Does Storytelling Really Have a Place in Nursing?

Stories are fine for kids when they’re growing up, but does storytelling have a place in a professional occupation like nursing?  Well, I would argue that stories not only have a place, but can be a very powerful tool if used correctly.

A little while ago, I wrote an article about this very topic called The Power of Storytelling in Nursing.  So as not to beat a dead horse, here’s a little excerpt from that post: 

“Stories can be more than just entertainment.  How many of us have learned courage from a little hobbit, love from Shakespeare or friendship from The Secret Garden?  Stories are powerful and they can play an important role in teaching medical concepts.

That’s what inspired the creation of Nurseables.  Amidst the daunting onslaught of information that nursing school throws your way, it’s sometimes hard to stay afloat.  Experiencing the moment, learning from other’s experiences, learning from your own mistakes and teaching others what you have learned all make information easier to remember and comprehend.  The idea with Nurseables is to give tired nursing brains a break by illustrating medical concepts in a story format.  Sure, the tales can be entertaining, but they also help remind, teach and describe some of the amazing phenomenon that occur in the body.  Some in the nursing education community are even adopting the idea of storytelling by encouraging their students to write blogs or keep journals about their experiences.”

But I’m not alone.  Here are some others that think storytelling is an essential tool in our profession.

Coach Scala at Living Sublime Wellness argues that stories are an incredible means of motivation and emotional engagement.  

·         The Secret to Empowering the Self: How Storytelling Connects Emotions

Jo, RN of the Head Nurse blog talks about how she made the decision to share her personal struggles with cancer when connecting with her patients.

·         Should Nurses Share their own Health Stories with Patients?

And Brittney Wilson of The Nurdy Nurse brings this topic to a whole new level by encouraging the use of blogging and storytelling as a means to improve the nursing profession as a whole.

·         Can Nurses Use Blogging and Storytelling to Improve the Nursing Profession?

Now, if you’re saying to yourself - Ok, I get it, storytelling can be a wonderful tool, but…. I’m really, really, REALLY not very good at that whole storytelling thing… Well then, never fear!  Joyce over at International Nurse Support has just the article for you.  She provides some valuable advice to help you learn how to conquer that skill and become a better nurse because of it.

·         5 Tips to Help you Master the Art of Storytelling in Nursing

Want to see these concepts in action? 

Zach G at NurseJournal.org threw together some inspiring videos from various motivational leaders for your enjoyment. 

·         7 Awesome TED Talks to Inspire Nurses

Or you can check out the story that was the inspiration behind starting the Nurseables blog:

·         The Wolf’s Very Bad Day: A Tale of Common CHFSymptoms

And that’s all for now folks!  What do you think?  Can stories really help people?  Does storytelling have a place in the realm of nursing?  Look forward to hearing from you!

This post is a collective effort of nurse bloggers as part of the Scrubs Mag Blog Carnival. If you are interested in participating find out more details and sign up here.

Jekyll and Hyde Nursing: The Tale of Two Lives Raveled Up into One Nurse

Barreling through the door, she yelled: “I’m sorry! I know I’m late!! I’m here… just give me 2 minutes and I’ll be ready in no time!”

The house was unusually quiet. No response. Her dogs didn’t even come to the door, wagging their tails to greet her. Where was everyone?

Tonight was the ‘big’ party. It was her husband’s family reunion and she had rushed home from work… after staying overtime, yet again. Driving home her mind racing, trying to get her husband on the phone, she felt frantic. She KNEW she could make it. But she also knew she’d be late again.

Taking a moment to walk around her home, she realized- they’re gone. No one is here. A wave of doom rushed over her. Did they leave without me? I can’t believe this! Oh, I’m in trouble now…

Her husband’s family lived hours away. There was no way she could drive there now. Let me call my husband, she thought. Maybe they just went out for a walk. There’s no way they left with out me.

Dialing and redialing again and again, when she finally got him on the line he was cold, curt. He simply stated: “You were late. Again. I’m sick of this. We’re almost there. Don’t bother coming.” Click.

Sobbing, she threw herself down on the bed. This job is killing me, she thought. It’s ruining my life, my relationships, my health; it’s eating away at me. I am always sick. I’m constantly tired. I can’t take this anymore.

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About 12 hours later bouncing into work she happily sung, “Good-Morning!” Greeting co-workers and patients with a brilliant smile, “How is everybody? What a gorgeous day!”

Working along with a grin on her face, a helpful hand wherever it was needed, and words of caring love she hustled through her day. (Now anyone reading this might be asking: “What happened to the girl from last night? How did she recover? I’m shocked that she’s so chipper today! What happened??”).

Believe me… she’s wondering that too.

Here’s what happened. After speaking with her husband she went into a rage. Throwing items from her packed suitcase, she cursed and screamed and yelled. Then she realized, ‘Well… if I’m not going to the party… I can work that hole they were trying to fill.’

After hanging up with the night shift charge nurse she burst into tears, again. Sobbing hysterically, she cried herself to sleep. The night was restless as she dreamed, tossed, and turned.

She got up about 30 minutes before she had to be at work, raced through a shower, and sped into work. As she started to walk towards her workplace she psyched herself up… yet again. “You CAN do this.”

Throwing a smile on her face, standing up tall, and telling herself another white lie she walked into work.

But her inner self, her true sense of being, knew differently. What she struggled with this day wasn’t anything new. She had been leading a double life… for years.

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Fast forward to present day and this nurse no longer works at the bedside. In fact, she was forced to leave her job. She had to take a year to gather her up, take a break, care for the one person she neglected for a long, long time: herself.

I’m sure there are nurses out there who are leading a double life, feeling the Jekyll and Hyde of it all. I’m sure there are nurses out there trying to keep the home life together, burning bridges as they go. I bet I’m not alone in how I felt for all of those years: torn inside and out.

On one hand I was this ‘great’ nurse. I excelled rapidly up the clinical ladder. I was a leader on the unit. I sat on multiple committees, led departmental projects, and travelled both nationally and internationally to give poster presentations.

When you ‘looked’ at me: I appeared healthy. Thin, smiling, dressed in a clean, professional way. I was polite and kind, always willing to help out and pitch in. A real team player.

But what they didn’t know was that my home life was a wreck. My social life was non-existent. I had no coping skills and cried all of the time. I felt angry, bitter, and resentful. I was miserable.

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Nursing is tough. We care for our patients; we take pride in our work. We want to do it all. The professionalism in us can also lead to our downfall, if we’re not careful and protective of our boundaries.

Since that year off, I’ve made major changes in my life. I schedule my time in first. I drink water all day long; I eat healthy. I make it a deliberate point to get at least seven hours a sleep each night. I practice self-care and cope with change, stress, and emotions. I journal, meditate, practice Yoga, and share Reiki. My priorities have shifted and I no longer live a double life.

Yet I know the Jekyll and Hyde still exists since I still see it almost every day.

I work (part-time now) at the hospital that I left. I interact with nurses in different ways - sharing Reiki with them once a month, teaching Reiki I as a means to self-care, listening, talking, and offering support in a variety of ways. I don’t want any nurse to have to go through what I suffered. And so I’ve dedicated my work to a solution.

Among the many fun and energizing things I get to do with nurses, I also am honored to host a virtual conference that’s all about filling ourselves up. We give to so many people; it’s time we give a little to ourselves!

The RejuveNation Collaboration is my ‘baby’. I host this event each year and welcome hundreds of nurses to participate. The community is supportive, welcoming, and totally energizing. We share a variety of webinar workshops, each diverse in topic, but each the same in one truth: take care of ourselves first so we can best take care of our patients.

It’s a safe space to take a break, be yourself, and have some fun. I invite you to join us this fall. Our new fresh focus for this Collaboration is on the theme: ‘Get Out of Your Own Way!’ The nine unique presenters will share with you easy and quick strategies on de-cluttering, up-leveling, and reclaiming your life. I’m really looking forward to this event and I hope you will too. Go ahead and visit the registration page and see what you think. We’d love to have you!

Thank you so much for the work you do each day as a dedicated and passionate nurse. Now it’s time to feel comfortable and confident you can have it all. You can care as a nurse while caring for yourself first. I hold that belief for each and every one of us out there.

About Elizabeth Scala:

Elizabeth “Coach” Scala, MSN/MBA, RN, is beyond passionate about helping healthcare professionals, nurses in particular, to embody holistic living and embrace self-care. Through her business, Living Sublime Wellness, Elizabeth writes regularly on the topic of self-care, conducts wellness workshops, and offer both in-person and online seminars for busy nurses. Elizabeth is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach and a Reiki Master Teacher. Originally from Carmel, NY, she now lives in the Baltimore area with her husband and two dogs. Elizabeth is super excited about the RejuveNation Collaboration and can’t wait to meet and get to know each and every one of you. So, if you haven’t done so yet, go ahead and sign up today.  You won’t regret it!

Nurse Snow and her Seven Patients: Thoughts on Therapeutic Communication

                Once upon a time, on a hospital floor far, far away, there worked a young nurse named Snow.  Now Snow was just like any other nurse, working hard to provide the best care she could for the patients in her charge, but she had a little problem… no matter what she did, one of the clients in her care just wouldn’t smile.  In fact, if anything, he was just being down-right grumpy!  After catching up with all her work and checking to make sure her patients had all they needed, Snow did something that rarely happens outside of storybook land… she sat down.  But when she sat, she let out a long, frustrated sigh and plopped her head down into her hands.    

Just as she did, the charge nurse came up beside her and decided it would be prudent to see what could be done to cheer the novice nursling.  “Oh Snow, whatever is the matter?  You’re always so happy to be working on the floor, whistling while you work and seeming to dance along.  It’s just so strange to see you so down, what happened?” she inquired.

“Oh I can’t complain Mother Goose, all of my patients have been just wonderful to me… for the most part that is,” Snow replied as she let out another long sigh.

“Well, how about you give me a little report about them then.”

 “Ok, let’s see, there’s Mr. Achoo in room 3 that came in just sneezing and sneezing away, but now that I’ve got him set up with some allergy medication and a big box of tissues, he’s doing as well as his raw nose will let him.  Then, there’s my funny little gentleman in room 6 that acts a little dopey, but he’s really been the sweetest patient that I’ve had the pleasure to work with.  Oh, and there’s room 4 who’s a bit modest and room 2 who’s always looking up more information about his condition, but once I assured them that I’ll protect their privacy and answer their medical questions as best as I can, they both opened right up.  And there’s room 1 who’s always sleeping and room 5 who’s just pure smiles and laughter!  Who could ask for better patients?”

“But…”

“But… even though all my other patients have been such a joy to care for, I just can’t seem to accept the fact that room 7 doesn’t like me.”

“What makes you say that Snow.”

“Well, no matter what I do, he just sits in his room being cantankerous and sullen.  It’s like he just wants me to give him his medications and leave him alone, but I can’t do that.  I want to help!”

“Oh Snow, you should know by now that you can’t please everyone!”

“Yes, I know that, but it was the way he got that way that bothers me.  When I first went into his room, I introduced myself and started my normal assessment process.  As I went along, I asked him a few questions about his life, hoping to put him at ease and to develop a good working relationship with him.  Well… he answered a few of them, but then he turned the tables on me and started asking about whether I was married and how many kids I have!  Not that I have anything to hide, but I always learned in nursing school that it’s important to keep boundaries in the nurse-patient relationship, so I turned the conversation right back around to him without really answering his questions.”

“Ah, so then he shut down on you?”

“Yes, that’s about the time he started getting really cross with me.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have any more time to sit there and try to mend the drawbridges that I’d somehow burned.  So, I finished up my work and rushed off to take care of my six other patients in the castle ward.  Oh Mother Goose, what should I have done differently?”

“You ask that age old question Snow, how do you set up professional, yet caring, boundaries in a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship?  That’s a topic that’s filled multiple books and been the focus of many a study.  I’ll give you a few of those resources so that you can learn from people far wiser than I about preparing for your future interactions, but here’s a little tip I’ve learned.  Don’t be afraid to share a little bit about yourself as long as you’re being safe and not giving out personal information like where you live and such.  Part of your job is to establish trust with your patients and that’s hard to do when you’re avoiding their questions.  Just make sure to examine your motives behind what you share.  Are you sharing to fulfill your own need to be understood, or are you sharing to put your patient at ease and to communicate effectively?”

“So, it’s ok to share as long as I use that to put them more at ease?  Then they’ll be more interested in sharing with me in the future when I redirect to help them?”

“Yes, it’s ok.  Just remember when you start down that path that boundaries are important for a reason.  If you get too close or share too much, it could be detrimental to both you and your patient.  There’s a fine balance that takes a lot of practice, but with time you should be able to get the hang of it.”

               

“Oh thank you so much for your advice Mother Goose!  I’m so excited that there’s hope and I don’t have to be so distant from my patients in order to take good care of them!  High ho, high ho, it’s off to work I go…” and off she went to try her hand once again at therapeutically communicating with Mr. Grumpy in room 7, but this time with a little more understanding and preparation.

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As nurses, we ask our patients all sorts of personal questions not only to develop a professional relationship with them, but also because it’s an important aspect of coordinating their care.  Not only that, but we hold their physical well-being in our hands and demonstrate that as we assess them and provide them with their prescribed treatment.  So, it’s only natural that our patients try to learn a little more about the people who are providing such important care, not only to relieve some of the discomfort, but also to feel reassured that their provider is human and cares.  However, while trying to maintain professional boundaries in the nurse-patient relationship, it seems like some nurses err on the side of remaining very distant from their patients rather than developing a strong relationship with them.  While we want to provide patient-centered care, it can sometimes be very difficult to create that therapeutic nurse-patient relationship.

Now, there are very good reasons for establishing strong boundaries and enforcing them.  I’m not advocating that we should throw those out the window, I’m just saying that in the nurse’s effort to find the right balance, many patients have had a hard time connecting with and trusting their healthcare providers.  I love the description of a therapeutic relationship that Nursing Made Incredibly Easy gives and it’s worth quoting: “A therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is defined as a helping relationship that's based on mutual trust and respect, the nurturing of faith and hope, being sensitive to self and others, and assisting with the gratification of your patient's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs through your knowledge and skill.”  How can you develop mutual trust and respect or be sensitive to your patients if you don’t connect with them?

Image via National Council of State Boards of Nursing

So nurses, don’t be afraid to share some information about yourself in order to foster that therapeutic relationship.  Of course, when you do, be safe with what you share and remember to keep in mind that the motive behind doing so is for the patient’s good, not to fulfill your own personal needs.  Just remember, your patients want to trust that you’re looking out for their best interest.  Distance yourself too much and they might feel that you’re not trustworthy or that you don’t really care about them.  Show them that you’re not just interested in checking off a box on your to do list, and you might just be surprised by the healthy impact that you can have on their lives.

P.S.  To all the patients and families that have touched our hearts out there, thank you for giving us the honor of taking care of you in your most vulnerable times.

What do you think?  Do you agree that you have to share a little bit of yourself to develop trust with people? Have you ever had a hard time communicating therapeutically with your patients? 

  

Medical Morales to Remember:

• According to Nursing Made Incredibly Easy, “A therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is defined as a helping relationship that's based on mutual trust and respect, the nurturing of faith and hope, being sensitive to self and others, and assisting with the gratification of your patient's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs through your knowledge and skill.” 
• Don’t be afraid to share some details about your own life to put your patient and their family at ease, but use it as a way to develop a therapeutic relationship and conversation for your patients.
• Make sure that the “nurse-client relationship and nursing strategies are developed for the purpose of promoting the health and well-being of the client and not to meet the needs of the nurse” - College of Nurses of Ontario 

Additional Resources:

• Nursing Made Incredibly Easy - Fostering Therapeutic Nurse-Patient Relationships
• College of Registered Nurses of Brittish Columbia - Boundaries in the Nurse-Client Relationship
• College of Nurses of Ontario: Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship - Great chart about appropriately establishing boundaries in your nurse-patient relationships
• NCSBN - A Nurse's Guide to Professional Boundaries
• Nurseables is excited to be a part of the Scrubs Magazine Blog Carnival for Nurses!  Check out the Scrubs Blog Carnival post: Nurturing the Age Old Issue of Nurse Relationships for some more great articles about this topic from nursing bloggers.  Also, special thanks to Scrubs Magazine, Brittney Wilson of The NerdyNurse, and Joyce Harrell of NursesOnTheEdge.com for including Nurseables in the carnival!

Entering the TwiNurse Zone: What Happens When Nurse Turns Patient?

Do not attempt to adjust your computer screen, we have taken control… You are now traveling through another dimension of healthcare, a dimension not of passing meds and cleaning bed pans, but of the mind; a journey into a bewildering land of your own medical care. Next stop, the TwiNurse Zone! 

Do nurses really make the worst patients?  What happens when we’re on the other side of the bed and receiving rather than giving care?   Well, we can’t speak for everyone because there are so many different personalities and cultures in nursing that it’s unfair to generalize about all nurses; however, from what we have seen, it’s a very different feeling being on the other side… 

Consider Nurse Able, once an able bodied nurse capable of tackling everything that the medical world could throw at her, but now she finds that she herself has become… the patient.  Will her medical training really make her experience better, or will she find that her greatest challenge is not one of the body, but of the mind…  Come with us as we explore some of the common myths about nurses on the other side of the bed through Nurse Able’s journey into the TwiNurse Zone.

Myth #1 – Knowing everything will make it better

“Does my nursing expertise make everything better? Ha, sometimes it seems like it just makes everything worse!  No sooner do I feel a slight twinge in my mid back than I think I have a kidney infection.  Or, I have a side ache in my RLQ and I start checking for rebound tenderness just to make sure I’m not having an attack of appendicitis.  I even once had a doctor tell me to stop examining myself when I was describing the symptoms I was having!  So, yes it’s nice to understand all the medical jargon and how the medical world works, but sometimes it’s just more nerve wracking knowing all the possible things that could be going wrong.  It’s times like that when I have to remind myself that God’s ultimately in charge and that I need to trust His plan for my life, even if I do end up with a massive kidney infection that leads to multi-organ failure that leads to being stuck on dialysis for the rest of my life. (Exaggerated, I know… but once you’ve seen some of the strange things that people go through, you’ll never be the same).”

Myth #2 - You understand everything that the doctor is saying

“Understand everything?  Not quite… When I’m with a patient as a nurse, I can understand where the doctor is coming from and what they’re trying to explain.  But, for some reason, when it comes to my own body or that of my family, all reason, training and logic seem to fly out the window.  Sometimes, I just go senseless; suddenly I have no idea how to take care of myself or of my family.  

“Half the time, I debate about whether or not to share that I’m a nurse because I really wish they’d just explain everything as if I didn’t know anything!  But, then again, I want the more in depth explanation because it’s my body, so I need to know exactly how everything works.  It’s hard, but at times like that, I’ve realized that I just need to swallow my pride and admit that no, in fact, I don’t know everything there is to know about medicine.  Things are just different on the other side of the bed, especially when you are receiving treatment in an area that is not your specialty.”

Myth #3 - You’re always judging the actions of other healthcare professionals

“Judging?  That’s just a harsh term, but I guess I understand a little where that one came from.  Since I’m a nurse, I know there’s a reason that certain things are done the way they are, and I need to stand up for myself or my family if things are not being done correctly.  I try to keep my mouth shut out of respect and understanding that some people practice differently, but when someone is endangering my health by not being careful or performing a test incorrectly (which might mess up the results that the doctor is looking for…), I speak up. 

“It’s not about wanting to feel superior, but about wanting to make sure things are done right.  If you don’t know how things are supposed to be done, then you don’t know to question.  But I’ve had nurses as patients and they have made me feel incredibly nervous.  Just inserting an IV, I’m praying that I get it right away so that I don’t have to make them feel any worse!  So, yes, in a way I’m watching what is done, but I’m also trying to go about it with an understanding of what it’s like to be the nurse performing the care.”

Myth #4 - Advocating for yourself should be a breeze

“Well, yes and no.  I have cringed about calling the doctor many times regarding issues with my own body because I don’t want to bother them unless it’s absolutely necessary.  As a patient, I really tried not to bother the staff, and I almost even felt guilty to press my call light for help!  After all, I’m one of those who will heplock my own IV or apply pressure to my own arterial bleed if you give me half a chance!  However, it does help to have a medical background because you have a better understanding of the seriousness of different concerns and when it really is important to stand up for yourself or your family member.”

Nurse Able, an able bodied nurse who experienced the disabling effects disease can have on the nursing mindset.  Nurse Able, a wise professional who took the experience of being a patient to look closely at the life on the other side of the bed in the TwiNurse Zone.

Medical Morals to Remember –

·         When teaching a nurse, perhaps start by asking them what they know first instead of assuming that they understand everything that’s going on with them.  Then, adjust your teaching plan from there.

·         When you’re the patient, treat your nurses with understanding, but don’t be afraid to bother them if you need help or have a question about the treatment you’re receiving.

·         Consider having someone else at your side to help you advocate for yourself and to ask the questions that need to be asked.

·         Give 100% of your patience, kindness and passion to everyone in your care, whether nurse or not, because you never know when it will be you or your family member on the other side of the bed.

  

Have you ever been there?  Do nurses really make the worst patients?  What morals have you learned from your experiences either taking care of nurses or being the patient?

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, How Do Your Nurses Grow?

“Why, with silver call bells and bedpan shells, and electronic medical records all in a row…”

“Oh, but Contrary Mary, you know as well as I that there’s no such thing as an easy button in the realm of nursing!  Tell me truly, how do your nurses grow?” the eager seedling continued to probe.

“Ok, ok, perhaps there is a bit more to it...  So you want to know how to grow from a little sprout of a new grad into the beautiful petals of a professional nurse?  And not just a nurse with a few years under her belt, but a radiant, experienced nurse?  Come here and listen close.  There might not be any enchanted call bells or magical bed pans to get you through the day, but I’ll tell you just a few tricks of the trade to help you blossom into a stunningly talented and exceptional nurse.

Rich Soil of Learning

                First thing’s first, in order to grow, you must be in a soil that’s rich with the nutrients of learning. 

As a new grad sprout, you’ve got all the learning in the world stuffed into your leaves from nursing school, but it’s hard to remember it all.  With the passage of time, you gain new experiences and put that knowledge into practice.  However, even with more years under your belt, a nurse must continue to study to keep their skills and talents growing strong.  You must always be learning to be a strong, radiant nurse because, even if you think you’ve experienced and learned it all, medicine is constantly evolving and new research is coming out constantly.

                Now, how do you keep your soil rich?  My young sprout, enrich your nursing career by taking advantage of opportunities for advanced certification, by teaching your patients and nursing students the knowledge you’ve gained, by participating in stimulating professional organizations and taking leadership roles in your area of expertise and participating in nursing councils, by getting involved in new areas of nursing and by taking continuing education classes.  There are so many opportunities young sprout, even as you grow in your career.  Just remember, continue to enrich your soil with learning so that you’ll stretch out into a talented, experienced nurse.

Cool Water of Experience

                What’s learning without putting it into practice?  In order to grow and evolve as a nurse, you must water your career with a good dose of experience.  Not too much now or else you’ll flood your poor roots to the point of burnout, but not too little or else you’ll starve your petals.  Take advantage of different opportunities in order to learn through the lens of experience my young sprout, but remember to take care of yourself in the process too.

Bright Sunlight Reflection and Understanding

                Now, even with all the good nutrient-rich soil and water in the world, a flower cannot bloom without the sunlight of self-reflection and understanding.  As McHugh and Lake (2010) described regarding Benner’s theory about clinical expertise, “Expert nurses recognize unexpected clinical responses and can alert others to potential problems before they occur. Experts have an intuitive grasp of whole situations and are able to accurately diagnose and respond without wasteful consideration of ineffective possibilities.”  By looking at the intersection of learning and experiences with a good dose of reflection, understanding and intuition develop.  So take the time, young sprout, to reflect on the experiences that you undergo as a nurse.  Ask questions and seek answers so that you can learn what the best course of action would be in different situations and so that you’ll provide the best quality of care you can to those left in your charge.

                But beware the bugs and weeds that may come along such as burnout, nurse bullying, and fatigue.  If you’re not careful, they can eat away at your core and cause your beauty to shrivel up.  A nurse without compassion, patience and a good work ethic is like a rosebush without roses, left with just its prickly thorns poking out.

Characteristics of an Experienced Nurse

         Now, do you want to know what this elusive flower, this mysterious beauty in a garden of nurses, looks like?  Do you know what characterizes an excellent nurse?    In the words of nurses wiser than I, an experienced nurse:

• Recognizes their need to be constantly learning
• Knows their limitations and is not afraid to say I don’t know, let me look into it
• Is less likely to get aggravated quickly
• Has confidence, or appears confident even if they don’t feel that way
• Knows what they are doing, willing to work hard and able to negotiate the emotional and interpersonal issues that confront professionals and patients alike while maintaining proper boundaries
• Is someone with empathy, patience, good communication skills and is hard working
• Takes personal responsibility for their work and sees nursing as more than just a job, but something that they believe in and take pride in
• Knows when and how to advocate best for their patients and families
•  Looks at the whole picture of what is going on in their patient’s life to coordinate care that will leave a lasting impact

              But don’t just take it from me young sprout.  There are many ways to learn and grow as a nurse so don’t stop here.  May your soil be rich with learning, your water be just the right amount of experience, and your sunlight be full of understanding.”

Additional Resources: 

• Nurseables is excited to be a part of the Scrubs Magazine Blog Carnival for Nurses!  Check out the Scrubs Blog Carnival post at www.evolvingrn.com for some great articles from nurse bloggers about Evolving as a Nurse.
• Thank you to Scrubs Magazine and Brittney Wilson of The Nerdy Nurse for including Nurseables in the carnival!
• Nurse Together - Principles All Great Nurses Follow
• Nurse Together - 5 Things That Make A Good Nurse Great
• Understanding Clinical Expertise: Nurse Education, Experience and the Hospital Context
• Soliant Health - Top 10 Traits Every Nurse Should Have
• Scrubs Magazine - Top 10 Qualities of a Great Nurse

Thank you to everyone who helped to describe the essence of an experienced nurse.  Couldn’t have done it without all of your expert contributions!

Do you have anything to add to Mary's advice?  What other characteristics do experienced nurses have?  Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts!

Celebrating Creativity: I am a Nurse

Sometimes you stumble across things that truly speak to your heart and this poem is just one of those things.  As Barbara said, nursing “binds” to your very soul and once it’s a part of you, it never lets you go.  Sure, we might transition into different roles in our careers or into new stages of life, but the precious experience of caring for people when they needed us most is what knits us all together.  We have had the privilege of taking care of people at their most vulnerable times.  We have had the joy of having them impact our lives, so that we’ll never be the same.  Once a nurse, always a nurse. 

Enjoy this beautiful and heartfelt poem rendered by Barbara Psencik

Background image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Do you have a story, poem or tale that you would like to share?  Nurseables would love to celebrate your creativity too!  Just send an e-mail over to NurseablesRN@gmail.com for more information.

The Power of Storytelling in Nursing

Whew, has it been busy around here!  Thank you for your patience with the storytelling lull this past week!  With packing up all our belongings, moving to a brand new area, unpacking enough to get by and celebrating our wedding anniversary, finding time to dedicate towards creating new stories was rather difficult… not to mention how easily distracted you can get when sitting in a room full of boxes that need to be unpacked!  But never fear, more Nurseables tales are in the making, so you won’t have to wait for long.

In the few spare moments I did find, I took to the time to reflect on why stories are such a effective tool in the first place.    With the ability to capture imagination, pique the interest and illustrate important lessons, storytelling is a powerful art form.  It has been used throughout the years to preserve the history of nations and families.  It has empowered people to action and taken people through the depths of human experiences.

We've all been there.  Have you ever experienced a sense of sadness as you drew near the end of a good story because it’s almost like saying goodbye to a good friend?  Or looked forward to a sequel if only to see you beloved characters once again?  Has a story of overcoming a struggle ever pierced your heard and brought tears to your eyes? 

Stories can be more than just entertainment.  How many of us have learned courage from a little hobbit, love from Shakespeare or friendship from The Secret Garden?  Stories are powerful and they can play an important role in teaching medical concepts.

That’s what inspired the creation of Nurseables.  Amidst the daunting onslaught of information that nursing school throws your way, it’s sometimes hard to stay afloat.  Experiencing the moment, learning from other’s experiences, learning from your own mistakes and teaching others what you have learned all make information easier to remember and comprehend.  The idea with Nurseables is to give tired nursing brains a break by illustrating medical concepts in a story format.  Sure, the tales can be entertaining, but they also help remind, teach and describe some of the amazing phenomenon that occur in the body.  Some in the nursing education community are even adopting the idea of storytelling by encouraging their students to write blogs or keep journals about their experiences. 

But it doesn’t end there…  Stories can be told to our patients too to help make medicine a little easier to comprehend.  A hospital in Brazil has the right idea.  Empowering kids to understand and take part in their fight against cancer, a hospital teamed up with comics to help kids understand chemotherapy better through comic book heroes.  Now, kids receive their “superformula” treatment with enthusiasm, understanding that it will help to make them better in the long run even if it doesn’t make them feel great right away.   

For a heart touching story of a hospital that has the right idea when it comes to teaching about complex medical concepts, watch the following video:

Medical Morales to Remember:

• Storytelling has a place in nursing and patient education.  Whether that’s talking about your own experiences, those you’ve helped others go through, or a creative illustration of a medical concept, stories are a powerful vehicle of communication

Additional Resources:

• 'Superformula' Turns Child Cancer Patients into Superheroes
• Nurse Together - Storytelling in Nursing Healing Profession
• Stories in the Nursing Classroom: Writing and Learning through Stories by Jeanne Sorrell

Do you agree?  What do you do to make medicine less daunting for patients?  Have you ever told a story to teach a lesson in healthcare?  

Tell us about it!  We want to hear from you.

Figurative Cardiomegaly

The other day, I was caring for a patient who had just been admitted to the hospital for fainting spells.  Now, normally there are a whole onslaught of tests performed to diagnose the cause of those types of occurrences; however, for this woman the troublemaker made itself clearly known.  She had a very, very bad heart.  Simply sitting up in bed was an effort that sent her heart racing and left her breathless.  Putting a stethoscope to her chest scarred me.  As I listened, I could hear the heart struggling to push and the immediate regurgitation of that blood back to where it had come from, “woosh, woosh, woosh.”  How this woman lived and functioned at home, I can’t even imagine.

As I assisted her with her belongings and oriented her to her new surroundings, she told me her story.  She talked of being in and out of UCLA hospital for years with her heart condition.  Told me of the struggle to be independent and how her limitations impacted her life.  Then she paused, causing me to look up straight into her calm eyes.  “I know, I can see it in you.  You know my Savior.  He’s the reason I’m still here and he’s the only hope I cling to.”  I was stunned and felt tears welling up in my eyes.  This woman, who had gone through so much, was so attuned to the Lord and His plan that she was ministering to me even amidst her occasional gasps for breath.  We ended up talking for a while longer and prayed together before I had to finish up the rest of my work in preparation for the change in shift.  She had such a big heart, literally (she had severe cardiomegaly) and figuratively.  Her contentment and joy despite her condition astounded me.

Sometimes, I look at my own life and wish for trials such as hers if only to develop the wisdom and heart knowledge she had of the Lord.  Granted, I stub my toe and I’m libel to start complaining, but my heart yearns for the depth of relationship with God that woman clearly portrayed and the selflessness to think of others despite being a patient herself.  There’s so much for me to learn, yet each stride reveals more and more my intense need for God.  To paraphrase C.S. Lewis, “Man approaches God most nearly when he is in a sense least like God.”

Nursing holds many surprises and is a constant learning experience, but I treasure the lessons of the heart the most.  I’m incredibly thankful for all the fellowship with hospitalized believers and the opportunities to share in the heartaches and pains of others.  Each patient, each person, presents an opportunity to share God’s incredible love.  My prayer is that He works through me even when words are scarce or when I’m intimidated.  My prayer is that God transforms my heart into a reflection of His own.  My prayer is for figurative cardiomegaly.

Thank you Lord, for the privilege of being a nurse.

Medical Morales to Remember:

• ·         Cardiomegaly – enlarged heart
• o   Reverseable in some cases
• o   May be caused by many different conditions including cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure, myocardial infarctions (Heart attacks), chronic anemia, and thyroid problems to name a few
• ·         Common signs and symptoms – shortness of breath, tachycardia, chest pain, dizziness, syncope, edema
• ·         Cardiomyopathy – heart muscle disease

Additional Resources:

Mayo Clinic - Cardiomegaly