after you take the remote out of
their hand, take a deep breath, and remind yourself, “I love my job”. Loving your job means you will provide the
best care possible for your patient, regardless of what type of patient they
may be.
Remember to Value and Appreciate Your
Coworkers
They annoy at
times, they have irritating habits, they are not always dependable, and they
wear way too many hair products. They
also come running when you call for help, they assist you when you need to lift
a heavy patient, and they cover for you in the event of an emergency. Yes, that pretty much sums it up in
describing your coworkers. Appreciate
your coworkers for who they are. Sure,
they may annoy you at times, but they would also jump to help you whenever and
wherever you need them. It is vital that
nurses stick together, and be there for one another, regardless of differences
that may exist between you.
Remember to Manage Your Time & Plan
Your Day
Organization is
key in having a productive day when you are a nurse. Unlike many other professions, as a nurse you
simply cannot afford to be unorganized, the results could be catastrophic. Plan you shift out as much as possible ahead
of time. Of course, things will arise
that were unanticipated, but some advance planning can make for a much smoother
shift in general. Organize what you can,
so that when you need something, you don’t spend time searching for it, it will
be within reach. A little planning and
organizing will go a long way in making your day more productive. You will also notice that if things under
your control are organized, your day goes better, and your patients have more
confidence in your ability to care for them.
Your day is busy and hectic, and the stress is sometimes unimaginable,
however, being well prepared and organized will save you time and unnecessary
frustrations as you work through your shift.
A nurse has so
many things to remember, and so much information to retain, that you sometimes
wonder how your brain can actually hold all of that data. Never think of needing little reminders as a
fault, instead embrace it that you have the know how to realize you need
prompting to do all of the things expected of you during your shift. Know your strengths, and accept your
weaknesses, after all, before you were a nurse, you were still a human
being. Use whatever tools are at your
disposal to help you remember and keep your day organized, regardless of if it
is phone apps, sticky notes, or a chart you refer to. Don’t hesitate to ask other nurses what helps
them to remember all of the little things that they have to do in a single
shift. Should the opportunity present
itself to attend a conference or training for staying organized and keeping
track of everything you need to get don’t during your work shift, take
advantage of the opportunity and attend? You may learn some tricks and tips
that will help you in your day to day functions.
Out
of everything you must remember and remind yourself during your shift, it can
be a little overwhelming. Just utilize
any tools available to help you and never hesitate to ask for assistance when
your work plate is just too full. It's
almost inevitable that at some point, something will slip your mind. Don’t be too hard on yourself, and don’t be
afraid to admit it, we all make mistakes, and even a fabulous nurse are not
immune to that. Most of all, remind
yourself, you are valuable, you are irreplaceable, and important: you are a
nurse.
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