Thirty-five years is a long time to practice a profession. For me, the career has been nursing, and for this nurse, mastering the art of caring has been a lifelong mission.

I discovered my natural attraction toward nursing at an early age. Dolls and teddy bears were my first patients, followed by 4-H Club classes in first aid and home nursing. I remember giving my mother a bed bath as a requirement for one course completion.

But could a shy country girl leave the comforts of home to study nursing in the big city? (To me, at age 17, Springfield, OH, was the big city!) Believing in my call to be a nurse, my answer was yes.

Life is a classroom

I got a reality check early in my education. One of my first patients was dying of cancer, and immediately I had to leave my own comfort zone and reach out to my patient and the family. A card of affirmation that I received from the patient's wife, containing words of kindness and encouragement, still is one of my most precious possessions.

After graduation from nursing school, I spent three years in the medical-surgical area—time that laid a solid foundation for more nursing experiences. Four years in emergency nursing helped me develop rapid thought processing, prioritizing, and skills in human relations. Eleven years in coronary care demanded new technical skills and bolstered my self-confidence in all aspects of my life. I believed that if I could keep a patient viable by operating a ventilator and an intra-aortic balloon pump, I could confront any life event.

Today I care for endoscopy patients. By drawing from my past experiences, I can calm their natural fears and help each individual cope with the procedure and outcome. My supervisory position now enables me to facilitate changes that promote quality in patient care.

A noble profession

Should someone choose nursing as a profession? I answer emphatically "Yes!" Working so intimately with ill people and experiencing the pain of others directly affects how we nurses view life.

Nursing lets me go home with a good feeling in my heart. Every day I hear "Thank you" or "I'm glad you are here." Knowing I have made a difference makes the long hours and late lunches worth the effort.

And perhaps one day, I may need the same loving care from a new generation of nurses who have embraced the art of caring.

The author, NANCY STEELE, RN, is coordinator of endoscopy at Springfield Regional Medical Center in Springfield, OH.

Source:

http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/