Out Of All The New Gen of Nurses...Be This One

This guy. Joe Chua as been an intern with Parkwood for less than half a year, and has made such an incredible impact on my life. He is relentlessly dedicated to helping others, his classmates, and to provide the best care for every patient he comes in contact with.

And I got to see him GRADUATE TODAY!!! He is the class president at his school and gave an incredible speech. I had to get a grip during it out of the love and pride I have for this guy.

I am honored to know nurses like Joe, and to speak with nurses like YOU every day. You make this world a better place. Together, Joe and I embarked on a wonderful path to fulfill many roles for the nurses we have reached out to, and I'm proud to say Joe already has his first job as an RN lined up.

Please encourage the new nurses you have walking through your doors. Nurture them, help them, and empower them to remember the reason they got into nursing in the first place. I'm proud of you Joe, and I'm a better person because I know you. I'm rooting for you!!

Below is a snippet of his speech.

"There are always people being born, always people getting sick or hurt, and always people dying. As future nurses, we’ll be tasked with the ultimate safety and advocacy of the patient. The old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. How much do you think a patient values their safety in the Hospital?

But your value doesn’t stop there. Is it possible to place value on all the things you’ll do that don’t involve a barcode or a chart? How do you quantify handing parents their first child or holding a patient’s hand in their last moments? How much does simply talking kindly to a psych patient cost or placing a cold towel on a child’s head till a fever breaks? According to Val Saintsbury, “Nurses dispense comfort, compassion, and caring without even a prescription” That concept is absolutely incredible in a costly heath care environment, I don’t have to do 3 med checks or waste it. I don’t even have to call someone to witness it or verify it. Kindness is free, and in a moment, can be worth everything to a person, even if you’re not supposed to give them chocolate cake.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it has been an honor to serve as your President. If I may be as bold to challenge my class today: Never forget the reason why you wanted became a nurse. You started with a spark, an insatiable need to help others. Small but unrelenting your thirst for excellence and knowledge drove you pursue all avenues in which to fulfill that commitment to care. All your hopes and dreams and imaginations have propelled you to this moment. You are going to become a nurse. Your drive, your tenacity, and your wit have gotten you this far. Strive for excellence not perfection. The pursuit of excellence is noble because it seeks to improve the quality of life of others.

It is my wish that each and every one of you fulfill that desire to serve in whatever capacity befalls you. I am impressed and thoroughly amazed by the intelligence, character and determination of these students, now colleagues before me. Your bravery in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds has nourished your souls and your courage will elevate this profession above its’ origins. The dreams of an entire nation are focused tonight on these 40 brave souls traveling into the future.

God speed, and good Luck to you."

Man, I'm proud of this guy.