I am a Nurse!

Lately my attitude has been crap. Ornery about everything. Things that I have invested myself in, I am ready to throw the towel in on. I just haven't felt that what I was doing was appreciated. Case point, I requested addresses for our ANNA local chapter from nationals at the beginning of the summer, and twice more since. No response. The other day, I get this e-mail saying they have set up a "task force" to figure out a way they can assist chapters that are struggling. They would like me to take a survey to tell them what I think. ARGH! Are you kidding me? So I thought about how I would respond to this for awhile. Then I got mad and said some things in an e-mail that weren't very nice. I mean, it wasn't terrible or anything. It was professional. But it could have been said nicer. BAD KARMA!

At work, we are striving to get Magnet Status. Some of the higher-ups have asked to interview me to discuss my involvement with professional nursing organizations and how it has affected my practice. Also, they wanted to know about my volunteer work in the community as a nurse and if it made a difference. It got me thinking about what it is that I do on my own time and what it is that I like about it. This was a good thing, since I seem to be functioning in a burned-out zone. About time for a reset, I would say!

I have been working in nephrology related areas for the past five years. In that time, I have been involved in American Nephrology Nurses' Association for the past 3. Last year, I was the chapter president-elect for the Badger chapter. I traveled to our national convention in Dallas. I am now the current President for our local chapter. We offer numerous topics for furthering education. This summer, our chapter planned a certification review course and hosted a certification exam. I sat successfully for this exam, and can say with pride that I am a Certified Nephrology Nurse. The national chapter encouraged me to become certified, by role-modeling and mentoring. Certification furthers understanding of the standards of your practice, which is the root to being able to provide the best possible care to your patients. Programs that discuss the importance of access is on example of how they have impacted my practice. I now discuss the benefits of utilization of a fistula for access with my patients and encourage them to protect the access they have. The best dialysis equals the highest quality of life for patients who have chronic kidney disease. ANNA encourages collaboration with other groups to further education and improve the quality of offerings. This September, our local chapter collaborated with the National Kidney Foundation to host an all day event for medical professionals. The topics presented were all aimed at improving the lives of kidney patients. We provided programs for dieticians, social workers, nurses and dialysis technicians. The program included 13.5 continuing educational credits. October 7th, we will be hosting an audioconference entitled "Getting Your Patient Ready for Transplant" here at UW. Being involved with others who share my specialty allows me to discuss things that impact the health and lives of my patients. It is a great way to gain new ideas and to feel that I can make a difference to my patients, who often struggle to cope with an illness that can be very difficult to accept. This keeps me excited to go to work, gives me the chance to share what I learn.

This past spring, another nurse form UW got me involved in Touched Twice. She is really "out there in the trenches" when it comes to giving of yourself in the community, and really a gem of a human being. Touched Twice is an organization that sponsors free clinics throughout the country. We participated in a clinic in Sun Prairie. All services are volunteer based. I was responsible for contacting chiropractors to assist with the clinic. There were four that volunteered to see patients. At the clinic, I provided vitals, weights and blood glucose monitoring. I provided health screenings prior to patients seeing a physician. I didn't realize we would have so many people coming who otherwise would not have access to primary care. Information was given to assist them in getting prescriptions free or reduced. I was saddened to see so many children who did not have basic access to care. I remember a patient who came in with severe depression, who had suffered for months untreated because of lack of insurance. Many like these were referred to professionals offering pro bono services. It makes me tear up just to remember that day. But so many people were helped and I really felt that we were needed, both our skills as professionals and as fellow human beings that could simply offer an ear to those hurting emotionally. I left that day, knowing that I had gotten so much more out of this experience than the people who sought my services.

As a nurse, I have the greatest job in the world. I just sometimes forget it, getting caught up in the negativity that is so abundant in our work culture. But I really cannot think of another job where what I do makes such a difference to those in need. These are real people, many with very serious health problems. Invest yourself in them and you get so much more back. A kind word, a bit of reassurance. Responding quickly to requests, thinking ahead to what they might need. Providing expert care. Explaining the why's they don't get when the doctor tells them what to do. I am honored to be part of their lives, if only for a snapshot in time. They probably will not remember me personally. But you better believe they will remember how I treat them. I am a nurse.