I started my Nursing career with my BSN degree clutched tightly in my hand. The other hand held a tissue, wiping the tears of relief from passing the NCLEX. Hired as a brand new nurse at a hospital in Cleveland, Ohio called Mt Sinai. Mt. Sinai Medical Center was a 400+ bed, level 1 trauma center, teaching hospital. ( the hospital since closed around 1997) I was given the gift of taking clear direction with my Nursing Career.
While on a new employee tour, I observed a nurse recruiter leading the tour, congratulate a fellow RN coworker on her promotion. I will never forget the comment she made. The coworker replied to the congratulations: “ I am honored to have this new position because nursing has given so much to me, now I can give back to nursing.”
What a refreshing perspective on Nursing, the art of Nursing and giving back to the profession! How do you give back to the profession of Nursing? Upon hearing the quote stated above, I have decided and made a commitment to build my career to support Nurses and professionals struggling with Compassion Fatigue. I decided to learn and receive lessons from health care professionals to be in the position to give back to the profession.
Identify your gifts and talents and share what you have to your field and expertise in Nursing,Your unit and your facility. Believe that your view on the world and the health care system can bring about changes.
Plan past your Compassion Fatigue. Compassion Fatigue is real and as you work though the process be gentle with yourself. Continue to look for opportunities to create a new focus in your career. Find a focus in nursing to replace the lost spark for your profession. Can you get involved in Evidenced Based Practice at your hospital? Is there a better way to give IV insulin? Is there a better way to monitor blood sugar? Find something to research with Evidence Based Practice and find the resources in your facility. There is Evidenced Based Practice that requires unit research to focus the study on. You could enhance the way policies and procedures are done at your facility by identifying an EBP need.
Can you help transition your workplace to “ Go Green”? There is also a transition occurring for health care facilities to “ Go Green” using less toxic chemicals for cleaning. Computer technology and medical records charting is another field that will be growing in the next decade.
Continue to focus on your education and Continuing Education Programs. Get involved with the Nursing Association of your medical specialty. WWW.discovernursing.com. One RN I know suggests going to a conference hosted away from your facility. Hosted by an organization that you may not usually be involved with or have regular exposure. Apply what you learn and bring the information back to your specialty.
Finally, review your career, Create a plan for your career goals, assist yourself in working through Compassion Fatigue. Learn all available options for your next career move.
Do you need to transition off the floor to the ICU? Do you need to transition away from direct patient care? Talk to nurses in the Risk Department or QA department at your facility to discover other fields in Nursing. It is your life.. your life is waiting for you to fully live it.
1Copyright 2009-2010, Works of AnnChristine Warneka, BSN,RN
AnnChristine BSN,RN works as an author and life coach, offering seminars on Compassion Fatigue, Test Anxiety as well as Life Ownership. She lives and works in Phoenix, AZ Visit her blogg or contact her at contacted at www.Nurseguardian.com. email: nurseguardian@gmail.com. Phone: 602-516-6800.
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