Who am I?
A nurse, just exploring owning and developing my own website.
Posts
14th Feb 24
Valentines day seems appropriate to discuss the profession that I have grown to love and question my loyalty to over 30 years. I will make every effort to provide a balanced view of this statement.
I was not a child who grew up wanting to be a nurse, however I was a child who naturally sought out helping people that were unwell or injured. It wasn’t until a friend in my final year of school said that she thought I would make a good nurse (Lorna, your responsible here!) that I genuinely considered applying to nursing school. This was the pre University education era in Ireland. I cried on my first day on the ward as a student, overwhelmed with the volume of work expected and ‘tasks’ to remember, yet here I am, in my 50’s claiming to love the profession.
Over time, nursing has provided the most valuable friends I could. ever ask for, and in my present situation it never ceases to reveal pure venom and bullying from individuals who go out of their way to challenge my belief in my future as a nurse.
Nurses are educated to be advocates for patients. Being an advocate requires strength and determination to speak up. Speaking up about opinions, beliefs and decisions, of which not all will be or are popular. Yet as an advocate I am required to respect opinions, thoughts and beliefs of others. Therefore, I ask why do some nurses refuse to offer colleagues the same level of respect for having different opinions, thoughts and beliefs and being one of those that is known to “eat their young”?
Before you continue reading, I have to say I don’t have the answer. I can say that it is my nursing colleagues who have persistently supported me in times and situations where I have faced adversity and ridicule from other colleagues, with whom I have alternative views. Most of my best friends are nurses and I strongly advocate for kindness amongst nurses that equates with the kindness we offer to patients.
23rd Feb 2024
How many can remember their first day on the wards?
I remember the trauma and finishing my shift completely exhausted, phoning my mum and crying that I couldn’t do it, yet here I am more than 30 years later and I am still in nursing. My career direction has changed significantly over the years, which is one of the fabulous opportunities that nurses have. Changing career direction whilst remaining in the profession.
If I had my time back again, what would I have told myself? Go for it, be yourself and enjoy the journey. There will be days that are so hard you think you just cannot go on but there are so many happy and fun memories too. Its such a mixed career, making the best of friends and worst of foe. Its ok to disagree with others, but listen and be respectful. There is learning in every encounter, good or bad. We need to make the profession attractive to more people especially men, this can have a strong impact on the way the profession is viewed and bring a different atmosphere to work.
Summer’s coming!
At last we can plan BBQ’s and friend gatherings to chat, laugh and celebrate.
I am drawn to designing summer inspired images for my designs at the moment, lots of flowers coming to feature.
There’s nothing like a Mason Jar for drinks with friends, sharing food and laughs, always gruesome of course if you get a few nurses in the mix!
I have a collection of Mason Jars in my collection, a great idea to gift friends and colleagues over summer: https://nursesruleirl.etsy.com
08/05/24 Struggling
I’m struggling with this side hustle. I have put hours into learning, designing, planning etc after my regular work day, but I am not selling anything since January. I am questioning my ongoing investment of my time and finances into this. i knew it would be hard but I thought I would have 1-2 sales a month even at this stage but no! I am doing so much research, and yes I know how to research and comparing, looking at competitors but I must be blind as to where I am going wrong. Friends think my products look great but perhaps online selling is not great for the market I am in… postage is expensive and slow……
I am really going to have to look at alternative products and or alternatives altogether! Ill keep you posted…
12th July writing from a dull cold Ireland.
Its alway depressing returning from a fabulous holiday. We toured Switzerland, a beautiful country but expensive!! Wow the cost hurt and I have to say put a slight dampener on the holiday.
I am still off work this week, so I have had some time to continue designing products and develop a leadership series that I posted on TikTok. I has given me some joy creating it, I am not here to become a serious influencer I just like building the future generation of nurses and contributing my knowledge where I can. I have yet to learn how to share my content from social media to this space, but I’ll get there!
I am dreading returning to work next week. Bullying seems to be endemic where I work. I don’t feel I belong as a result, because I have been excluded from a project that specifically addresses my area of expertise. But after shedding many tears I am going to concentrate on my own career and have minimal contact with those that have intentionally excluded me.
As a clinical nurse its tough moving into an environment where teamwork is not appreciated and your knowledge and skills are not required. In fact expertise in an area doesn’t seem to be required at all. I am somewhat disillusioned with academic from that perspective. However, I have never had a door opened for me to date I have have pushed every door myself and will continue to do so.
Thanks for reading and I hope you are well. I would love to hear if you have experienced this and have any advice on constantly picking yourself up!
