We all know that it is impossible to go through life without making a mistake. Yet mistakes have such a negative connotation and, unfortunately, in the nursing profession some mistakes have serious consequences. I think we should see mistakes as learning opportunities. It took Thomas Edison over 1,000 tries to make the light bulb. When he was asked why you continued after failing over 1,000 time, he said “I learned over 1,000 ways how not to make a light bulb.” I love his reframe. In the … [Read more...]
Are You Following Your Hospital’s Policies?
Do you know your hospital’s policies and procedures? Do you follow them? If you have worked at numerous places, you probably have noticed that each hospital has its own specific policies and procedures. It may never occur to you to look up the policy or procedure on something because, as the saying goes, “We’ve always done it this way.” But, be careful! There are variations in the policies and procedures of facilities. At one facility you might draw blood from a central line but find … [Read more...]
Is your job the right fit?
During this license renewal season, I have helped several nurses who were working at a place they knew was not the right fit for them, but continued to work there anyway. I call this “the square peg in the round hole”. The fit could be with your coworkers or with the type of unit and type of patients. No matter how hard you try to force that square peg into the round hole, it just will not fit. You can push it, smash it, ram it or hammer it, but it just won’t fit properly. Are you working in … [Read more...]
Are You A Good Samaritan
Recently I was on an airplane when a passenger became very ill and went to the restroom. A flight attendant asked if there was any health professional available to provide help. My first thought was “Oh, no. I haven’t practiced in years! Do I really want to get involved? And, if I do, can I get sued if I try to help.” After a few quick moments, my heart went out to this poor person in need. No one else seemed to be getting up to help so I rose from seat. Fortunately, there was one … [Read more...]
Know Your Professional Boundaries
As a nurse or other health care professional, we have a special relationship with our patients. People expect a nurse to act in the patient’s best interest and to respect their dignity. It is extremely important for a health care professional to maintain a therapeutic relationship with the patient. A therapeutic relationship is one where the nurse can apply her professional knowledge, skills, abilities and experiences to meet the patient’s health care needs. When patients need health care, … [Read more...]
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