I am worthy of change.

As I sit down to write this, my heart is heavy, burdened by the weight of an all-too-familiar sorrow that echoes in the hallways of hospitals across the nation. I am again saddened by the death of a former colleague who took their own life. This person was an incredible clinician and an amazing father. We both were former COVID ICU nurses, and today, I write not only as an advocate for change but as someone who has experienced firsthand the devastating toll of workplace violence and its impact on nurse retention.

The past few years have tested us beyond measure, and the scars of the pandemic run deep. As a nurse who once stood on the frontlines, fighting to save lives and provide comfort in the face of an invisible enemy, I find myself compelled to keep speaking out about a crisis within our healthcare system. There are many complex issues that need attention, but I believe the most critical of these is one that has spent far too long going unnoticed: the exodus of dedicated healthcare professionals due to workplace violence.

The physical safety of our colleagues should be priority when we look at enacting change. Many people are discussing it. People write countless articles on trends and are all stating the same things, "We need to do something about it", all agreeing there is an issue. Yet when you read these articles, there are very few action items and everyone is just repeating buzz words like "Trauma informed care" and "0 Tolerance Policies" without any true results.

Despite the attention, organizations do not have do anything about it, so they won't. They continue to operate daily, no matter the collateral. I've witnessed the toll this lack of effort takes on my colleagues, the toll it took on me.

The PTSD that haunts our sleepless nights, the heartbreak that comes from losing the passion we once had for nursing, and the resignation letters that continue to flood our HR offices. Every departure feels like a betrayal of our shared commitment to care. Every time someone posts some article about retention, sitting behind a desk pretending they are "doing something for the profession" without actually pushing for change. Going to meetings and saying, "yeah its an issue" is a hell of a lot different than actually doing something.

As someone who wore a trash bag, watched multiple people die at once, carried bodies to meat trucks and called a family a day for 2 years to tell them someone they loved died -- all while listening to people in the local grocery store call me a sheep for wearing a mask or getting vaccinated...I'm angry. It drives me to continue to learn from industry experts to create real change.

We are not expendable. We are people. I am a mom. A daughter. A friend. I am a human, who can't even work in a job she used to love because the system has make it impossible for me to keep my oath.

It's not just about the shortage of nurses; it's about the diminishing flame of hope in our hearts as we watch our beloved profession erode before our eyes. We are not leaving because we no longer care. We are leaving because we can no longer endure the toxic environment that has permeated our once sacred space of healing.

In an effort to make a difference, I have poured my experiences, and hope into an ebook series titled "A Nurses Guide to Healing Workplace Violence". This series aims to provide a lifeline for organizations desperately clinging to their nursing staff and a hope for the nurses teetering on the edge of burnout.

But this is not just about promoting a book; it's a desperate plea for a new approach to training and a more human centered outlook on prevention. We cannot afford to lose more compassionate and dedicated souls to the clutches of workplace violence. My fellow nurses, we need your help. Share this message, raise your voices, demand change. In part 3 of the Series, I will feature tools that your organizations can actually use to create change.

To healthcare organizations, I implore you: don't wait until the next tragedy strikes. Be proactive in fostering a culture of safety, support, and empathy. It's not just about reacting to incidents; it's about preventing them in the first place. Your nurses are not expendable, and their well-being is the heartbeat of your institution.

Let us unite to restore the faith we once had in the healing power of nursing. Together, we can create a workplace that not only retains our dedicated professionals but allows them to thrive once more.

In solidarity,

Mel Cortez. -- A Recovering ICU Nurse

Series is available for download at the link in my bio. Or purchase it here: https://buy.stripe.com/6oEg2z9mB5Eo8kUbIP