Nursing is such an awesome profession. It comes with some heavy responsibility, heavy people and heavy attitudes. Now add being an emergency nurse into the mix. Not only is everything heavy – it’s crusty, too. Add in a smell (like under something that rarely gets lifted, or be it someone’s coming who you know will say something stinky). For the most part I LOVE NURSING and I LOVE EMERGENCY NURSING! HOORAAAh! However, there are some moments that put my patience, confidence and love to the test. This weekend was one of those moments.
I am a new nurse AND my first job in nursing just happens to be in the emergency room – where things are fast, furious, never the same and sometimes things gets heated. I just didn’t expect my charge nurse to be this way. You see, a few people report to me that one of the charge nurses was complaining about me to the staff in an open forum. One nurse told me that the charge nurse was talking to her directly about me. To my face, though, the CN was nice and cordial. She did complain about my lifting restriction to me (as well as behind my back). THIS IS A CHARGE NURSE! She’s supposed to be professional. Oh well…that’s OK. More on this later.
Let’s go on to a related subject. We recently found out that (our family) have upset “people” in the past. Those people didn’t come to us to resolve the matter. When we run into an incident in discussion with others, we find out about their concerns through almost offensive means. What is it with we as a society? I don’t get it. When you’re upset with someone…just go to them. When I offend you, come to me. What is so wrong with that? C’mon people? Because you know, what happens is that I am in the dark, I keep going the way I always go – suddenly I find out that something’s wrong from someone else and matters are blown WAY OUT OF PROPORTION!
You know, truth be told…I have probably offended many people and I have done lots of things wrong…I know you’re shocked! But wait! There’s more! I’m not done yet. That’s right…I’m not done. There is something yet to do wrong to someone. You know the best part? I won’t even know I did it. And that someone won’t tell me – and I’ll keep doing it. I think some of us ought to go back to kindergarten – where communication is VERY open and there’s no question in your mind what others think – and there’s no question in your mind what my intentions are.
Some of us are stuck in high school, where the social climate is caustic. Kids talk behind others’ backs, gissip and damage reputations and [seemingly] lives. Forgive my drama here, but really. I am learning so much from my collegues, friends, professional acquaintences and religious people too. No matter what others think of me or say, I must maintain my confidence, be humble and still be loving. This, in the face of being maligned, wrongfully used, abused – or on the other hand, being lovingly corrected, etc.
It’s interesting to note that nurses are quite a strong bunch, but weak in one area…we’re all human. We’re bound to make mistakes. We’re bound to learn from them. We’re bound to be offensive. We’re bound to be caring and kind.
Well, I’m bored of what I’m saying now. I just went browsing the net to get away. What am I saying here? Instead of going to other people to complain about me, come to me. I can take it. I will be better for it. It will be a win-win situation. I guess you could just avoid that all together, though. It will be more offensive to find out about your complaint from other people. I will, however, have more reasons to practice the simple, yet powerful principle and commandment of forgiveness if you go to others instead of me. I need practice in that.
Remember – come to me. Let’s work it out.
