My One Year Nursing Anniversary

What I Have Learned About People Since Becoming a Nurse
(one year ago today)

After age 65, modesty no longer exsists. Gowns don't need to be fastened and people are suddenly completely comfortable sleeping without underware on.

Normal, common, social considerations are out the door once you are a patient.  Saying "excuse me" after burps, farts, sneezes, and coughs are no longer necessary in front of nurses or techs.  They are though in front of doctors.  Whatever.  Oh, and coughing in my face is suddenly "okay" with me.

It's easy to see which people think of themselves first and which think of others first.  Some people want things right now or at specific times designated by them, not considering anything else you or your staff has to do.  These people don't usually say thank you, they have the attitude that everything a staff member does is their "job" and therefore they don't need to be appreciated for it or acknowledged.  These people always sleep with a TV or a light on and does not think about their roommate.  Others are the complete opposite and anytime they ask for anything are apologetic for bothering staff, always say thank you, and try to be as accomodating to your schedule and other things that are going on.  They go to sleep earlier so they don't keep their roommate up and always turn their light off.  People are either one or the other, there is no in between.

For the most part, diabetics have no idea what diabetes is.  They eat at irregular times, randomly check their blood sugars (if at all), randomly give themselves insulin or take pills whenever they feel like it, and drink 4 Mountain Dew's every day with 6 granola bars, and chicken fingers with BBQ sauce for lunch and dinner.  Oh, and they don't eat breakfast.

No one knows how to properly use an inhaler.

When coming into the hospital, people are all of a sudden are completely incapable of putting on or taking off their own socks.

Babies are like crack to old women, they get so excited to see babies.  They don't want to touch/hold them, they just want to stare and smile.

Seeing old men cry is the most difficult thing to endure.  It's worse than that Sarah McLaughin dead puppies ad.

Being a 6ft female nurse doesn't intimidate people as much as I would have hoped.

I wish that one of the requirements for becoming a doctor was working for one year as a nurse.  I would like to think that the world would just be a little different.

There is nothing better than when a 90 year old lady grabs your hand, look you in the eye, and sincerely tells you that you are a good nurse.