We all know that medical emergencies occur without any provocation or warning. But I never thought one would happen on a bright sunny Sunday afternoon at a social gathering…

An older guest who is a stroke survivor was attending this social gathering and began making a loud noise while engaging in a conversation. Most of those present just assumed that this person was having a particularly boisterous verbal response. However one person – who happens to be a nurse – quickly walked over to the older guest and determined that her airway was occluded. The loud noise actually was a bark being made in an attempt to cough and clear the airway.

Within seconds the nurse performed the Heimlich maneuver and quickly pivoted the victim to sit on a nearby chair. Another guest who is oxygen dependent gave the nurse a spare nasal cannula who applied it to the victim. By this time an ambulance was en route and arrived in 2 minutes. Oxygen was made available to the victim and the other guest was able to resume oxygenation without harm.

Throughout all of this drama – which lasted no more than 5 minutes – two other guests were standing off to the side observing. These guests are physicians. Yes, we were all pleased that the victim was cared for and the situation had a good outcome but why were the physicians “letting” the nurse handle the issue?

This is not the first time that I’ve been in attendance at an event where a medical emergency has occurred and there are physicians available to intervene. I’ve also overheard physicians say that “it appears that everything is being handled” and just walk away. This behavior annoys me.

I understand the need to protect a license and the fear of being sued for inappropriate care but consciously not helping another person or even offering to help when the education and experience is well documented is just unacceptable to me.

Like most nurses, I personally know a fair amount of physicians. I’ve worked with many of them as well as having used their services. The one behavior that I’ve observed on more than one occasion is when someone asks the physician a question the response begins with “is this one of my patients?” If not, the response may continue with something like “well tell them to make an appointment” or “tell them to go to the emergency room.” Medical advice is not readily provided.

On the other hand, nurses are usually the first to jump to the aid of someone in distress. I’ve done it and I’ve seen other nurses do it too. Why do we do this?

I believe it is because of our education – and the role we play in health care. Nurses do not ask for proof of health insurance or name and location of a pharmacy prior to providing care. Nurses do not collect co-pays after providing medication or treatments. And nurses do not have to obtain authorization from a health insurance company before assisting another person in need.

As I reflect on the situations where a physician could have assisted with an emergency situation but didn’t I silently thank all of the brave men and women who chose to become nurses. Although many believe that the health care industry would collapse without an adequate number of physicians I feel that they are wrong.

Nurses are the backbone of the industry. Nurses step up to the plate, without thoughts of personal harm, and help those unable to help themselves. Nurses don’t stop to think what impact the action might have on personal finances or paper work. Nurses just do, what they do best – care for other people.

So as the situation was coming to a close during the social gathering I overheard the emergency medical personnel and the rescuing nurse encourage the older guest to “be sure to see your doctor as soon as possible.” I thought it was funny that throughout all of this drama medical support personnel and the nurse supported the role of the physician in health care. Too bad physicians do not always offer the same support to us.

Until next week…

Recently I participated in a discussion on social media regarding the Florence Nightingale Pledge. Some nurses argued that it remains applicable to the practice of nursing today while others adamantly believe that it is outdated.

The actual “pledge” was not written by Florence Nightingale but rather by a committee at the Farrand Training School for Nurses in Detroit Michigan in 1893. The committee named it the Florence Nightingale Pledge to honor Nightingale as the founder of nursing.

The pledge is as follows:

“I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.”

Many participating in the discussion about the pledge could not recall ever reciting it during nursing school graduation – or pinning. Others have evidence that the pledge was printed in the graduation ceremony booklet but was not recited by the new nurses.

Personally I recall the Dean of the School of Nursing standing before my graduating class and leading us all in the recitation of the pledge. I also recall at that time it was something that we all had to do – but never really spent much time thinking about what the pledge meant.

The discussion about the pledge started because the word “God” is in the opening sentence. Some nurses believe that it should be changed to “Divine Power” so as not to alienate or offend some who might have different spiritual beliefs.

This quickly moved to the next area of concern of “passing my life in purity.” Quite a few nurses believe that this statement is a direct link to women in religious orders who happened to practice nursing as part of their calling.

Some nurses also believe that “abstaining from whatever is deleterious and mischievous” is too broad and really has no place in current society. The definitions of “deleterious and mischievous” could refer to a large number of things which may or may not be applicable when practicing nursing. However, nearly all of the nurses participating in the discussion agreed that the statement about “not taking or knowingly administering harmful drugs” is important and practiced daily.

There was additional discussion about the statement about doing “all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard” of the profession. Some nurses believe they are powerless within the profession whereas a few stated that the feeling of powerlessness is a reason for the discord and conflict that results in bullying and other intimidating behavior that causes many nurses to leave nursing.

The group nearly unanimously agreed that the next statement of holding “in confidence” all personal matters and family affairs was in line with HIPAA regulations and extremely important when practicing in today’s society.

There was additional discussion about the phrase “in my calling.” Few, if any of those participating in the discussion stated that they were “called” to be a nurse. Reasons for becoming a nurse ranged from steady employment to being told by parents that this was the best choice of employment for women.

The first part of the final sentence of the pledge – to aid the physician in his work – brought additional discussion. Many argued that physicians are not all men in today’s society and there are other health care professionals – such as nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants – whom the nurse supports. However the final statement of “devoting to the welfare of those committed to my care” was found to be highly applicable today.

Even with these minor issues and discussion I believe that the committee who wrote the pledge was very astute and forward thinking. In today’s language the pledge highlights:

• Providing self-care
• Doing no harm to others
• Supporting the profession
• Maintaining confidentiality
• Working in collaboration with other health care professionals
• Being loyal to the patient

Besides a few terms that might be viewed as “dated,” I believe the Florence Nightingale Pledge captures many of the behaviors of the modern nurse. As National Nurses Week in 2013 has recently ended maybe all nurses can take a few minutes to reflect on the pledge and the influence it has had on their practice of nursing.

Until next week…

Nurses around the country will be honored on May 6th as the official day set aside to recognize those in the profession of nursing. However, this was not always the identified day…

The thought of a day to honor nurses actually started in 1953 when a staff member within the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare wrote to President Eisenhower asking for a specific day for nurses. In 1954 National Nurses Week occurred from October 11 through 16 which corresponded with the 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s mission during the Crimean War.

There is not much written about a National Nurse’s Week between the years of 1954 until 1974.
However in the early 1970s a New Jersey businessman began promoting the idea of a Nurses Day because of the excellent care provided by nurses at a local hospital. Then in 1974, President Nixon declared the first-ever National Nurse Week to be held in February.

New Jersey became the first state to officially recognize May 6 as Nurses Day in 1978. And in 1981, nurses in New Mexico worked to have May 6th declared “National Recognition Day for Nurses.” The American Nurses Association stepped up in 1982 and in the same year President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation officially declaring May 6, “National Recognition Day for Nurses.” The ANA changed the event to a week-long celebration, beginning May 6th and ending on the 12th which is Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

The week of May 6 through 12 is also when National Student Nurses Day is celebrated, specifically on May 8th, and International Nurses Day is celebrated throughout the world on May 12th.

I find the history of National Nurses Day fascinating. It literally took an act of Congress to make this a special day for those in the profession. I have to ask why?

Every person, family, and neighborhood has nurses. We are everywhere! We shop, we take children to school, we participate in parents, civic, and religious organizations. We use the public library and local banks. Often times we are stopped on the street to discuss health problems and telephoned in the middle of the night to discuss the new onset of symptoms. Yet, few, if any, recognize the value of nurses or the knowledge we possess.

Personally I can divide my friends and acquaintances into two groups – those who keep in touch “just because” and those who keep in touch when a health problem arises. I have been texted, emailed, and telephoned from emergency rooms, labor suites, and intensive care areas by acquaintances that are in the midst of a health crisis. These individuals need someone to “translate” what is going on and what they should do. So they contact me.

But as soon as the latest health crisis is managed and life goes on, the urgent messages stop. Like a bad B novel cliff hanger – I have no idea how the story ends! I then find myself searching for these same people who harangued me for hours and days to just find out their health outcome. Many of these individuals just laugh and say “everything worked out” but never provide much more feedback.

I know that I am not alone with these types of experiences. Nurses everywhere are contacted for help, encouragement, support, and teaching. But once the acute situation concludes, we are quickly forgotten until the next major event.

This probably should not bother me, but it does. Nurses are much more than walking-talking textbooks. We are real people, with real lives, who might actually be experiencing a health problem at the same time as being expected to care for others. These nurses most likely won’t even share their own personal health concerns since there is no real need to ‘bother’ anyone.

No profession is perfect. No job is perfect, and no life is perfect. But what the profession of nursing has that many do not is a group of consistent, sharing, compassionate, and empathetic people who just want to make people a little more healthy and hopefully a little more happy during their journey on Earth.

So, from one nurse to another, happy Nurses’ Day! I’m not sure how you will celebrate this special day just for you. Maybe your employer will buy you lunch or dinner or provide you with a gift card or some other token of appreciation. Maybe some of you won’t even be recognized. It really doesn’t matter. As nurses we know our value and our worth. And, that’s why in our hearts – every day is Nurses’ Day!

Enjoy!

Until next week…

Every now and then I am amazed as the resilience and compassion that some nurses possess. One special group of nurses that deserve special attention are those that care for newborns and children.

My personal experience caring for newborns and children has been limited to assisting family and friends with these “little people” who bravely permit me to touch their children and are usually well or have minor illnesses. But I marvel at those nurses who are able to provide care to children who are acutely or chronically ill.

At the beginning of life and through the formative years to young adulthood children are constantly changing and developing. Nurses who care for these young patients understand these developmental stages. Adjustments are made like flashes of lightening to meet their care needs.

Although many would like to believe that neonatal and pediatric nurses primarily care for children with acute health problems, this is not always the case. Many nurses have chosen to provide care to children with chronic and terminal illnesses. These nurses are angels on earth to the children and their families.

These nurses face death every day. They have put aside their own fears and feelings about the end of life and do their best to make the time they spend with a terminally ill child as pleasant and meaningful as possible.

Nurses who choose to care for the terminally ill child must also care for the child’s family. As many nurses know the family’s care can be more complex and demanding that the care of the patient. A special salute and thank you is given for all that you do to support the family during the days when the child is teetering between life and death.

Recently I met up with a neonatal intensive care nurse who is a personal friend. She has been caring for ill newborns for decades and still looks forward to going to work every day. As she explains, caring for these children provides her with the motivation to make each and every day as special as possible. This nurse has devoted her entire life to caring for premature and ill neonates and finds the work satisfying and her “life’s purpose.”

This friend wanted to make sure that I understood something though. She stated that nurses who work with ill neonates and children often experience the stages of death and dying on a daily basis. The nurses are not immune to dire situations and often find themselves crying along with the families while providing care.

When I step back and analyze all of the different opportunities within the profession of nursing I am taken aback by so many nurses who choose to work in difficult situations. Many nurses kick and scream, cry and complain, and take fits about various issues and concerns within the profession however at the end of the day; these nurses would not want to do anything else with their lives.

Nurses who commit to caring for ill neonates and children do so for the love of nursing. They make a decision to provide this level of care and they rarely leave. Maybe this is why specialty care units such as neonatal intensive care areas have the lowest levels of nursing staff turnover in health care organizations.

So as National Nurses Week approaches I want to thank the nurses who have that special amount of compassion and skill to care for the smallest and most vulnerable among us – the children.

Until next week…

Many people may think that nursing is limited to caring for those that are sick or who are unable to care for themselves while recovering from surgery or other illness. With the recent events from the last week I have found myself wondering about the nurses who care for those who are victims of violent crimes – or the individuals who commit the crimes.

I have had only one experience caring for a patient who was identified as being a prisoner from a local jail. This patient had an acute onset of an illness for which the correctional facility was unable to treat so he was transferred to an acute care hospital.

This patient was not physically restrained however a guard was sitting at the bedside during the entire course of the hospitalization. The patient was very pleasant despite being acutely ill and caused no issues with the nursing staff during the hospital stay.

As this patient’s nurse, I found that the crime the patient committed was of no concern to me. I approached the care as I did with every other patient assigned. Reflecting back on that time I realize that I practiced nursing using the utmost of nonjudgmental behavior.

But, what if the patient in the bed is known to have committed heinous crimes? I wonder if I would be able to approach the care of the patient with the same level of nonjudgmental behavior as I have used in the past.

I applaud nurses who care for patients with known criminal records or who are in the process of being tried for crimes. I marvel at their ability to focus only on the patient’s acute care needs and disregard the reasons that might have caused the injuries. These nurses are truly unique individuals.

Then there is an entire genre of nurses who provide care to people who are currently incarcerated. These nurses are categorized as being correctional nurses and they provide care to over 2.3 million adult inmates in state and federal prisons and local jails. While at work these nurses are subjected to the same limits on personal freedoms as the patients to which they provide care. I am not sure that I could work behind locked doors with security guards in attendance.

These nurses deserve a great deal of respect. The environment is potentially threatening to physical harm yet these nurses provide care and extend concern without passing judgment on the reason why the prisoner is in the facility in the first place.

The roles and responsibilities for correctional nurses might not appear different from other nurses in acute care or ambulatory care settings however the expectations may vary. Nurses who work in corrections can belong to the American Correctional Healthcare Association and become certified as corrections nurses.

Whenever there is a situation that affects the community with harm, the first responders are identified as being angels in disguise. I believe that the nurses who care for the victims and those who commit the crimes in acute care facilities deserve recognition as well. Very little light is shed on the expectations for these nurses who are caring for those who have life-threatening and life-changing injuries. And less attention is given to the nurses who care for the people who caused the injuries in the first place.

Even though National Nurses Day is a few weeks away I would like to thank these special nurses now for their fortitude and commitment to the profession; for their ability to provide care in a nonjudgmental manner, and for being bright shining stars in hospitals throughout the country.

Until next week….

This morning I had an interesting conversation with a colleague who lives in Florida. This colleague’s healthcare organization is applying for Magnet status and she is in fear of losing her position. This nurse explained that the reason she went into nursing was to always have a job and now, that is being threatened.

Magnet status is an American Nurses Credentialing Center Recognition Program for hospitals. This program has five Model Components as the primary basis that is used for achieving Magnet recognition, and 14 Forces of Magnetism that make up the foundation of the program.

Two of the Model Components focus on Structural Empowerment and Exemplary Professional Practice. Depending upon the healthcare organization, implementation plans might include having nursing staff achieve specific levels of educational preparation.

This nurse explained that with the plan to achieve Magnet status all nurses who do not have a bachelor’s degree in nursing can lose their jobs. This colleague was not aware of the number of nurses this would impact but stated that nearly half of the nurses who work on her care area could be affected.

I think it would be fair to say that this colleague received her basic diploma in nursing education in a Pennsylvania school of nursing and relocated to Florida for better weather. This colleague did not pursue any additional formal nursing education and believed that the diploma program was sufficient for the staff nurse role.

Our conversation this morning was interesting because this colleague does not want to “have” to return to school to keep a position. I wanted to know why she is so averse to continuing her education and asked her to explain her decision.

This nurse has a negative opinion towards institutions of higher education. She claims that whatever is taught in a school of nursing cannot match what has been learned after working 20 years as a staff nurse. She continued by stating that teachers in schools of nursing today have minimal bedside experience and could not possibly have a clue how to plan and provide patient care.

I found these beliefs and opinions quite strong but continued the conversation – taking the risk that she might hang up on me. I asked if she had considered a bridge program where an RN could achieve a BSN or further education. Many of these programs are available online and could be completed over a course of several years. The structure is more flexible to support the currently employed nurse.

This was not well-received so I thought of another approach. I asked her what she would do if she lost her position. After a few seconds of silence the response was one of resignation – “I don’t know.”

I found this response interesting because if this nurse would have attended additional formal education in nursing she would be able to make a plan. There is a myriad of opportunities for nurses today – many more than existed two decades ago. This nurse thinks that the only skill she has is to provide patient care.

We spent a few additional minutes discussing her experiences with patient care, her skills, and as the conversation ended, she had a rough plan outlined that could be implemented in the event her position is eliminated.

This conversation and others that I’ve had in the recent past has made me realize how many of my colleagues do not take the time to keep up with current events within the healthcare industry. Most everyone has a computer, or access to one through a library, and it is quite easy to find sites where current issues in nursing and healthcare are discussed. Many of these sites have list servers or blogs where other like-minded nurses can discuss issues that are affecting them in their careers.

I also felt quite sad knowing that many experienced nurses might be losing their positions because of a lack of formal education. The nursing profession has not been able to make a firm stand regarding entry into practice and now is at risk of losing a vast amount of knowledge and experience.

Even though there are many positions statements and standards of practice written for nurses, few take the time to study them. And even fewer attempt to practice them. Only time will tell what happens to my colleague in Florida.

Hopefully one day the profession of nursing will make decisions that move the profession forward. It would be so much better if the profession of nursing stepped up as the leader and implemented the changes that are needed within the profession instead of resisting the changes that are being imposed upon us by others.

Until next week…

(MCN Learning has a website where nurses can obtain continuing education hours. Access the website through this link: https://healthcareeducation.mcnlearning.com/. )

Denver – MCN Learning, an internationally-recognized leader in healthcare education, announces the launch of the MCN Learning Healthcare Education Center online. The site includes training topics such as “Bullying in Healthcare” and “Infection Prevention and Control.” A complete list of the courses can be found at healthcareeducation.mcnlearning.com.

“Up to this date, MCN Learning has offered access through its eDept Learning Management System (LMS) courses to healthcare organizations, and not to individuals. However, many independent healthcare professionals who are not affiliated with hospitals or organizations have asked us for access to our extensive course library. This launch makes it possible for healthcare professionals to gain access to high-quality content at an affordable price” said Frank Morello, Vice President of Business Development at MCN Learning.

Registration to the site is free, and healthcare professionals can gain access to courses and continuing education credit opportunities. MCN Learning is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

About MCN Learning
MCN Learning focuses on solutions for use by healthcare professionals on the frontlines of patient care. The MCN Learning Healthcare Product Development Team is comprised of compliance and regulatory experts, training and education specialists and clinical professionals with decades of experience. To learn more about MCN Learning contact us at info@mcnlearning.com. MCN Learning is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

This is the time of year when many high school students are completing their senior year in high school and making plans for attending college or other types of educational organizations. One nursing education colleague was discussing her daughter’s future plans and was extremely upset because the daughter is planning to attend a BSN program for nursing.

The nurse colleague believes that the healthcare industry is deteriorating and that it is not going to remain stable long-term. This colleague also believes that the daughter was influenced by friends and peers and ignored the information that the colleague shared with the daughter about the course of study and employment expectations.

The colleague continued by explaining that nursing has adversely affected her:

• Health
• Finances
• Time spent with her family and children

I asked the colleague to explain each of the reasons further. The colleague states that communicable diseases are rampant in health care organizations and she has personally contracted infections that she would have otherwise not had exposure. Regarding finances, the colleague believes that healthcare organizations pay the workers last after the stock holders receive their dividends and rewards. And lastly, the colleague claims that working variable shifts over the last 2 decades has negatively impacted the influence that she has had on her children’s growth and development.

After listening to this colleague we engaged in a discussion regarding nursing and how it can be improved for the future. I asked if she could identify one thing to change in nursing. Her response was – respect.

This colleague believes that nurses are not respected within healthcare organizations. I find this interesting and reminded her that the general public rank nursing as one of the most respected and honorable professions. That might be so with the general public, she explained, but that belief does not permeate into the health care organizations.

According to this colleague, nurses are expected to:

• Perform tasks that might not be used routinely
• Know every patient’s medical history and medication
• Remain current with disease treatments and medications
• Do whatever no other healthcare employee can or will do
• Vigilantly monitor and report deteriorating patient conditions
• Sacrifice personal time and health to place the needs of the healthcare organization first

This colleague believes that these expectations and behaviors are not expected of other health care professionals and equates these expectations with respect.

I found my colleague’s beliefs and opinions disheartening however they are very common with other nurses. Most staff nurses regret becoming a nurse. And nurses who have furthered their education who are in supportive nursing roles have mixed feelings too.

Since our time together was drawing to a close we spent the remainder of our time discussing options such as attending online education classes to become an expert in one aspect of the profession, or even returning to school to obtain another degree. Even though my colleague seemed less discouraged at the end of our meeting, only time will tell.

Through my experience I’ve learned that it is helpful to occasionally take a step back and reflect on the accomplishments and failures that have occurred through the recent years. Many perform this type of self-reflection at the end of the year whereas others engage in this activity in the spring.

The spring is a time of rebirth and new energy and living things that have been dormant for many months are now becoming alive. This is also a time when I’ve found myself reflecting more on where my journey has brought me and where it might lead in the future.

Even though the profession of nursing has many challenges and issues, it is one that is never boring and provides a plethora of opportunity for those willing to seek them out. I am hopeful that those of us who are discouraged will find renewed hope in the profession and motivation to make positive changes for us all. And this might just begin with the next generation of nurses.

Until next week…

A recent topic on a list server focused on what nurses do when they are faced with extremely stressful and potentially harmful events while at work. The events ranged from being physically attacked by a patient to being at work during an event such as a flood, hurricane, or tornado. Just reading the comments made by other nurses and their responses caused me to reflect on a traumatic event that I experienced when practicing as a nurse…

Having one day of charge nurse experience under my belt I was assigned to be in charge of a 42 patient neurology-medicine unit. There were several RNs and LPNs scheduled to work along with nursing assistants. The evening was moving along nicely and care was provided to all patients without issue. It wasn’t until the nursing assistants were making their first rounds at 11:30 pm on the night shift that things deteriorated….

A patient near the door in a room at the end of the unit had decided that the change of shift was the perfect time to commit suicide by hanging himself with his pants’ belt on the upper door jamb of the main room door. A guest chair was used to prepare the noose and was found kicked out from under the patient’s feet. A model of the plan was found on the patient’s bedside table, made with a piece of cardboard and a string. A single handwritten note was beside the model which stated “I can’t afford to pay for this care.”

Since I was in charge, the spotlight was shining ever so brightly on my head and what had transpired during the shift. The nurse assigned to the patient had given change of shift report first and had already left the unit before the nursing assistants found the patient. And, since this was before the days of cell phones, she was not able to be reached for hours.

And if this wasn’t sad enough, the patient’s roommate witnessed the entire event. The roommate had the diagnosis of ALS and was essentially paralyzed but cognitively aware of everything that was going on.

I had participated in cardiac and respiratory arrests as a staff nurse many times prior to this event but nothing could have prepared me for what was to come from this patient’s suicide. No one’s nurses’ scissors could even cut through the belt that the patient had used. Another patient across the hall walked into the area and gave us her pinking shears that she had to work on needle work while hospitalized. By this time the goal to get the patient down from the noose was becoming a community event…

After all of the staff finally was able to get the patient down from the noose to the bed the arrest team – comprised of the resident, intern, and emergency room physicians arrived. All of the usual resuscitation efforts were used but without success.

This was not an ordinary death within a hospital. This was a patient who decided to take his own life and every one of the nursing and medical staff “missed” the signs. The rest of the events that occurred included waiting for the coroner to arrive, complete a police and a handful of occurrence reports, and then wait to perform the hardest task of all – notify the family of the patient’s death.

I recall walking home from work at 4 am – in a fog. There was no sleep that night and I even called a family member who stayed up and talked with me until the sun came up. I had to return to work by 3 pm that next day and had no idea how I was even going to function.

As I was entering my unit that next day the volume of people in suits and clipboards was overwhelming. The nurse manager had decided to hold a debriefing session for all staff members and they were concluding with the day shift, in anticipation for those of us arriving by 3 pm.

I still have no idea why the day shift was debriefed about the situation considering this event occurred at 11:30 pm. And I didn’t want an audience of people who were not even involved to listen to what had occurred. Employee Assistance Programs didn’t exist at this time and to this day I have never discussed how this event has impacted me or my ability to provide patient care. Until now…

So as I read the stories, comments, and feelings from my nurse colleagues about their most traumatic patient care event, I found that I was not alone. I learned that many nurses have experienced situations where they also felt unsupported but surrounded by some who just wanted to hear the gory details.

Some of these nurses on the list server are questioning their ability to continue to provide patient care while others have made the decision to leave the profession entirely. One overwhelming agreement though by those commenting was the lack of support by the employing organization to help nurses process and address feelings caused by the event. I also agree.

Every day nurses get up, get dressed, and go to work to care for those who are not able to care for themselves. Some of these nurses continue to function without taking the time to consider their own feelings and traumatic events and how these events might influence their own mental health.

Others might even decide to bury the horrible events inside and never permit them to see the light of day for fear of what they might reveal until they have an opportunity as an anonymous person to share their experience like I did with the list server nurses. Whatever the case I found myself surrounded by colleagues in various stages of recovery.

As with many issues and situations in nursing there is no right or wrong answer. This is just no way to plan for some situations or events, no matter how hard we try. I plan to reconnect with this group periodically to learn how everyone is working through their self-recovery plan. In the meantime I’ll reflect on my own experience and be thankful to finally have other nurses willing to talk about theirs.

Until next week…

Recently I came a across an article with the title “Most Nurses Say Their Hospital is Not Safe.” I could not believe this title since so many hospitals have extensive safety programs in place. I needed to read through the article to see what exactly most nurses are finding unsafe about their hospitals and I needed to learn the definition of “most.”

Well, the first sentence of the article states that a survey was conducted with 500 nurses in the US, 200 nurses in Britain, and 200 nurses in China. Well, the total number of registered nurses in the US is 3.1 million. The article states that 41% of the sample size believes their hospital is not safe. That percentage might be significant to the study sample size but it is hardly significant when compared to the total number of practicing nurses. And actually, this study was conducted using 0.16% of the total number of nurses in the US.

Another issue I have with just the first sentence of the article concerns the lumping of the survey findings with nurses from Britain and China. Britain has 400,000 registered nurses and China has 2.24 million. If 200 nurses in Britain participated in the study then 82 or 41% of them believe their hospital is unsafe. This number translates into 0.02% of the total nurse population of Britain.

The finding is even more miniscule for the nurses from China. Since only 200 participated in the study and 82 found their hospitals unsafe, this number translates into 0.0036% believing their hospitals have safety issues.

Many might ask what my point is with all of these numbers and statistics. The point here is that titles of articles and results of studies can be misleading. Articles such as these are being placed on the internet to be accessed by both healthcare and non-healthcare professionals. When a study such as this has a title making such a severe claim, the response can be overwhelming and potentially detrimental to a healthcare organization.

I continued reading through the article to find out what was so unsafe about the hospitals. As it turns out the real issue is not the lack of safety practices in the hospitals but rather what impacts safety. The findings from this survey state that because reported errors are being treated as punishment this has an untoward effect on the overall safety of the hospital.

If I had just skimmed the title and the first few sentences I would have come to the conclusion that most nurses in the US think their hospitals are not safe and I would strive to stay out of them as much as possible. After reading through the article though I have a different opinion which is because of the way errors are addressed, they are not being reported. This contributes to an unsafe environment in the hospital setting.

This article continues with more statistics about the percentage of nurses who believe that the culture of the hospital should support reporting of errors in a non-punitive manner and that the reasons for non-reporting are fear of punishment. After reading this article I am still amazed over the miscommunication that could occur simply from the title of this article. The title minimized the real issue behind the nurses’ belief of an unsafe environment and should have been more representative of the content.

This type of miscommunication is rampant in all areas of the media today. There is a tendency to sensationalize the most menial of information in order to cause an emotional response in whoever is reading the information.

The only reason that I can fathom as to why this title was used would be to place fear in the hearts of everyone who reads the title. Using logic – since nursing is viewed as one of the most respected professions in the United States, and if most nurses believe hospitals are unsafe – then we have to believe the nurses that most hospitals are unsafe.

If this type of sensationalism is being used on minor studies such as the one reported in this article just imagine the magnitude of sensationalism that is being used by the media on more important aspects of the health care industry.

The title of this article just proves that a person cannot always believe what they read.

Until next week…