Sunday, March 7, 2010

Thoughts on being a nurse


I'm normally kind of a private person. I don't really tend to open up my personal life to the general public but I was reflecting on this last week and I want to record some of the things I experienced recently. I am 31 weeks pregnant now and overall I feel really great. I am so grateful to still be able to exercise because I need to exercise. It's such a part of my life and even if I just get out and take a walk I notice the difference in my attitude. However, I have been struggling this week with severe crabbiness. Somehow I can't seem to shake it. Mitchell is a complete saint because he is really patient and supportive even though I know he sees the worst side of me lately. It seems like this pregnancy induced crankiness is a vicious cycle too because the more crabby I am the more frustrated it makes me and I get even crabbier! One day this week I was horribly crabby all day. I got upset at the littlest and most insignificant things and was just all around in a bad mood. That afternoon I was scheduled to work from 2pm-10pm and to be honest I was dreading going. I think I would have dreaded going to Disneyland that day though. I got to work and during the shift change report I was handed over a bunch of problems that I was supposed to work out and I got even more annoyed. All I could think were selfish thoughts about how much I didn't want to be there and how someone else should have resolved the problems instead of just handing them off to me. I was even annoyed at the innocent bystanders, who are my co-workers, just for their mere presence. I was pretty much a mess. Basically, my attitude and I just tried to get the work done without talking to anyone and trying desperately to avoid contact with other people for fear that I would blow up. I was counting down the hours until 10pm when I could clock out and go home. I went about my work that evening giving people their medications, caring for their wounds and their bodies, and even just retrieving things on a shelf out of reach. I helped a patient reposition himself in his wheelchair when he was uncomfortable and later in the evening helped a woman arrange her pillows to cradle her head comfortably. When I finally got a chance to sit down at 8pm to do some charting I realized that I wasn't crabby anymore! Even better, I was in a great mood! I realized that by serving those who really need my help I became happier. My problems and frustrations disappeared. This is one of the reasons I love being a nurse! The motto of the BYU College of Nursing is "Learning the Healer's Art." This refers to Jesus Christ as The Healer, and of His selfless service. I have a long way to go toward Christ-like perfection but I'm really grateful to be a nurse and to see miracles happen in my life as I serve others. My goal this week is to be happy every day. Mitchell deserves to come home to a happy wife with all that he does for me and puts up with.

2 comments:

Chris and Christina said...

It is amazing how serving others impacts you just as much, if not more, than those whom you are serving. What an amazing impact we have as members of the church serving in the medical field. You are such a great nurse and are going to be such a great mommy :)
p.s. it's called "aspen ridge of utah valley" and I don't know much about it but will find out tomorrow.

The Bergant Family said...

That was a nice post. :) It's okay, Mitchell grew up with us older sisters. He can handle it and he does it well. You're such a great nurse as well. I'm pretty sure every one of your pateints has loved you! And the good news is, little bitty cute baby girls are so worth it! Hang in there!