The flu season is approaching and with that begins the start of another flu shot clinic. This post is not intended to debate whether we should get the flu shot or not. It's intent is to tell you about about another avenue nursing has taken me.This year is my third year doing the flu clinic for my doctor's office. I usually start this time of year and do about 4 or 5 clinics. By the end of it all I will have inoculated approximately 500 people mostly seniors, or people caring for seniors. This year is no different than the past two years. I am meeting some of the nicest people I have ever met. They are talkative, friendly, inquisitive and so appreciative of the service that is being provided. It doesn't get much better than that.
As nurses we are very privileged to be able to enter the lives of so many in the way that we do. We have an opportunity to give guidance, support, information on prevention and so much more. Attending to the clients in the flu clinic is no different. Once I ask them a few questions and tell them a little about the flu shot and what side effects they might encounter , they go on to tell me about a variety of things going on in their lives. Medications they are taking, illnesses they have had, what they are doing in their life at present, and ask for advice. Just a whole gamut of topics. Yesterday was no different. A few jokes were shared smiles were exchanged and a sense of well being ensued. One encounter with a husband and wife lead me to becoming privy to a conversation. It turns out that I was giving an injection to someone who's relative was the creator of the poem "In Flanders Field". With Remembrance day approaching I couldn't believe what a honour it was to meet this person. We chatted. I said that poem was instilled in me as a child and in my children. That poem is synonymous with Remembrance Day. I remember doing my Remembrance Day post last year, where I sited the author and poem In Flanders Field by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae MD, (1872-1918). I still feel so very honoured to have met this person, and had an opportunity to chat. Such a lovely couple, so warm caring and compassionate. How fortunate that I should be their nurse that day.
Nursing is so varied. There are variety of nursing options out there. Doing the flu clinics, is one of those options. It is such a nice change from the very clinical ICU environment in which I work full-time. You know that saying a change is a good as a rest. Well it certainly holds true in this case. Those patients in the clinic were all so appreciative of the service I was providing and yet it is I who felt fortunate to be able to sit with them and enter their lives if only for a short moment.
As a nurse I am able to spend a little more time with the patient, well in this circumstance anyways. I listen to what they are telling me and start putting things together in my head about their diagnosis their medications their treatments all the while they could be just telling me a simple story in the day and the life of themselves. But through that story I can detect many things and it is my nursing background that provides me with those tools.
I am currently working on obtaining my degree, that in itself is a story which I will share with you in another post. Through the course I am learning about the concepts of caring, humanism, phenomenology, ways of knowing, time/transition and personal meaning, just to name a few. At first I thought yeah right, we do this all time, so why do I need a course to tell me this and to analyze the heck out of it. But you know, I have really enjoyed it. It's helping me understand why I do and say the things I do...something that I thought was just an innate part of me and to some degree it still is, but to be able to explore it and how these concepts might effect my delivery of care.
So here I am venturing on a new path in my nursing career, trying to be more aware of my behaviours and actions towards my patients and exploring alternate nursing options. Nursing, even with all of it's ups and downs, it is truly an amazing profession.
13 comments:
came here by way of akelamalu's blog...i think it's always fun to meet new/interesting ppl and it's great your job gives you that opportunity. we had the flu clinic here with kaiser...cept ours was a drive thru. yep, you rolled up in your car, filled out forms for anyone/everyone in car getting the shot, got the shots, and you were on your merry way. quite convenient really. both times i went (once for me..the 2nd for kids) we were out fairly quick.
Yes, an amazing profession and amazingly enough one of those postions is filled by awesome YOU!
Let's hope that many more nurses are as kind, compassionate and caring as you are!
Hugs, my friend!
Yes! Yes! I couldn't IMAGINE doing anything other than nursing. Something about using your mind on a daily basis....inquizzative, trying to investigate, advocate etc. It's an honorable career....and truly, it is a lifestyle. I like it how you take a break from ICU nursing just for the change in pace. I think that's smart, and nurses don't do it often enough. I think it prevents burn out, so good on ya!
As for your course. Keep on keepin' on. It's all about lifelong learning right?
You have a wonderful bedside manner honey and you obviously enjoy your job very much. Thank God for people like you.xx
Nursing is a great career. I have several family members who are nurses including my mother. She decided to go to college to be a nurse when I was in high school. She loves it.
We had to memorize "In Flanders Field" in school. It's neat to learn about your holiday.
That is really neat that you met someone related to the creator of the poem. It makes me proud to be a Canadian to think that it was a fellow Canadian who wrote that and it has become such an important day.
Probably in my time in Qualicum Beach I have at least passed you on the road or been in the Qualicum Foods Store at the same time. You may have even given me a jab of the needle of two. Small world really.
Interesting post.
The great thing about nursing is that you have so many options to choose from. My hospital career didn't afford me many opportunities to have conversations with patients. [I worked in Anesthesia] but I also worked part time as a nurse consultant for a group of community based homes. I loved talking to all the residents and learned much from them. I also worked Mental Health, inpatient and learned to appreciate the difficulty that people have coping with mental illness. Yes nursing is a great, rewarding career
There have been many times over the years that I wished I had followed through and gone to Nurse's Training after I got out of high school. It was what I had decided when I was just a very small child I wanted to do -probably because my Mom was an RN. But in my senior year, I got a bug up my butt and decided I wanted to go to college, probably major in education but didn't give a thought to the money involved and my Mom refused to back me ideas there too. (Back then, there were very few loans/grants available that covered the college expenses and with tuitions rising the way they are now, it's gonna revert back to college being only for the rich who can afford it). I did finally go to college -graduated 32 years after I finished high school.
But I really loved your story about meeting a relative of the author of that great poem! Used to know it but now I've forgotten it which says a lot for my memory doesn't it?
such a great career...
Hiya RN! have you considered that, perhaps the reason it's such a fulfilling experience for you is the degree to which you authentically invest your care in what you do?
you are an amazing nurse!
i was going to get a flu shot last week, i didn't. been sick since Wednesday with the flu *sigh*
ok would you please consider moving to my area and becomming a nurse in my docs office? she could really use a good nurse like yourself!!
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