In honor of all the nurses that get up everyday and go to work to take care of us, we so appreciate you.

In my 29 years of nursing, I have met some incredible individuals. Without their quick thinking and their skills, so many people that I love or know would not be with us.

I've observed recently the care my parents received in the healthcare setting. I had so much respect for each of those that played a part in their care. 

In my years, I have noticed how nursing has changed. I have been part of those changes up until the past few years.

When I became a nurse, it seemed to be a “simpler” time.  

We’d leave the report room and load up our linen carts with towels, washcloths, hand towels, fresh gowns, and more. We’d team up and help get all the patients showered or bathed and then up in their chairs, so they were ready when breakfast trays were passed. We’d help each other put fresh bedding on the beds and as you walked down the halls you would see window shades lifted so the natural light would light the rooms. We’d tidy and organize the room, so the patient’s flowers and belongings had a place.

We together, as a team, took such pride in our care.

When we'd reminisce about cases or patients, we remembered them by the room they were in or the hall name, Team 1,2, or 3.

We had one charge nurse assigned, in which, she'd jump up the second a doctor walked in and would call out, “Round nurse”, so that he/she had a nurse to round with on their patients and down the hall they would go.

One nurse would pass the medications, one would be the Infusion nurse for that hall, while all the other nurses would team up and would make sure all patients were repositioned every two hours, walked in halls, and more. We did not have occupational therapists and physical therapists to assist.

I can remember being assigned to five to seven new surgical patients and my whole shift was doing vitals and post-op assessments, repositioning patients, giving “hypos”, which is pain medicine given by injection, in which was Demerol and Phenergan or Vistaril every 4 to 6 hours, providing ice chips and oral care with a toothette swab that was soaked in cold water. We charted our care and charted by hand with only black pen. Documenting pain levels, how the dressing looked, and more. Endless charting. Implementing and following care plans to help with the patients goals.

Patients that had hernia repair, gall bladder removal, hysterectomies, so many more surgeries that today are sent home the same day of surgery were kept overnight or for two nights, just depending on how the patient was doing.  

On the nightshift, we would have our patients go for a short walk prior to bedtime. We’d have them stand or sit at the sink to brush their teeth and to wash their hands, if unable to do that we would have them sit at the edge of their bed or in their chair and provide them what was needed for their “HS” cares, as we called it (or nighttime cares). Patients were offered a back rub prior to bed.

Today’s nursing is taking care of very sick patients for the most part. If you are in the hospital, you are probably very ill. Not to say that in the old days we did not have very sick patients, but we had a good mixture of patients that were not so sick and then those that needed full care.

Today's nurses have means of providing better pain control through use of intravenous medications. They have so many other processes and ways to provide such advanced care for their patients.

Nurses’ responsibilities have changed. There seems to be so many more duties and documenting. They document using an electronic medical record software.

Nursing, overall has evolved as with so many other occupations.

Over the past few years, I found that I am not the same person that wanted to be a nurse so many years ago. 

I have found solace in not having to worry or to care so much about others and to care about whether all best practices are followed or not as it is no longer on me. It is not my concern.

I have washed my hands of that life.

I am so thankful for those that are nurses today and so thankful for those that I had worked with and those that I had met through the years, but there comes a time when you know, and you just know when it is not for you anymore.

I am not a nurse.

That is not who I am.