i'm a nurse. er -- was a nurse. i struggled long and hard with the many many stressors and burdens one takes on when one undertakes to become a nurse.
and in the midst of it all i found that this ... this is not for me. and for so many i have met. many an bright and shining light has walked thru the doors into nursing school only to find themselves so disillusioned and despaired by all the suffering and the huge burden of responsibility.
it is staggering, sara. staggering. you likely felt an inkling of this as you endured jjs illness and treatments along side him. but ... there is nothing like having the power to take someone's life your grasp. i mean - if a nurse makes a mistake it could mean a life lost. that is such a burden to bear, and one for which school does not prepare you.
also staggering is the soul crushing sorrow, and pain that nurses witness. but ... i'm not saying all this to scare you. just to give you a glimpse of what practice is like for a nurse. once you've witnessed the suffering, and death of a human you are never the same.
its the most privileged and awstruck i have ever felt. and i wish it for you. and i wish for you all the strength of spirit and heart and soul and pysche you will need to continue your journey into nursing.
and most of all, sara, i wish for you a steely strength of your convictions. you will meet darkness and see things that disturb you. remember always that a nurse's duty lies with her patient's well being first and foremost. and that is sometimes hardest of all.
good luck as you walk this journey. its is most rewarding and most sorrow-filled at the same time.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
dear Sara ~ letter to a nursing student
Thursday, September 28, 2006Tags: letters, nursing, personal, stress, Thoughtful
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This means challenging my self to compassionate, encouraging, genuine and hostile-free exchanges. It also means contemplating my reaction to the thoughts, feelings and expressions of others, prior to acting upon them. 
