Despite nursing being a noble profession, the sexy nurse stereotype refuses to die. With Halloween (and scores of women dressed as such) rapidly approaching, we take a look at why, and what you can do to stop it.
from Nurse Buff
The concept of the sexy nurse dates back to hundreds of years ago – as far back as the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s to be precise. Back then, before Florence Nightingale made the effort to reform the profession, nursing was one of the lowest jobs women could get.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
Nurses, physicians, and other professionals working in trauma centers know fully well that, at any time of day or night, ambulances and vehicles filled with victims could arrive after a violent situation unfolds.
From Nurse Keith’s Digital Doorway
Mass shootings and similar tragic events are so frequent here in the United States that they appear to be the new normal. There were apparently more than 250 mass shootings in the U.S. in the first 9 months of 2017. As nurses and healthcare professionals, how do we cope, respond, and prepare for such seemingly commonplace yet traumatic events?
Mass shootings are generally defined as events wherein a minimum of four people are injured or killed, and by this definition, an event with three people shot is not considered a mass casualty. So if we changed the definition, these situations would be even more statistically frequent than they are now.
Healthcare professionals throughout the world treat victims of violence on a daily basis. Whether wartime casualties or civilians shot by strangers or family members, gun violence and other forms of aberrant behavior manifest in our cities and towns on a frighteningly frequent basis.
Hospital facilities — especially those designated as trauma centers — are prepared to handle large numbers of casualties, and many run drills that keep the skills of rapid response teams as sharp as possible.
Nurses, physicians, and other professionals working in trauma centers know fully well that, at any time of day or night, ambulances and vehicles filled with victims could arrive after a violent situation unfolds. The recent Las Vegas shooting was just one such scenario, and stories have emerged of hospitals veritably overwhelmed with the number of seriously injured patients being brought for emergent care on that fateful day, even as off-duty personnel raced to their places of employment to lend a hand.
Most of us can only imagine what might run through our own heads if we were ourselves at the scene of such a shooting. If bullets were raining down, would you be willing to risk your own health and safety to help a bleeding person across the parking lot who is suffering from a gunshot wound? Could you think clearly, stay focused, and compartmentalize the experience enough to get the job done? If you were exposed to live gun fire and the resulting chaos, would your desire to help others supersede your own safety concerns to the extent that you could take action?
Each one of us needs to ask ourselves salient questions when it comes to these types of situations. Here are some I’ve been thinking about lately:
You may also want to ponder and research how (and if) your workplace is prepared for such eventualities by asking related questions, such as:
However you contribute is fine — not everyone has the skills, knowledge, or even the physical stamina and strength to pitch in directly when disaster strikes. We can all choose our path for making a difference in our own way. We just want to make sure we have the training, backup, and follow up care to make it through the crisis in one piece, emotionally and otherwise.
When a nurse, doctor, fire fighter, police officer, or other responder interfaces with some aspect of a mass casualty event, those individuals’ lives can be inextricably altered. Vicarious traumatization involves the empathic response and countertransference experienced by rescue workers, first responders, ER staff, or anyone who has witnessed, or attempted to mitigate, the suffering of others.
Being faced with two hundred incoming patients with acute bullet wounds from an active shooter can be overwhelming on multiple levels for a nurse in the ED. For those with experience in combat, this may not seem so far-fetched, but to a nurse who has only seen normal emergency department scenarios, a mass casualty can be an entirely different experience.
When I was living in Western Massachusetts, my wife and I were trained in a crisis debriefing model developed by the military and subsequently adapted for civilian use. We provided emergency debriefings following a rape, a murder, and even a bank robbery, This type of intervention following a trauma can be very helpful for victims, for responders, as well as others experiencing a more peripheral impact of these types of events.
Vicarious traumatization feels as real as any other trauma, and healthcare workers and first responders need trained professionals to walk them through a debriefing process that moves them in the direction of healing. After all, healed healthcare workers are healthy and productive healthcare workers.
We nurses can volunteer in the face of disasters such as Hurricanes Harvey or Irma. We can also find ourselves in the middle of unfolding events that put us in both imminent danger and the potential to lend a helping hand at a crucial moment. It is an unpredictable world, and we need to be as well prepared as we can be for the unimaginable.
Nursing skills and the nursing process are crucial components of emergency response. When faced with a dire situation, many of us nurses would likely act without thinking, turning on our “nurse’s brain” and snapping into action in coordination with other healthcare professionals and first responders.
In this age of seemingly escalating violence, each nursing professional must know his or her own limits and boundaries when it comes to volunteerism and to the ability and willingness to respond in an imminent crisis such as a mass shooting. It’s a sad but true reality that we haven’t seen the last of unthinkable situations where ordinary citizens come unhinged and wreak havoc. Even so, nurses and other courageous souls will always be there to lean in wherever help is needed.
Keith Carlson, RN, BSN, NC-BC, is the Board Certified Nurse Coach behind NurseKeith.com and the well-known nursing blog, Digital Doorway. Please visit his online platforms and reach out for his support when you need it most.
Keith is co-host of RNFMRadio.com, a wildly popular nursing podcast; he also hosts The Nurse Keith Show, his own podcast focused on career advice and inspiration for nurses.
A widely published nurse writer, Keith is the author of “Savvy Networking For Nurses: Getting Connected and Staying Connected in the 21st Century,” and has contributed chapters to a number of books related to the nursing profession. Keith has written for Nurse.com, Nurse.org, MultiViews News Service, LPNtoBSNOnline, StaffGarden, AusMed, American Sentinel University, the ANA blog, Working Nurse Magazine, and other online publications.
Mr. Carlson brings a plethora of experience as a nurse thought leader, online nurse personality, podcaster, holistic career coach, writer, and well-known successful nurse entrepreneur. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his lovely and talented wife, Mary Rives.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
By Misbah Shah
Ethical issues involve gender inequality, unbalanced resource distribution, and danger to vulnerable populations. Although it is important to embrace other cultures, different beliefs can lead to ethical dilemmas. Global health encompasses a broad spectrum of problems, but one of the primary obstacles is morality. Female genital mutilation is one example which demonstrates a distinction in cultural behaviors. By injuring the female genitalia for non therapeutic purposes, women can suffer physically and psychologically. According to Simpson, Robinson, Creighton, and Hodes (2012), many Western civilizations view this practice as obscene, but individuals who reside in African countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Eritrea consider this action as tradition.
Not only is female genital mutilation a controversy which exhibits injustice amongst genders, but it also results in short and long term health complications. For instance, Reisel and Creighton (2015) mention several consequences which can develop when extracting and harming private parts of a female. “During and immediately following the procedure, the girl or woman is at significant risk of traumatic bleeding and infection including wound infection, septicaemia, gangrene and tetanus”. Several of these short term complications are due to the use of unsanitary instruments and lack of anesthesia. Therefore, along with pain, they are at high risk for infections which often remain untreated. In addition to the immediate effects, long term ramifications can occur. These can be categorized in three different sections. One division consists of gynecological issues, such as genital scarring, blood related infections, menstruation problems, and difficulty with conception (Reisel & Creighton, 2015). Another group involves pregnancy and childbirth complications. A few examples are prolonged labor, postpartum hemorrhage, perineal damage, and an increased risk for Cesarean section. Maintaining a pregnancy can be difficult with this condition, but even when the gestation is successful, there is a high risk for neonatal compromise (Reisel & Creighton, 2015). Along with the physical consequences, mental health considerations also play a role in genital mutilation. Gele, Kumar, Hjelde, and Sundby (2012) indicate that, “The practice is often performed on girls between the ages of 0-9 thus making it one of the most horrific child tortures of our time”. Since this operation occurs at such a young age, it can lead to psychosocial problems in the future including anxiety, depression, and post traumatic stress disorder (Reisel & Creighton, 2015). Female genital mutilation encompasses both physical and psychological consequences. Thus, it is unethical to place girls and women in an indecent situation which does not produce benefits.
Over 140 million females undergo genital mutilation. The majority of these individuals reside in African countries. However, Western countries and certain parts of Asia do manifest this action as well due to the immigrant population (Gele et al., 2012). When considering a cultural perspective, it is known that many Somalis practice Islam. Although the majority of Muslims worldwide recognize female circumcision as a sin, this African group classifies the practice as “sunna” which translates to tradition. It is a procedure that is performed as a custom in the Somali culture (Gele et al., 2012).
The primary reason I chose female genital mutilation as my topic is because I am interested in women’s health. Attempting to maintain a healthy pregnancy or avoid infections can be difficult especially for women who do not have proper medical services. Since several African countries are identified as underdeveloped, they do not always have access to the appropriate supplies and facilities. In addition to the third world country circumstances, performing female genital mutilation heightens the risk for pregnancy, childbirth, and menstruation problems.
Since this ethical dilemma involves tradition and culture, it would be challenging to minimize because the procedure revolves around a belief. However, healthcare professionals such as nurses play an essential role in educating patients and informing them of the negative effects the operation could potentially cause. Simpson, Robinson, Creighton, and Hodes (2012) explain ways nurses can identify females who are at risk for genital mutilation. For instance, one factor to consider is that the daughters of women who have had their genitalia harmed are in jeopardy. Since their mothers experienced the painful act, there is a chance that the tradition will continue in the family. Therefore, nurses must provide patient education and be aware of individuals who may be at risk (Simpson, Robinson, Creighton, and Hodes, 2012). In addition, for patients who have already undergone the circumcision or cutting should be referred to specialists who can assist them further. For instance, a women’s health nurse practitioner would be a helpful option to guide women who are suffering the short or long term outcomes of the procedure.
The African female population is at high risk for undergoing genital mutilation and circumcision. Although many Muslims worldwide categorize this practice as immoral, there are certain groups of people who recognize it as tradition. This operation is rare in Western civilization, but some immigrants carry on the “sunna”. Therefore, healthcare professionals must understand the consequences of the procedure and be able to identify females who are at risk for participating in this unethical act. Overall, female genital mutilation can be acknowledged as immoral because it portrays gender inequality and poor treatment to a vulnerable group of individuals.
Misbah Shah is a Registered Nurse, who graduated from St. Francis Medical Center School of Nursing in 2016, and is currently a student at The College of New Jersey.
References:
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
Words are powerful, and the words we use to describe ourselves, such as “I’m JUST a nurse,” can have far-reaching effects — for others, and within our own psyches.
From Nurse Keith’s Digital Doorway
If you’re a nurse, when was the last time you said, “Oh, I’m just a nurse” or “I’m not really an expert—I’m just a nurse“? If you stop to think about it, what are you really saying when you deny your expertise? Words are powerful, and the words we use to describe ourselves can have far-reaching effects — for others, and within our own psyches.
For a number of years, I’ve used the soapbox of this blog to cajole nurses to embrace their nurse identity while also embracing their individual and collective value as skilled clinicians.
Like I’ve said before, nurses have been voted the most trusted professionals in the United States every year for good reason, and that’s because, whether we feel like experts or not, the general public views us as honest and knowledgeable professionals with whom they trust their lives—and the lives of their loved ones.
Sadly, many nurses simply don’t feel like experts, and the common use of the above-mentioned phrase — “I’m just a nurse” — demonstrates for us the fact that nurses suffer from collective low self-esteem.
While some nurses are clearly more expert than others (or more educated, experienced or specialized in their practice), every nurse is an expert in some way, shape or form. Having survived nursing school, learned how to be a nurse, developed specialized assessment skills and been issued a license to practice, you deserve to call yourself an expert.
Face it, you’re a nurse and you’re an expert when it comes to being a nurse. And in the eyes of the general public, you’re part of a special breed whom they see as either angels, saints or some other superlative creature.
Of course, your nursing career itself is a creature that will only continue to grow and evolve, and that ongoing evolution is a wonderful thing. Nurses are required to participate in continuing education in order to maintain and renew their license, but many nurses also seek out education and specialization because they’re professionals who want to always be learning something new, increasing their level of knowledge, skill and expertise—and that’s a wonderful thing.
When I coach nurses, I try to instill in my clients the undeniable fact that they are indeed experts. I also make the demand that they never again say “I’m just a nurse.” Using that small “four-letter word” — just — is an affront to who you are and what you do. In this context, “just” is a diminishing term, a word whose purpose is to relieve you of authority, intelligence, and your undeniable importance.
You are not “just” a nurse. You’re a nurse, and nurses can be described as both the lifeblood and the backbone of the entire healthcare industry. Take away nurses, and the system as a whole would cease to function.
We’re not simple handmaidens to the all-knowing physicians (like it was in the bad old days). We’re skilled in the art and science of nursing, and this art/science is made more powerful by decades of research, practice, theory, skill-building and knowledge accumulation.
You are not “just” a nurse. You are a nurse. Period. And you deserve to erase that one particular four-letter word from your nursing vocabulary.
Keith Carlson, RN, BSN, NC-BC, is the Board Certified Nurse Coach behind NurseKeith.com and the well-known nursing blog, Digital Doorway. Please visit his online platforms and reach out for his support when you need it most.
Keith is co-host of RNFMRadio.com, a wildly popular nursing podcast; he also hosts The Nurse Keith Show, his own podcast focused on career advice and inspiration for nurses.
A widely published nurse writer, Keith is the author of “Savvy Networking For Nurses: Getting Connected and Staying Connected in the 21st Century,” and has contributed chapters to a number of books related to the nursing profession. Keith has written for Nurse.com, Nurse.org, MultiViews News Service, LPNtoBSNOnline, StaffGarden, AusMed, American Sentinel University, the ANA blog, Working Nurse Magazine, and other online publications.
Mr. Carlson brings a plethora of experience as a nurse thought leader, online nurse personality, podcaster, holistic career coach, writer, and well-known successful nurse entrepreneur. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his lovely and talented wife, Mary Rives.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
Lateral violence has been defined as “nurses covertly or overtly directing their dissatisfaction inward toward each other, towards themselves, and toward those less powerful than themselves,” which can take many forms.
from On the Pulse
The media often portrays the discord between physicians and nurses, but little attention is given to the issue of nurse-on-nurse discord, or lateral violence in the workplace, yet it is estimated that 46 to 100 percent of nurses’ experience lateral violence (i.e. incivility and bullying).
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
The notion of pivoting in your nursing career isn’t a new one, and that readiness to pivot can emerge from a nimbleness of mind and a willingness to read the tea leaves of your career. Are you nimble?
From Nurse Keith’s Digital Doorway
The notion of pivoting in your nursing career isn’t a new one, and that readiness to pivot can emerge from a nimbleness of mind and a willingness to read the tea leaves of your career. Are you nimble?
Being nimble in terms of your career means that you’re willing to think beyond what’s right in front of you. It also means doing the work of preparing and paving the groundwork for something that you want — and if you don’t know what you want, you’re at least asking the right questions.
Many nurses appear to settle into an area of nursing, rest on their laurels, and think less of the future than perhaps they should. These nurses don’t necessarily think a great deal about what they may want in five or ten years; thus, when they’re suddenly feeling unhappy and itchy for change, there’s much more work to be done due to the years they’ve spent avoiding any forward movement or thought for the future.
In a post from 2015, I wrote:
Listen to the voices that you hear. Pay attention to the ever-evolving zeitgeist of your industry. Know what other people are thinking, and if you work in an evidence-based profession, follow the evidence when it pertains to you and your area of expertise.
In Buddhism, the concept of non-action is an important one. You know the old adage, “Don’t just sit there, do something”? Well, in certain circumstances, it’s sometimes better to turn that around, and say, “Don’t just do something, sit there.” However, when it comes to your career and its ongoing trajectory, I prefer action, even if that action is listening, thinking, and asking salient questions.
Let’s say you’re a nurse like me who worked in home health for the first decade of your career. You’ve never worked in the hospital, and while you love home health, you’ve actually been feeling called to finally take the plunge and enter the world of acute care. This may be a tough row to hoe since you’ve been in outpatient nursing for your entire career, but there’s no saying it’s not possible.
During these past ten years when you’ve been focusing exclusively on home health, you haven’t done any networking, your resume is a mess, and you have few contacts beyond your small universe of home care colleagues. All along, you’ve never considered that any of the hospital staff whom you’ve met could be helpful to your career in any way, so you haven’t connected with anyone on LinkedIn, built relationships, or otherwise laid the groundwork for the future.
In your mind, you’d like to jump right into the ICU, but common sense says that without any hospital experience since nursing school, you’re going to have to pay some dues, prove your mettle, and begin with a position in med-surg, step-down, or a sub-acute floor. Sure, you’d love to land an ICU position, but you simply don’t have the nursing skills or the connections to get you there. Your road will be challenging, but it’s not impossible — it’ll just take time, and diligent action on your part.
Being nimble of mind means being open to possibility. It also means that, in terms of your career, you’re steeped in curiosity and expansiveness, rather than wearing blinders.
As a nurse who is nimble of mind and quick to grasp opportunity, you not only read your immediate surroundings and the healthcare landscape around you; you also read the landscape within your heart and mind.
If there’s an inkling in your head or heart that what you’re doing now won’t hold water for you in a few years, now is the time to take inspired action in a new direction. That inspired action can simply be chatting with a nurse or manager who you know and trust, reaching out to a career coach for inspiration or ideas, or seeking informational interviews with professionals who are holders of information that may be helpful to you.
If you maintain awareness of how you’re feeling about your career and work life, you’re more likely to take preemptive action that will foment change, rather than being reactive when the going gets tough.
We can all get sleepy and lazy at certain points in our lives. We feel comfortable, we settle into the status quo, and we conveniently forget or ignore the fact that we may want something more down the road.
You must remain awake and aware to possibility, understanding that every colleague who you meet could be a source of brilliant information that will wake you up to something new. If you’re feeling complacent in your career, there’s no time like the present to do something about it and take a forward step.
As professionals, there’s always the micro and the macro. The micro is the minutiae of the day to day, the details of our lives and work. Meanwhile, the macro is the bigger picture, the bird’s eye view, and this is where we need to keep at least a little attention. It’s easy to get caught up in the web of details, but those details can blind you to the wider career horizon.
Being nimble and quick doesn’t necessarily mean turning on a dime or being blown in some new direction with every wind that comes your way. Being nimble and quick means that you’re listening, that you’re willing to change, and that you are quick to perceive that change may be in the air.
Is your workplace unstable? Are you becoming unhappy in your role? Do you feel limited or stuck? Is there something you’ve always wanted to do as a nurse? Is your current specialty area drying up and being supplanted by new technologies or skills?
I’m glad if these questions make you uncomfortable, because a little discomfort will galvanize you towards change, if change is what is called for.
Nurse be nimble, nurse be quick. Nurse, consider your future, and keep your eyes wide open.
Keith Carlson, RN, BSN, NC-BC, is the Board Certified Nurse Coach behind NurseKeith.com and the well-known nursing blog, Digital Doorway. Please visit his online platforms and reach out for his support when you need it most.
Keith is co-host of RNFMRadio.com, a wildly popular nursing podcast; he also hosts The Nurse Keith Show, his own podcast focused on career advice and inspiration for nurses.
A widely published nurse writer, Keith is the author of “Savvy Networking For Nurses: Getting Connected and Staying Connected in the 21st Century,” and has contributed chapters to a number of books related to the nursing profession. Keith has written for Nurse.com, Nurse.org, MultiViews News Service, LPNtoBSNOnline, StaffGarden, AusMed, American Sentinel University, the ANA blog, Working Nurse Magazine, and other online publications.
Mr. Carlson brings a plethora of experience as a nurse thought leader, online nurse personality, podcaster, holistic career coach, writer, and well-known successful nurse entrepreneur. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his lovely and talented wife, Mary Rives.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
The combination of an exodus of RNs and an influx of aging patients could create a health care crisis.
from Huffington Post
About 10 years ago, Elizabeth Scala was a young RN, working on a psychiatric floor of a busy Maryland hospital. She’d been in the role for two or three years, and she’d risen to a position of authority, coordinating her colleagues’ activities as a charge nurse on the unit. From the outside, it looked like she had everything together, but inside she was so stressed out she was nearly falling apart.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
In recent weeks, we’ve heard of flooded nursing homes and hospitals, emergency evacuations, heroic deeds, and thousands of people — including nurses — going above and beyond the call of duty.
From Nurse Keith’s Digital Doorway
As the United States grapples with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, I am reminded of how nurses’ collective and individual dedication to volunteerism and community service are central to the fabric of society, as well as to the notion of who we nurses are and what we are capable of. Nurse volunteerism serves many purposes, and its importance is worthy of intensive discussion.
Viewing the devastation that Harvey has wrought in Houston, eastern Texas, and parts of Louisiana, I want to call attention to the many nurses and healthcare professionals who were on the ground from day one, slogging it out in the wet trenches of emergency response as the rain fell and the waters rose.
Stories abound of flooded nursing homes and hospitals, emergency patient evacuations, heroic deeds, and thousands of people — including nurses, of course — going above and beyond the call of duty in order to save lives and protect property.
Nurses continue to give of themselves as the flood waters recede and the rebuilding efforts begin in earnest, and there are undoubtedly countless untold stories of heroism and gallantry that will go unrecorded but not forgotten. No matter, the collective experience is burned into our memories, and many in Texas and beyond will continue to volunteer and give in ways small and large for years to come.
Nurses have been part of disaster relief since the notion began. Clara Barton, nurse extraordinaire, formed the American Red Cross in 1881. While President Rutherford Hayes dragged his feet vis-a-vis allowing the United States to join the International Red Cross, Barton took it upon herself to found the American Red Cross, and as its first President she dedicated its mission to disaster response as well as war relief.
Over the many decades, innumerable nurses have volunteered with Doctors Without Borders, as well as smaller organizations like Global Outreach Doctors. (Andrew Lustig, the head of Global Outreach Doctors, has appeared as a guest on RNFM Radio to discuss his organization’s amazing work in some of the most dangerous places on earth.)
When disaster strikes around the world, nurses snap into action. Some may respond within the walls of their place of employment (like Houston nurses working in flooded hospitals and nursing homes), while others may jump in their cars or on airplanes to meet disaster head on in far-flung locations. Whatever the scenario, we know beyond the shadow of a doubt that nurses always appear when and where they’re needed most.
Beyond the more “newsworthy” incidents of nurse volunteerism, I recognize that nurses volunteer on a regular basis for all manner of events, organizations, and causes. Whether through faith-based outreach or wholly secular efforts, nurses have a general mindset geared towards contributing to the well-being of others. How do nurses volunteer? Let me count the ways:
When we think of nurse volunteerism, what comes to mind are established organizations or efforts to which nurses lend their skills, expertise, and knowledge. Having said that, we also know that nurses are the consummate good samaritans who respond in the course of their daily lives to car accidents, falls, injuries, and medical emergencies on airplanes, in stores, on sidewalks, and generally any situation wherein human vulnerability and frailty manifest. I can myself recall car accidents where I’ve stopped to lend a hand; bicycle accidents I’ve witnessed and responded to; the fainting of an elderly person in a restaurant; a child stung by a bee in a park.
Nurses are trained in assessment, critical thinking, triage, and taking prudent action, and that training makes us invaluable members of any community or society.
As a career coach, I recommend that nurses perform volunteerism in the interest of their careers. Volunteering is honestly a very good resume-builder, and also demonstrates that a nurse believes that he or she has something to contribute to society as a nurse beyond what happens at work.
While volunteer positions won’t make or break a nursing resume, a nurse engaged in valuable extracurricular volunteer activities makes a statement about that nurse’s character.
In terms of networking and meeting other like-minded professionals and non-professionals, volunteering puts nurses in touch with individuals beyond their usual social and professional spheres. When participating in meaningful volunteer efforts, that shared experience can produce bonds potentially far stronger than those formed in the workplace.
Staffing a first aid station at a breast cancer walk, volunteering at a camp for autistic children, or meeting in the face of a disaster like Hurricane Harvey can be a landmark moment in many nurses’ lives, and lifelong friendships can be formed even under the most stressful and difficult conditions.
The career value of volunteerism goes far beyond resume enhancement; nurses who volunteer derive satisfaction and personal fulfillment from giving back and serving others, as well as the opportunity to meet and bond with other volunteers of similar mind and motivation.
Nurse volunteerism can be the building block of a personal and professional network, as well as an example of a nurse’s dedication to community and society. Some employers highly value such characteristics in potential employees.
While building a resume or being a more attractive job or school candidate are reasonable purposes for volunteering, I urge nurses to use volunteer opportunities as tools for personal growth and fulfillment. Volunteerism is laudable and noble, and it behooves us to allow our volunteer efforts to build our character, bring us satisfaction, and broaden the reach and depth and width of our nursing career and lives.
The potential for personal and professional growth is a powerful antidote to professional boredom, career disenchantment, and nursing ennui. Volunteering — no matter the cause or organization — can be a key to a more meaningful life inside and outside of one’s nursing career and identity.
[To listen to the companion podcast to this blog post, please click here.]
Keith Carlson, RN, BSN, NC-BC, is the Board Certified Nurse Coach behind NurseKeith.com and the well-known nursing blog, Digital Doorway. Please visit his online platforms and reach out for his support when you need it most.
Keith is co-host of RNFMRadio.com, a wildly popular nursing podcast; he also hosts The Nurse Keith Show, his own podcast focused on career advice and inspiration for nurses.
A widely published nurse writer, Keith is the author of “Savvy Networking For Nurses: Getting Connected and Staying Connected in the 21st Century,” and has contributed chapters to a number of books related to the nursing profession. Keith has written for Nurse.com, Nurse.org, MultiViews News Service, LPNtoBSNOnline, StaffGarden, AusMed, American Sentinel University, the ANA blog, Working Nurse Magazine, and other online publications.
Mr. Carlson brings a plethora of experience as a nurse thought leader, online nurse personality, podcaster, holistic career coach, writer, and well-known successful nurse entrepreneur. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his lovely and talented wife, Mary Rives.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
The American Nurses Foundation is collecting donations to support nurses in their disaster response and recovery following the recent hurricanes.
The American Nurses Association has begun collecting donations via the American Nurses Foundation to help nurses who have been affected by the recent natural disasters in the United States, including Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. 100% of the funds raised will directly support nurses in their disaster response and recovery efforts in southeastern Texas, Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and more, and will be distributed to charities on the ground to benefit those in need as soon as possible.
To make a donation or share the donation link, please visit givedirect.org/donate/?cid=1680, or learn more about the American Nurses Foundation at anfonline.org.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
Last week, a disturbing video came to light in which a Utah charge nurse, Alex Wubbels, was arrested for refusing to draw the blood of an unconscious patient at the request of Salt Lake police detective Jeff Payne. As Payne did not have a warrant or meet the mandatory criteria needed to take blood from the patient, Wubbels chose to protect the patient’s rights and not comply with Payne’s request, and was subsequently arrested in her work area at University Hospital, pulled outside, and placed into a patrol car for about 20 minutes. The video of Alex Wubbels’ arrest quickly went viral, and so has the support of other nurses in the days since under the hashtags #IStandWithAlex and #FireJeffPayne.
"The only job I have as a nurse is to keep my patient safe." -Alex Wubble, RN #IStandWithAlex pic.twitter.com/VXBhBpRFVm
— Jenna Harper (@jen_harp) September 2, 2017
I #BackTheBlue but in this case the officer made a mistake & Alex did right in protecting her patient.SL PD fix this #IStandWithAlex
— David Kearsley CNA (@NurseDavK) September 2, 2017
She was doing her job. When they asked her to break the law she said no, so they assaulted her. #AlexWubbles #IStandWithAlex
— Shelley Tantau (@stantau) September 1, 2017
We need to RT #FireJeffPayne and speak out. My God, nurses know about HIPPA and patient rights. This officer was over the line
— Offbeatenpaths (@offbeatenpaths) September 1, 2017
As an ER RN I can tell you this was not a"nursing incident". This was a police brutality, illegal, assault incident! #FireJeffPayne
— PoorlybehavedWoman (@poorlybehaved) September 1, 2017
In the days since the video’s release, the University of Utah Hospital has also shown their support for Wubbels by imposing new restrictions on law enforcement, including barring officers from direct contact with nurses and from patient care areas in the hospital.
What about you, do you stand with Alex?
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
