Letter from A Retired Nurse
I had the pleasure of receiving a hand written letter from a retired nurse. We keep in contact on Facebook and I asked her if she had any ideas for making a healthier workplace for Nurses. What a gift to receive a hand written letter.
Enjoy!
~ Char
Dear Char, January 25th, 2018
Hello! You asked me on Facebook message if I had any ideas for making a healthier workplace for Nurses. It seemed like I might have a long answer to I am writing to you instead…
No one goes into nursing as a career because it is easy. If they do, they don’t last at it. They go into it to care for people. It is both physically and emotionally draining at times, yet it is one of the most rewarding careers. When you go home at the end of the day, you feel as if you have made a difference in people’s lives.
From my own experience of 28 years of working in hospitals, I started and ended my day with “transition time”. On my drive to work which usually took about 20 minutes, I mentally prepared for my shift. I went over scenarios and expectations. When I left at the end of my shift, I would try to leave it all behind which as times is difficult. Sometimes, I would stop at the park and read or watch the geese on the lake. I remember once after the death of a patient, I walked into my house, went into the bathroom, and cried into a towel. Many a night I would wake up and remember something I had forgotten to do or chart. There is a lot of emotion that you have to keep a lid on all day to do your job well. It doesn’t mean you don’t get sad or angry, but you do need an outlet for this. Sometimes, it may be your husband when you get home. It was great to have a dog lick my hand and greet me when I got home like he understood.
Physically, you are mostly on your feet for 8 – 12 hours a day. You are lifting and transporting patients and equipment. I found myself not wanting to drink fluids, so I wouldn’t have to take time to use the restroom. Many a nurse doesn’t have time to take needed breaks or a full mealtime. You eat quickly on the rush. In fact, I still do. I am always done eating when my husband is only half way through.
So, you ask how CEO’s can improve the work environment? Not sitting at his desk all day. I think a CEO need to be present, approachable, a good listener and observer outside of his office. At a 100-bed hospital that I worked at we had a great CEO. He made rounds everyday to each department and Nurse Stations to see how things were going. He ate lunch with the employees in the cafeteria always sitting with different groups of people. We knew who he was. He was approachable if you had a problem that wasn’t solved through the usual chain of command.
Quiet Place- Nurses and all employees and all employees need a quiet place to reflect and just get away for awhile if needed. I would go outside and just get away for awhile if needed. I would to the hospital chapel. A break room with some amenities like peaceful music would be nice.
Recognition – people need to receive praise or recognition for a job well done. It should come more often than at their yearly performance review or evaluation. I remember our Director of Nurses giving every nurse a little plastic case with a mirror inside. One the outside it said, “Nurses are beautiful especially mine”, then his name at the bottom. I still have mine. It is the little things that means the most. If recognition is given in the form of a gathering or celebration, it is important that all shifts are able to participate. I also feel that departments and higher ups should he evaluated by those under them, anonymously would be the best. They need recognition too.
Interpersonal and Political Issues the work place is a difficult subject as each circumstance is so different. So many people have to work together to make up a team. You just have to try to get along and put petty things outside. As my husband always told me … “get up, go to work, do your job, and come home”.
Horizon I think everyone needs something in the horizon to look forward to and work toward. Be it your vacation, raise, more education, promotion, or retirement. Your workplace can provide some of this but everyone has their own individual goal.
Other Ideas A float pool of nurses to provide adequate coverage for patients so you could take your allotted time for breaks and meals.
Nurse Exchange – spending some time in a different hospital in the same type of unit to see how things are done there and bringing back different ideas.
Child Care – I suppose larger hospitals may provide some of this but many times a nurse may have to leave early or not be able to come in thus leaving shifts shorthanded. It is really hard on single parents.
Human Resources - years ago was called Personnel. Resources sounds like a commodity in the stock exchange. The “person” is missing. I remember one standing outside the Nursing office after someone had called in sick hearing her say “I don’t care who you get, just get me a body in here by 3:00 pm”. I think maybe Human Services sounds better. Humans serving the place that they work and the place that they work serving them. Don’t know if any of my input helps Char but maybe just interesting reading.
Happy Trails!
Love Nurse D.