My major milestone this past week was completing my first IV blood draw on a patient, during my ICU rotation. My nurse guided me. I stuck the patient with a butterfly needle and was able to draw blood on my FIRST try! ð(Luckily, my patient had a really nice big, palpable vein).
My nurse and I walked into the patient room, she handed me the supplies, told me to go ahead, and began charting. I was lost and told her I needed her supervision. I had seen a nurse draw blood from a patient line the week before, so I thought I was going to take blood from an existing IV line. My nurse stopped me when she saw that I was about to sanitize a peripheral IV port. My nurse looked at me like I had three heads ðĪ. I worried I wasn’t going to be allowed to do the skill anymore! She explained blood is never drawn from a PIV. The blood draw I saw was from an arterial blood line. I hadn’t realized blood draws are not taken from PIV lines; in retrospect, it makes sense not to draw from a line where a patient received meds.
Despite my nurse’s obviously concerned look, my nurse patiently guided me and let me continue. She repeatedly commented how she was astonished I hadn’t done an IV needle stick on a patient before. I was totally nervous and felt judged, but I knew I had to take my opportunity to practice such an essential skill of getting a needle into a vein. I’ve practiced many times using IV catheters in the skills lab on mannequins, but it’s not the same as inserting IV needles into humans.
LESSON 1: Speak up when uncertain about how to do something. At the very least, talk through the steps BEFORE walking into the room. While our patient’s primary language was not English, it would have been better to have the conversation that I had never drawn blood on a human and discuss the expected process OUTSIDE the patient room. It’s stressful enough being a patient in a hospital; I don’t want to raise a patient’s concerns about me or my abilities with the procedures I’m about to perform.
LESSON 2: Talk out loud while completing steps in a process. While I’m still new and learning, talking out loud helps to reinforce what I’ve learned and the expected process. This applies to any skill, even medication administration (i.e. “…clamp the NG tube…insert syringe…unclamp…push syringe…clamp, etc). Verbalizing steps helps me confirm what I should do or stop myself when something sounds incorrect or strange. Also, my nurse or instructor can hear me as I do things, and guide or interrupt me as needed.
Last week, I also spent more time in my Pediatric rotation. ð§ļI’m really loving my Pediatric (Peds) clinical rotation and feel drawn to the particular hospital and patient population. However, I recognize I need more practice feeling baby pulses, particularly pedal ones ðĶķ. I can usually find pulses quickly on adults, but I find babies’ pulses harder to palpate. I eventually felt the pulses on my infant patients, but it took me a long time. My nurse would feel a pulse and point me to where “it’s a good pulse”. I’d put my finger on the location, and feel hardly anything. I may have been pressing too hard in trying to feel a pulse. I gotta ask my mom friends if I can feel their baby’s pulses to practice this skill – at least it’s not invasive so it should be relatively easy to practice. I often practice assessments on my family and myself, but my daughter is now a toddler – I just need access to more BABIES!
I had my first day in my pediatric clinical rotation this week and was in tears by the end of the day. I saw sick babies, preschoolers, and teens during my morning in the emergency department (ED). I wasn’t allowed to pass medications, but I felt useful taking vitals or assisting with assessments. I was honestly enjoying learning about the ED and the quick pace of the unit. I felt like working in the department would be something I’d be able to handle. I was fine until I encountered a patient that cried and wailed continuously when we’d see her. Due to her size and coloring, the patient reminded me of my daughter.
I felt awful at the end my interaction with the patient because I was asked to hold her down to keep her still for a procedure that needed to be performed. The patient was unable to follow directions and kept struggling and fighting against the procedure. The non-verbal patient was terrified and screamed and cried non-stop. I wanted to explain that we weren’t trying to hurt her, that we were trying to help her, but I knew this would be something she’d be unable to understand, let alone be able to hear through her cries. This little girl endured two unsuccessful attempts at this procedure by two different nurses, with me assisting each time.
I started to cry when I looked at the patient’s mom and saw that she was tearing up during our second attempt; I could see mom struggling to hold back tears, continualy wiping her face. Ugh. I imagined what it must be like for her…to feel helpless at seeing your daughter struggle, to be upset with what was happening, but to know it needed to be done. We had explained the importance of the procedure to the mother and why it was necessary so she knew why we needed to keep trying. I wish the patient could have understood this, too. It was hard for me to see this little girl so terrified and be part of what was causing her terror.
After our second attempt, we gave this girl a break and called in a specialty team to perform the procedure. My rotation ended before I could witness this third attempt, but I was relieved to see the patient had calmed down and was in her mother’s arms quietly resting by the time I left the unit. I wanted to be able to comfort this little girl, but I recognized just showing up in her room made her upset. I got the sense she’s interacted with medical professionals before; just the sight of us with our scrubs, masks, and gloves seemed to terrify her. I question how I could have served this little girl better. Was there anything else I could have done to make it easier for this little girl? She was crying before we even touched her. What could I have said or done differently? And what about mom? Was there something I could have said or done to comfort mom? Was there something we could have encouraged mom to do to bring more assurance to her little girl?
Since becoming a mom, I’ve become a lot more sensitive regarding children’s issues. Before I became a mom, I didn’t used to cry everytime I’d hear news stories about children getting abused or killed or injured in a terrible accident. I’d think it was awful, but I wouldn’t necessarily cry over it. Now, it’s not unusual for me to be sobbing after I see or read awful stories about children dying in accidents or getting abused. This was why I was hesitant to be in an ED. The pediatric ED is likely where one would see abuse cases or trauma, and I didn’t want to get emotional about seeing kids this way. I didn’t want that experience on my first day in my Pediatric rotation, yet the ED was where I was randomly assigned. I didn’t object to the assignment, because I felt it was the universe’s way to have me face my fears. No trauma brought me to tears that day; instead, a seemingly simple procedure and interaction caused me to cry.
A nurse on the unit saw me tearing up in the hallway and asked if I was okay. I was in denial and said I was, but started to cry. I then explained how I felt awful, like I was assaulting this little girl, when I know logically, I wasn’t and her nurses and I were doing the best we could for her. This nurse pointed out that at least I cared. What if I were a nurse that didn’t care if I had to perform an invasive procedure on a patient multiple times? In retrospect, I also realize that caring about the wellbeing of this little girl is what had us push through, despite the patient’s tears and cries.
I’m passionate about children and have considered Pediatrics as a possible specialty when I graduate. However, I recognize my sensitivity and don’t want to have to emotionally regulate myself every day I work. I care about people, but never want my emotions getting in the way of what must be done. I don’t believe my emotions stopped me from providing the best nursing care I could have provided that day. When the nurse found me crying, I had already left the patient room and completed my rotation for the morning; I was waiting in a hallway for my instructor to meet me and mulling over my experience. Because I care, I want to know and understand what I could have done better. If I encounter something like that again, I want to know how I could influence things to go more smoothly and have a better outcome.
I spoke with a doctor friend of mine who explained she was starting to feel burnt out: She does what she can for a patient to prevent something from happening, but it happens anyway. It’s frustrating, but that’s medicine/healthcare/nursing – that’s life. We can do our best, and sometimes, that still won’t result in the outcome we wanted. I know I did my best, but it didn’t result in the outcome I wanted on my first day of my Pediatrics rotation. I’m still new and my “best” can only improve with more knowledge and experience. I may be afraid of my emotions being a weakness, but I recognize it’s also a strength that drives me to want to do better for my patients. I’m still not sure if the Pediatric specialty is for me, but I know I’m committed to doing better.
I attended my first parent-teacher conference this week for my preschool daughter. I had wrapped up my final exams just two days before. While my own grades were still unknown, my husband and I learned about my toddlerâs progress and âgradesâ. We got a snapshot of where she was as far as cognitive skills, emotional development, gross motor/fine motor, and social skills. My daughterâs ratings were âPâ, âBâ, or âDâ for her various skills.
I asked the teacher, âWhat do the letters mean?â
She replied âP is for proficient. B is for buildingâ.
I then inquired, âIs D for deficient?â
She said with a laugh, âNo, D is for developing.â
In a prior Facebook and Instagram post, I shared how a professor described my âdeficiencyâ after a clinical simulation and provided solely negative feedback to me. I was unexpectedly triggered by my own insecurities at my daughterâs preschool review, thinking âDâ meant âdeficientâ for areas where she could use more work. Instead, the areas where she could improve are ones in which she is still âdevelopingâ. What if I gave myself the grace and focused on how I am still developing? What if I transformed âdeficientâ to âdeveloping?â Stating, âIâm developing a skillâ elicits a very different response and attitude from, âIâm deficient in a skill.â
What if I transformed ‘deficient’ to ‘developing’? Stating, “I’m developing a skill,” elicits a very different response and attitude from, “I’m deficient in a skill.”
The Mature Student Nurse
I got emotional during the conference and started to cry. I cried at the recognition of myself in my daughter. I cried about projecting myself on her progress and development. In a moment, I felt my issues had me resigned to suck at parenting. The traits and behaviors I notice in myself that I try to âfixâ or change show up strongly in my daughter: stubbornness, perfectionism, and inflexibility.
She may give up on doing something if she notices she is not doing it perfectly.
She was doing a cutting exercise with scissors but just gave up and decided not to do it because she saw she wasnât exactly following the cutting line.
I have multiple calligraphy sets that I donât use because I get discouraged with how my writing ends up looking – even though I know the whole point is to practice.
She can be very driven and direct herself, but so much so where she does not welcome working in teams.
She loves working on puzzles by herself, but she gets upset when her classmates try to join her.
I sometimes find it challenging working on group projects. I dread them at times.
She can fixate on things and become emotionally derailed if things do not go as she planned.
She melts down over clothing.
I go into panic mode over a bad test grade.
She gets an all-or-nothing attitude.
She was supposed to draw a picture of herself. She started, but was unhappy with how it turned out. She erased the image and tried to re-draw the picture, but never finished.
Because I want to do things perfectly, I can take a long time doing things or worse, I wonât do it at all.
I realize my daughter will naturally take on her parentsâ traits â good AND bad, whether we purposefully do this or not. How can I expect her to act differently when I do not know how to do this for myself? How can I give her tools I do not have? To an extent, I realize my stubbornness and perfectionism has served me well and allowed me to get into a very competitive nursing program. However, I also recognize where it has not served me.
Iâve heard the saying, âthe enemy of great is good enough,â but I know my issue can be summarized as âperfection is the enemy of good enough.â I can get overwhelmed or paralyzed from not being able to do things perfectly or exactly the way I think I should. Comically, I now recognize that my perfectionism is what had me put so much pressure on myself as a parent that I was driven to tears at my daughterâs parent-teacher conference.
I would not want to label my daughter as âdeficient,â so why am I so quick to label myself this way? My daughter is DEVELOPING. So am I.
The acknowledgement that I am still developing is a gift and empowering. I can work with that. If I want my daughter to know that it is okay to make mistakes and pursue projects imperfectly, I need to demonstrate that. Before I can change my behavior, I need to notice it. I see how my behavior impacts my life (and my daughter’s). I can do something about it now that I recognize it. I am figuring it out as I go along. I feel lost at times and may not make the best choices, but I’m trying – I am still developing.
If you’re pursuing Nursing, you may have heard of the TEAS because some Nursing programs require applicants to take it and submit their score as part of their application. TEAS, or the Test of Essential and Academic Skills, is a standardized, nation-wide exam administered by Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI). Like many nursing programs, my BSN program uses the TEAS as a screening tool for their candidates. The minimum TEAS percentile my program considered was 80. However, some of my cohort classmates shared that they scored 95-99 percentile overall on their TEAS, well above the minimum for my school. If you want to apply to a competitive program and be an attractive applicant, you must do well on the TEAS. For this post, I’m sharing my tips for how I scored in the 99th percentile when I took the TEAS in Fall 2018.
My Biggest, Most Important Tip: Know Your School’s Requirements!
My most important tip is to know your school’s requirements. If a school in which you’re interested in applying is offering a Nursing forum or information session, attend the session to understand the admissions requirements and clarify questions you might have. Some schools do not require the TEAS for admission. Other schools do not require the TEAS until you submit an application and they give you an invitation to take the TEAS. Some schools require the TEAS but will only allow students to take it once in a six month period. Some programs will not take your best TEAS score in their application timeframe; they will take the first score in the allowed timeframe. Understand your prospective school’s admission policies.
One other perk I discovered while attending Nursing School Information sessions before taking the TEAS is one school offered a discount code for ATI TEAS study packages. However, the biggest reason to attend an information session (or speak to an admissions officer) is to clarify admissions requirements and any stipulations the school or program may have regarding the TEAS exam. This is particularly important if you’re applying to multiple schools since each have their own admissions policies.
Tip: Complete your Pre-Requisites
When I took the TEAS, I had completed all my Nursing School pre-requisites (except for Philosophy and Religion). My Anatomy & Physiology and Chemistry prerequisites definitely prepared me for the exam. Completing my pre-requisites was particularly helpful because the TEAS emphasizes Science. (The TEAS covers Science, Reading, Math, and English and Language Usage. For more information, visit https://www.atitesting.com/teas/register/). I had taken the pre-requisites within the year so a lot of the material was recent for me, and I was grateful that the exam material was a review of what I already learned.
If you’re not done with your pre-requisites, do not get discouraged – other students online said they took the test and did fine without completing their pre-requisites. However, they spent a lot of time teaching themselves and learning the material for the first time.
Tip: Use a study guide practice exam to focus your efforts
I invested in the yellow Mometrix study guide since it was so highly recommended by people online. My time was limited, and I had no intention of reviewing and reading the entire study guide. Instead of studying each chapter, I took a practice exam in the book to identify my weak areas so I could focus on them. I only reviewed the topics or areas where I scored low from the practice exam. After I felt I studied sufficiently, I would take another practice exam. I would continue to use my lowest scores (and wrong answers) to guide me on what I should study. After studying some more, I would take a different practice exam. I would continue this process until there were no more exams in the study guide to take.
My answer sheets for all my practice exams. I would time myself and give myself the same amount of time as the TEAS for each section. I would then review my incorrect answers and study those topics a little more.
Tip: Use your library to access study guides for FREE
I eventually ran out of practice exams in one book, so I used multiple study guides to prepare for the TEAS. My library had TEAS study guides available both online as ebooks and hardcopies. Take advantage of your public library since it is typically a FREE resource! Research availability and reserve your TEAS study guides early because these books can be in high demand! There was a waitlist, but I was able to place some study guides on hold and have them sent to my local branch weeks before my TEAS exam, which gave me plenty of time to prepare.
Tip: Use study tools according to your style of learning
Take advantage of any or all the tools that will help you learn or retain the material you need for TEAS! I know I’m a visual and kinesthetic learner. Flash cards are often an effective way for me to study. I do well when I write/design my own flash cards and study from them. I kept my flashcards from Anatomy & Physiology and used some of them again when studying for TEAS. Another study tool that I thought was helpful was “The Anatomy Coloring Book”. I actually used this during Anatomy & Physiology pre-requisites. It helped me learn and understand various systems of the body. I think it’s a great resource to have regardless of the TEAS, and I even referred to it recently while in Nursing school to review the kidneys and urinary system for Pathophysiology.
Other learning tools I found useful were YouTube videos from Khan Academy and Armando Hasudungan (a doctor who is also an incredible artist). Many students today use YouTube to supplement their learning, so take time to explore which channels best complement your learning style. Another popular tool is Quizlet, where you can create and share electronic flashcards and quizzes for yourself, but also where you can view other people’s flashcards and study guides. (WARNING: Be cautious when using shared content or YouTube – sometimes material other students post is not the most accurate).
Now that I’m in Nursing school, I watch the YouTube channels for NRSNG and RegisteredNurseRN. While these are resources geared for Nursing students, take advantage of their Anatomy & Physiology reviews in preparation for the TEAS. If you are an auditory learner, you could also listen to NRSNG Radio.
Since starting Nursing school, I have also discovered Picmonic – a great tool for visual learners and for folks who can use stories and pictures to remember concepts. It would have been nice if I knew about them earlier because they have lessons for Anatomy and Physiology! You can try Picmonic for free with one lesson per day. If you want to view more lessons, a subscription fee is required.
There are many tools beyond study guide books to help you prepare for the TEAS – take advantage of them and use the ones that suit you best!
Tip: Invest in practice exams from ATI
While the study guide practice exams were certainly helpful, I found the ATI practice exams to be a little more detailed than what was in the Mometrix or McGraw Hill study books â which helped me on my actual TEAS exam. The practice exams also summarize the areas needed for review and provides a study plan. The review topics correlate directly to chapters in the ATI Study Manual (which I did not have), but still gave me enough information for me to focus my review using the materials available to me.
The online ATI practice exams are structured the exact same way the computerized TEAS exam is structured â with flags, countdown timer, and calculator embedded into the exam. Like the online exam, you can flag questions you would like to review in your practice exams before submission. The actual TEAS test and practice exams allow you to easily revisit flagged items at the end of a section so you donât have to toggle back and forth through all the other questions. I’m the kind of person who always double-checks my exam and doubtful answers prior to final submission, so I found the flagging feature helpful. I also liked that the practice exams were modeled after the actual computerized TEAS exam, so I had an idea of what to expect on exam day.
Tip: Find out if your TEAS exam will be computerized or not.
The TEAS was offered at one of the universities to which I was applying via computer. For my TEAS, I was in a computer lab with a proctor, and each student had a computer. What’s nice about the computer version is the sections can all be taken at your own pace, within the allowable timeframe. Currently, students get 64 minutes to complete the Reading section, 54 minutes for Math, 63 minutes for Science, and 28 minutes for English and Language Usage. Each student gets the same amount of time to complete each section. However, if you finish a section early, you don’t have to wait for the time limit to end before moving onto the next section. The times are all tracked on your computer so you can’t exceed the alottment, but you can easily move on once you’re done with a section.
Some people I know hate taking tests via computer, so they purposefully signed up for a test center offering the paper version of the TEAS. (However, if you plan to continue with Nursing, I believe the NCLEX is on computer, so you might as well get used to computerized tests)! It’s always good to minimize surprises on test day, so find out if your exam is offered on paper or computer to set expectations. Plus, if you take a paper exam, you’ll need to find out what kind, if any, calculator you’re allowed to bring!
Tip: Follow ATI on Facebook
ATI offers live video tutoring sessions for the TEAS. They also offer TEAS workshops via Facebook. If you can’t join live, you can view recordings. This is another FREE tool I recommend you use to prepare for the TEAS.
Tip: Do NOT take the TEAS as practice
I discourage students from taking the TEAS for practice. For some Nursing programs, you are unable to retake the TEAS until six months after your prior TEAS. Some students think they will take the TEAS for practice and simply retake it if they do not do well. They may come to find this is not possible for the program to which they are applying. Use the study guides and ATI practice exams for practice – not the TEAS! Your goal is to do well when you take the TEAS the first time. Save yourself the agony from having to study again and save money on your test registration fees! It is possible to take the TEAS once and do well. I did, so I believe it’s possible for anyone.
Personally, I relied on doing well on my TEAS (and pre-requisites) because my undergraduate GPA was low. It was so low, it fell below some school’s admissions requirements. I got a 4.0 GPA on my pre-requisites, but I knew I also needed to do well on my TEAS to get into my accelerated BSN. I guess it worked, because I got into my top choice nursing school! If I did it, you can too!
Hopefully, my tips and experiences are helpful and encouraging. I didn’t number them because I don’t think any one is necessarily more important than the others (except for knowing your nursing school’s requirements – definitely do this first)! If you have found something useful in this post or on my site, please share it with others! If you’ve taken the TEAS and have other TEAS tips to share, I welcome them! Please also let me know if there are other topics you’d like for me to discuss. Thanks for reading!
I was so anxious and nervous about my first day of school this past Monday that I could barely sleep the night before. I kept my husband up most of the evening verbalizing all my worries about the start of Nursing School. It didn’t help that my toddler came into our room in the middle of the night crying; needless to say, I was tired for my first day of school.
Aside from lecture 9a-3p on my first day, I ran around campus and collected my student and nursing school identification cards, picked up my scrubs/nursing school uniform and ATI booklets, and paid for my lab skills backpack. I then commuted through L.A. traffic and made it home in time to pick up my daughter from daycare before 5p. I felt like I accomplished a lot in just the first day; I think adrenaline and/or caffeine is what kept me going. Despite the tiredness or overwhelm, it felt so satisfying to finally start Nursing School. I had worked so hard to get to Nursing School, and the day had finally arrived! I was exhausted after that first day (and second, to be honest) but happy.
If you’re feeling hesitant to start something new or are growing weary pursuing your dreams, know that the culmination of your efforts is worth it. I shared a quote via Instagram tied to my first day of school, but I thought it was worth sharing here, too: “The best time for new beginnings is now”. I just wanted to give people encouragement, especially those who are contemplating a career change or starting something new. This quote is a great reminder not just in regards to career or education, but also for healthy habits, relationships, etc. There’s always an opportunity to try or learn something new – cheers to new beginnings!
This list makes me giddy…and is a sign that I’ve completed my background check & clearance for school!
Iâm a checklist person, and this list is so satisfying!  Anyone else use checklists and feel happy when all tasks are completed? Completed checklists instill a feeling of accomplishment and productivity for me. I love the visual cues and color-coding, too! No âIncompleteâ reds or âIn Reviewâ yellows here! I mean, just look at all that âCompleteâ GREEN!
My to-do list for my background check and clearance for my nursing program is finally complete! Some of the things I had to do or submit before school started were a criminal background check, drug screening, immunizations and titers (immunization records were not enough), CPR/Basic Life Support Certification, Hospital Fire & Life Safety certification, physicianâs physical examination and respirator clearance, and HIPAA Certification. I had many items on my list already done since I volunteer at a local hospital, but there were many school-requirements not needed by my volunteer program or that were about to expire. Even if I had the task or item complete, it took time to scan and upload all the documentation and more time for the background-check company to review and âapproveâ the submission.
TIP: Gather and electronically scan all your immunization records because immunization requirements (or waivers) are standard for working in a hospital setting. Have your certifications available too. An instructor advised me that I would need to provide these items regularly since each hospital/clinical site has their own clearance process and some things must be done annually or periodically as a healthcare worker. Having these records readily available and organized saves time and allows self-tracking of upcoming expiration dates.Â
If you already collect and organize your documentation, Iâd love to hear what organization system you use! How do you keep track of tasks you need to accomplish? Share your tips in the comments below!
Taken by #thematurestudentnurse from the trails surrounding Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook (Culver City, CA)
I enjoyed spending time with a friend hiking some local hills this morning. It was perfect weather and we got to enjoy some pretty wildflowers and scenic views. I so appreciate carefree timelessness with friends. I don’t often have a lot of free time being a wife, mom, volunteer, and student pursuing a second career. However, I recognize how restorative it is for me to spend time connecting with others and exploring my neighborhood.
What nourishes or comforts you? It’s important to understand what brings you joy or soothes you. Identify what that is and make a list you can reference periodically. In times of stress, you can choose healthy coping mechanisms from that list or at least be aware of what you can do to nourish and restore yourself. In “The Gifts of Imperfection”, Brene Brown refers to having this list as comfort wisdom. Brene Brown asks her readers to distinguish between what we use to numb ourselves versus what comforts and refuels us. It helps to have this self-awareness, particularly because it’s easy to confuse numbing or escape for comfort.
I developed my “comfort wisdom” list years ago after taking an online Oprah course with Brene Brown, compliments of my employer’s women’s resource group. The list of what comforts me still applies today. At the top of my list is “intimate sharing and time with loved ones”. Also included is “travel & exploration” and “hikes, walks, and exercise” among other activities. I am grateful I was able to incorporate multiple items from my comfort wisdom today, particularly before I begin an intensive nursing program. I’ve discovered I have more joy and peace in my life when I use my comfort wisdom.
Identify and develop your own comfort wisdom. Once you make that list, regularly incorporate items or activities from that list into your life. You may find you have to schedule time for it. My friend and I planned this hike over a month ago and even had to reschedule a couple times due to illness and then out-of-town guests visiting, but we were committed to spending time with one another. Everyone has their own comfort wisdom; something that refuels me may not refuel you. As an extrovert, I love hanging out with groups of friends and meeting new people. In contrast, my introverted husband would be exhausted doing the same thing. Honor yourself by using your comfort wisdom and refueling periodically – I know it’s a practice I’ll need to do for myself in nursing school and in my future career!
On my volunteer shift in the Emergency Room recently, I (along with many other staff members) overheard a heated discussion between a male patient and one of the charge nurses behind patient curtains. The patient was trying to clarify he wasn’t demanding a white nurse, but that he insisted on having an older female nurse. He did not want the black male nurse assigned to him. After the charge nurse explained his request would not be granted, he passionately responded that he wanted someone with more experience; to him, that implied an “older” nurse. The charge nurse assured him that his nurse had many years of experience. The patient assumed his nurse would be a woman because he thought all nurses were women. He argued he had been to the hospital numerous times and proclaimed, “I’ve never had a male nurse!” After some back and forth, the patient confessed he didn’t want a man handling his penis to insert a urinary catheter.
The whole interaction was interesting to me because I am an an older nursing student. When I become a new BSN grad, I will have relatively little experience but will be older than many new graduates. Age does not correlate to relevant work experience or skill-level. Many working nurses I encounter while volunteering may be younger than me, but have many more years of nursing experience. This patient erroneously believed an older nurse would automatically have more expertise in a common procedure than a young nurse.
The encounter was not only an example of ageism, but sexism. Yes, there seems to be more female nurses than male nurses. The patient was adamant that he never knew male nurses existed. The patient was an older man, so it’s quite possible his earlier experiences with nurses in a doctor’s office or hospitals were with female nurses. The demographics are changing, however, and quite frankly, I think that’s a good thing. We need healthcare professionals to be as diverse as the patients they serve. This patient needed a gentle reminder that experience, not gender, make nurses more skilled at procedures.
The black male nurse eventually did what needed to be done for the patient. A while later, the man graciously reported to the charge nurse, “He did a great job!” The patient continued to loudly and excitedly share what a surprisingly wonderful experience he had with his nurse. The same staff that overheard the earlier conversation and I looked at each other and smiled in amusement. Happily, it was a great teaching moment for the patient, but also for myself.
I’ve read about patients getting discriminated against or experiencing implicit bias from their providers, but healthcare professionals also experience discrimination from their patients, and the interaction I witnessed was a reminder of that. I have yet to have a patient make discriminating remarks directed towards me, but I know that may happen one day. I’m not quite sure how I’ll react, and I wonder if I’ll learn anything about this in my ABSN program. I want my patients to have the best experience and outcomes possible, but does that mean I should ask to be removed from their case if they don’t like me and are therefore uncomfortable due to my race, age, gender, or orientation? In accommodating a prejudiced patient’s request, are we enabling discrimination or giving them better care by making them comfortable? It’s a complex issue.
Luckily, the interaction I witnessed de-escalated and had a good outcome. What if the patient became more hostile instead of agreeable? Would he have been assigned another nurse? What if the patient thought his nurse did a terrible job? Are there hospital policies for situations like this? I really respect the charge nurse and nurse in the situation, who remained professional and respectful throughout the whole interaction. For me, I learned how a nurse should respond to a prejudiced patient: Be respectful but firm, and assure the patient they are in good care. I hope to maintain my composure and act the same way, should I ever encounter a similar situation with a patient.
I went to church Sunday morning with my family and saw the devotional booklet “Our Daily Bread” offered in the vestibule. I hadn’t seen one in a while, but became familiar with them through my mother and relatives from the Philippines, who used them regularly as a daily devotional. The booklet highlights a bible scripture each day and provides a reflection based on that reading. Feeling like I needed to focus more on my spirituality beyond church (it’s so hard sometimes to focus in mass with a rambunctious defiant toddler!), I grabbed one. The bible passage and reflection for that day (April 28, 2019) spoke to me. Because of that, I wanted to share it and invite you to read it at https://odb.org/2019/04/28/gods-retirement-plan/# .
At this moment in your life, what might God be calling you to do for His greater purpose? What new plans has He placed in your path?
Our Daily Bread (April 28, 2019)
The reflection was a great reminder of my second-career journey. Becoming a nurse is the new plan God has placed in my path. I feel I am called to become a nurse to better utilize my talents for His greater purpose. Do you ever feel like you’re on the right path because of the all the “signs” God places before you? You may not have the sign of a burning bush like Moses, but do you feel called to do something, even though you’re uncertain of how exactly you’ll accomplish what you sense you must do? Are you continuously driven towards a vocation without knowing how or if you can really make it happen? And, somehow, a path reveals itself? I feel this way about Nursing – really, I do!
Every step of the way, I feel like God has aligned things for me to allow me to get into Nursing school. If I had waited even one month to look into pre-requisites, I wouldn’t have been able to take the classes I did or complete them before the application cycle. If I had waited one week before researching how to get volunteer clinical experiences, I wouldn’t have become a COPE Health Scholar in a local hospital. If I were in a different volunteer program, I wouldn’t have been able to take patients’ vitals, witness biopsies, circumcisions, C-sections, vaginal deliveries, or perform chest compressions on patients who have coded. God placed people and experiences in my life, to allow me to grow in my compassion, abilities, and skills as a future nurse. Somehow, things aligned or confirmed and re-affirmed my choice to purse a career change. God placed the desire in my heart to consider nursing years ago, but He did not call me into action until now -when I have the social, emotional, and financial support I didn’t have before. His timing was perfect. I prayed to be able to serve God in whichever way He willed, and nursing is where I have now been lead. I have a peace and joy in my heart when I think about my [future] career, but I am still open to God’s vocational plans for me in my life.
Are you called to something new or to continue when you were about to quit? I encourage you to be open to new possibilities or to where God might be calling you. Explore what or where that is, and if you’re called to act, pursue it whole-heartedly. Like Dr. Warwick Rodwell discovering the ancient statue in the Lichfield Cathedral in the “Our Daily Bread” reflection, you could be surprised with the treasure you uncover.
Attended my nursing school orientation yesterday and had uniform fittings… we will wear white scrub tops but black scrub bottoms (thank goodness it’s not all-white)!! I’m so excited to be moving forward in this journey!
The Mature Student Nurse 