It’s quite disturbing when nurses get a lot of criticism in the media about how they no longer cut themselves. Everyone is talking about how the “care” of the infirmary has turned out. Very hard to swallow if you are a dedicated nurse working long hours, sacrificing time with your children and doing your best to please everyone. There is a lot to say about being perfect. Nurses are expected to be superhumans who can do a million and one things and all at once too. The truth of the matter is that we are all human beings and to err is human.
So do you think you can do a better job than me? Let’s see how it goes against my idea of being a good recovery nurse.
Tips for being a good recovery nurse:
1. Be prepared to answer the same question about twenty times in a minute and hope they remember not to ask again. They don’t really remember ever asking.
2. Don’t be disappointed when they don’t remember you when you stop by to see how they are doing the next morning. They don’t really remember you.
3. Learn to read hieroglyphs: it is the only letter that doctors know.
4. When that sweet old lady has to go, she has to go. Be prepared to say goodbye just as you are meeting them.
5. Learn to say no because you will get a lot of marriage proposals!
6. Keep your secrets just that: a secret, remember that it is not your intention to tell you anyway.
7. They will spit on you; sometimes it may even take a hit or two, but remember they won’t remember anything minutes later.
8. Learn to hug crying babies.
9. Remember, you could end up with an extra patient when Mom comes to pick up her fussy baby!
10. Be prepared to feed on adrenaline every now and then. They don’t call it recovery for nothing!
11. Always remember that it could be you lying on that bed screaming in pain.
12. Blood, urine, vomit, it’s all part of the job. Deal with it!
13. Choose your words carefully.
14. Privacy and dignity. Stop.
15. How are your “DIY” skills? You will need them when needed.
16. SMILE, SMILE, SMILE. Nobody likes waking up with a grumpy face!