Now that Nursing Orientation is Over

Nursing is a noble profession and nurses everywhere are special people who give of themselves tirelessly. There is a stark contrast from school to the floors having learned the art and science of nursing in the classroom. Nurses everywhere are sometimes shocked at the true reality of what patient care involves. Nurses are hard-working – there is no question about that. You see them walking back and forth in the halls of the hospitals and nursing homes taking care of patients. They endure a lot from the patients, their families, the doctors, their co-workers and their superiors. There are set nursing standards that have to be adhered to in order to be in compliance with the State and the institution they work for. Over the span of my career, I have experience great joy and satisfaction in what I do for a living knowing that I have impacted the lives of others in a practical way. I reflect on the lives I helped to save, knowing that understanding, compassion, and kindness was always uttermost in my mind and that I did the best I could at all times even when I was tired, weary and on my way home. It is not only the big things that count, but the small things such as a smiling face, giving assurance, speaking softly to the patients and taking time to listen to what is being said to you is very meaningful to the patient. It shows that you care and want to help. Listening to a patient can help save lives and brings comfort to a soul. Making a phone call for a patient, even if the patient is confused, putting on a pair of socks when they complain that their feet are cold, sitting with them for a few minutes when they can’t sleep, fluffing up a pillow, giving an extra warm blanket, and turning off a television are just a few of the many things that nurses do aside from their routine nursing care. Nurses everywhere are assets to the human society. They improve and change the lives of their patients. Nurses work hard continually, always putting the patients first. As stressful and demanding as it may be at times, most nurses you speak to will tell you how they enjoy what they do. They go home and they are able to sleep knowing that they have done their best. Nurses need to be recognized and commended for the godly work that they do every day saving and improving the lives of their patients. They are dedicated professionals with a mission to heal the sick. Nursing is definitely a calling. It is much more than a profession. It is a calling from God to care for and heal the sick. It calls for kindness, patience, empathy, understanding and devotion. I knew from a young girl when I first saw my Aunt Tilly in the Emergency Room at the University of the West Indies, caring for a patient with an ulcer on his lower leg that I wanted to be a nurse. She was wearing a starched white uniform with an apron and a white cap. Her smile was radiant, reassuring and beautiful. She was so kind and gentle as she cared for her patient. She looked like an angel! At that moment, I was deeply moved and inspired by her love for another human being. It was that day that I knew in my heart what I wanted my life’s work to be.