What the Heck Did I Get Myself Into?

Have you ever asked yourself that question while you are elbows deep, trying to simultaneously clean up your patient, making sure their IV lines don’t get pulled, talking to family members in the room, and to top it all off, speak to a doctor about an order for another patient? If you answered yes, then you are probably a nurse.

It's an age-old question that I wanted to kick off this blog with because being unsure with past decisions is a way of life. When I ask myself this question, I wonder if I would ever want to switch careers. I would say 80% no, and 20% yes.

But when I get my assignment, work my tail off for my patients, and leave the unit 12 hours later knowing that I helped my patients for the entirety of that shift?

When a patient asks, “Are you back again tomorrow?”

When a family member pokes their head out before report and says, “I know you are about to head out, but we needed to thank you.”?

When, during rounds, the doctors (bless their amazing hearts) are talking medical jargon around the family and the dad meets your eyes and you mouth “I’ll explain when they are done!” and he gives you a thumbs up?

When a patient and their family are about to leave the unit and I say “Now I love y’all a whole lot, but I don’t want to ever see you back here!” and they say, “Same here!”

Yea, those moments turn that 80% no, 20% yes into 100% no.

Sincerely,

The Tired Nurse