What If, For Once, NURSES were asked if THEY had any Needs?

What If the tables were turned?

What if NURSES were asked about their pain every hour?

What if NURSES were asked if they needed to use the bathroom every hour?

What if NURSES were asked if they had any needs for equipment or services at their home?

What if NURSES were asked if they were having bad thoughts or current life stressors?

These are ALL questions that the hospitals make us ask our patients every single day. Why is that? Because these are the questions that help us take better care of our patients. These are the questions that get our patient’s needs addressed and our hospital scores up. THESE are questions that matter. These are the questions that make life better and easier for our patients.

So using this same psychology, why would these types of questions be any less important for the PEOPLE TAKING CARE OF THESE PATIENTS??

The Nurses, the Doctors, the Techs, the Care Coordinators….the list goes on.

We spend our weeks addressing the needs of our patients to help them out and take care of them. Wouldn’t it only make sense to ask the people IMPLEMENTING THIS CARE if they were okay? If they had any needs? If they were struggling? If they needed someone to talk to? How can we better help the ones CARE GIVING so they can implement BETTER care?

Patient Care STARTS with taking care of the nurses, if you ask me. If hospitals could only understand that good patient satisfaction scores will come from making sure the caretakers are happy and healthy. When we are happy and satisfied with ourselves and our environment, we have personal strength to strengthen others! We have strength to CARE for others.

It breaks my heart to see nurses struggling. Nurses leaving. Nurses crying. Nurses working so hard day in and day out, and being harped on for the small things. The things that matter to the hospital, but no necessarily for the wellbeing of the patients. I really think institutions needs to pick and choose their battles the way that we do with our patients. It’s hurting and driving good nurses away!

I watched on of the HARDEST working techs be fired because she was chronically 2 minutes late everyday. She had 2 kids that she had to drop off at her mothers house every morning, and she was a single mother. She loved her patients so well. She never complained. She not only did her job, but went above and beyond. She was fired after multiple reminders of the hospitals policy. I get that policy exists for a reason…. I do. It certainly needs to be there. What I don’t get is how employees who show up on time with the worst attitudes and the laziest work ethic keep their jobs, and someone who is late by 2 minutes every day, but contributed to patient and employee satisfaction every day, was fired.

This is one of many stories like this, nurses included…I don’t think bad behavior or habits should be dismissed, but I’m finding that people aren’t necessarily being directly fired. they are leaving by choice out of hurt, distrust, and lack of support.

People have a deep, innate desire to please others and be loved. When either or both of those are in question or not met, people run out of hurt….

 I would rather work with a positive, hard working person who was 2 minutes late everyday than someone who is on time, but doesn’t do their job, and carries around negativity in all that they do! This is not okay. I see good people come and go because hospitals are not taking care of their staff properly, not trying to understand what is HELPFUL for their staff, the way they research what is good for their patients.

Why is this? Because patients are customers. And customers are money.

Well guess what? I didn’t come into this profession because my patients are customers. I came into this profession because patients are PEOPLE. People that I love. People that I care about. People, that I will work 13 hours + a shift to make sure that they are okay and their needs are met! Not because it’s expected of me, but because I care about PEOPLE!

I want hospitals to step out of their “customer pleasing” box, and look at their nurses. Look at their staff. Are they okay? Do they have the resources they need to make sure they can take good care of themselves so ultimately they can take good of their patients? Are they loving and supporting their nurses well? Are they being advocated for and encouraged by their leadership? Or are they being ripped down?

My mission and hope is that this profession and hospitals start to see the importance of taking care of their employees FIRST.  That they look at the WHOLE picture. We need to protect and care for the beautiful individuals in this profession, so we can better care for the patients under our own care. This profession should not be Nurses Vs  Business. This profession should be US, together, for the PATIENTS! 

There is a way to make this better for all, and it starts with supporting and guiding nurses down a path of self care, support, and love. It starts with teaching leadership, people skills. It starts with showing people what respect, love, and support looks like in action. It starts with mentorship.

This isn’t just for nurses, this is for the CEO and down. If we can better care for ourselves and each other, then true success and satisfaction will be achieved. My heart is heavy, but I wanted to share this. I hope it is received well, because my intention in nothing but good things! I love being a nurse, but I am tired today.

  In the words of Ellen, “Be Kind and Love One Another.”

Your Heart Is Mine,

Kelsey