5 West Nursing

Today marks my 5th year of serving the people of McAllen, TX at MMC. Wow, time sure flies when you’re having fun.

It’s been 5 years since the first day of orientation at MMC. I remember the first time I entered into that orientation classroom. I thought “this is going to be great”, at first. The people here seem to be friendly enough, and they seem to have great attitudes. Well, I was wrong once my classroom orientation days were over and I had to step onto the Telemetry floor for the first day of clinical orientation. Boy was that an eye opener. People had cr*ppy attitudes and the SERVICE EXCELLENCE scam was just it… a scam. I’ve never seen anything like this before. They told us that MMC was the Ritz-Carlton of healthcare… not so… one patient even said “the service is better at Motel 6″. SERVICE EXCELLENCE? What SERVICE EXCELLENCE? Is there such a thing? Well, that was 5 years ago. It’s different now because I’m here!

In the last 5 years, I would say that this place, McAllen and MMC, is a lot better because I’M HERE! Pharmacy services is better because I’M HERE! Patients appreciate the nursing care they receive because I’M HERE! My co-workers have better attitudes because I’M HERE! Well, it also helped when those that had cr*ppy attitudes left, all because, you’ve guessed it, I’M HERE! Heck, even OPUS, the Rolls Royce of EMR (they said) is better because, (everyone together now), I’M HERE!… I’M HERE, I’M HERE, I’M HERE, and that’s why, in the last 5 years, this place is better because I’M HERE!

Now, before you start saying, “Humbug!”, let me ask you this… Is the place you’ve worked for the last 5, 10 or 15 years better becuase YOU’RE THERE?, or did it take a turn for the worse because YOU’RE THERE? Did your co-workers find the workplace better because YOU’RE THERE? Or do they dread coming to work because YOU’RE THERE? Do your patients prefer your hospital because YOU’RE THERE? Or would they rather jump off a bridge because YOU’RE THERE? If you can answer yes to the first set of questions then I guess you need to take a look at yourself and do some deep down soul searching. As for me, I know the place I’m at is better because I’M HERE!

Egos aside, I’m sure if you’re like me, you’re proud to be where you are. Nevertheless, nothing lasts forever, and nothing is more permanent in this world than change. So I guess after 5 years of serving the people of McAllen at MMC, it’s time to move on. Unfortunately, job searching is not as easy as it sounds. With the projected 800,000 nursing jobs available, I’m surprised to find that even jobs in the Rio Grande Valley for nurses are in short supply. I don’t know if hospitals don’t hire people because they don’t know them, or that they are not really desperate for nurses at this time. All I know is, I’ve applied at several area hospitals and I would still have to hear from them. As far as I know, I guess this is God’s ways of telling me, “Your work at MMC is not done yet, I’ve got greater plans for you”. Or, His way of saying, “I’m not done working on you at MMC yet, so stay put until you learn your lesson”. Either way, I’m thankful I have my job at MMC. What lesson He is trying to teach me, I still have to figure out. One thing’s for sure, He is teaching me patience… and that my friend is the hardest lesson of all in my opinion.

Happy New Year!

Yes, this is two days late. It’s been a while since I’ve picked up the proverbial pen and made an entry on this so called blog. Some people would say, “better late than never”, however, I would say that we’ve only just begun. 2009 is behind us, 2010 is here, and although we’ve had more downs than ups since Nov 5 of ‘08, I’m optimistic that 2010 will be a great year… not because the stimulus package has worked, or that we are living in Obamanation, but because for the second time, America, the sleeping giant has awaken from its slumber. Hopefully it will stay awake long enough to get back on track… then we can sleep again until some Chicago politician decides he is the annointed one and stir some cr*p. Yup, pocket change we can believe in.

Kidding aside, we did something diffferent this year. My Sweetie decided that we would be out this year instead of staying home and waiting for the clock to strike 12. Yup, we missed the ball drop in Times Square, however, we did catch the fireworks display at South Padre Island, TX. It was cold, a chilling 54 degrees F in deep south Texas, at the shore of the Gulf of Mexico with a cold breeze coming from the north. Thankfully we were prepared with our thick jackets in layers, scraves, beanies, lawn chairs, cameras, and snacks.

As we counted down to zero, it began, fireworks galore. We were fortunate to have “front row seats” (being there 2 hours early is an advantage). You can feel it in your chest as the rockets shoot up and explode in a dazzling array of lights in splendid colors. My 6 year old who was asleep earlier is now wide awake. You can hear the crowd’s silence amid the bang and crackle from the fireworks dispay. The ahs, oohs, and wows as each rocket shot up and exploded in balls of light attest to the crowd’s delight. Then, it was over. After 15 minutes of welcoming 2010 with a bang, it was time to pack up and go home. Overall, it was awesome.

As we face the new year and reflect on the one that just passed, I hope we take time to thank God for the blessings He has given us like family, friends, a job, a home, our car, food, clothing, and shelter. And although we probably want more than we have (who doesn’t), being grateful for what we do have is better than complaining.

On this note, I just want to take this time to thank God for the blessings and wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year. May God bless you and your family this 2010. And if you’re an atheist, tough luck, sucks to be you!

Ah, Christmas… that time of the year when we spread good cheer and rush to get our holiday shopping done before all the good gift items are sold out… that time where we plan those parties and gift exchanges… that time when we dust off the old tree and decorate it with ornaments, candy cane, and lights… that time of the year when all they play on the radio are Christmas carols and songs about reindeers, Santa, and snow. Yup, Christmas.

I remember growing up as a child, we always looked forward to Christmas… after all, school’s out, we get to eat good food, and most of all, we get to open presents from  under the tree. There was this one Christmas when I was about 7 years old, I did something bad that really upset my mom. I don’t remember what I did, but I remember that I was sobbing profusely asking her to forgive me because I didn’t want to be on Santa’s “naughty” list. I hate to admit it, but yes, we thought Santa was real. So much for that…

I don’t know about you, but as I got older, the “magic” of Christmas seem to fade. And through the years, what’s supposed to be a season of “joy” becomes a season of stress… Is the tree up yet? Did we get presents for everyone on the list? What do I need to bring for our Christmas party? Did we mail out the all the Christmas cards yet? And to make matters worse, we’re in a recession, millions are jobless, and the future has never been so uncertain as it is today. Where did the “magic” go? What changed? Is it true, that the “joy” of Christmas is directly proportional to the balance in your bank account?

As I thought about this, I realize that the “magic” has always been there. What changed was my attitude towards Christmas. As we get older, we lose the innocence of a child and all of a sudden, the demands of life gets to us. Christmas isn’t “fun” anymore… we get “Christmas burnout”… unfortunately, we tend to focus on the wrong things and it sucks the joy out of the season… not to mention the fact that it is true… the “joy” of Christmas is directly proportional to the balance of your bank account!

I’ve decided that I need an attitude adjustment. I’ve decided not to be stressed during this time of year. I’ve decided that Christmas will be a greater celebration at our house. It will be a celebration of Jesus’ birth… it will be a celebration of His love for us, that despite the fact that we are but a speck in this vast universe, that He came down, as a baby so that He can make the ultimate sacrifice to save us from eternal separation from Him. It will be a celebration of His mercy and kindness which we would also extend to our fellow men. It will be a time where the family gets together, to look back and count the blessings God has given us throughout the year, and to look forward with great anticipation for the year ahead because…

For to us a child is born,
       to us a son is given,
       and the government will be on his shoulders.
       And he will be called
       Wonderful Counselor,  Mighty God,
       Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

- Isaiah 9:6

Today marks my 10th year wedding anniversary to the one I love… my Sweetie. After 10 years of putting up with me, we’re still together. I guess you can say love is truly blind… for the most part, I don’t see anything in me that would want anyone to spend the rest of their life with. Of course, she always tells me that she has a feeling I’d be a millionaire someday, “why do you think I’m still here?” she asks with a smirk on her face. Well, I hope her hunch is right. With this economy, I’m sure we could all use some extra Benjamins.

Kidding aside, 10 years of marital bliss seem like a fleeting moment. I still remember the day we met… I was director of nurses for a 99 bed skilled nursing facility in Pasadena, she was a shy applicant for the job of receptionist. I wasn’t interested in her initially, however, as you spend time with people at work, you get to know them. Ten years and 4 kids later, we’re still here. And, although I’d say the road was very tough (particularly for her), by God’s grace, and only by God’s grace, we are still together. There were times when it would seem like our differences were irreconcilable, even to the point of no return… to the point of giving up and throwing in that “D” word (which came up a few times), however, through thick and thin we stuck to what was right, and God honored our commitment to each other. God gave us the grace to humble ourselves, to forgive one another, and to say, “Lord, in your hands, we commit our marriage.” I’m sure glad we did.

In my observation, I’d say the average marriage in America lasts around 3 – 7 years. Almost the same amount of time as an average boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. Experts say that if you reach your 7th year, the likelihood of you staying married together are greater than if you don’t… duh?! Of course you can still split up after 7 years… they just say that statistically, most people past 7 years are most likely to stay together. Statistics aside, as you get older together, you find satisfaction in counting the years… at least for me and my Sweetie… assuming you make your marriage a little heaven on earth.

On that note… don’t buy the third ring when you get married. I’m sure you’ve heard the three rings you give or get in a marriage:

1. the Engagement Ring…
2. the Wedding Ring…
3. the Suffer Ring!

They finally got it done… congress passing the 2000 page healthcare “reform” bill during a special vote last saturday. Quite frankly I don’t get it. Why the rush? Why the special vote? Why on the weekend? Is the healthcare situation that bad that we have to pass this 2000 page bill NOW? Seriously, has anyone read the darn thing? Are we out of our minds? What impact could this bill have in the future if this gets signed into law?

I guess you can say that this is a victory for whoever wants this bill passed. And although they can rejoice and celebrate and do all that, I wonder if the American people are celebrating with them. As far as I know, no one has ever read and understood the bill. And if you ask any member of congress who voted for this bill, I bed you they wouldn’t be able to tell you what’s in it. At least not in its entirety. That’s sad… what has America come to?

I’m sure what happens in congress is what happens at our hospitals too. I know you know what I mean… patients signing papers without reading what they are signing. Like a member of congress states, “who’s got time to read the bill?”… yeah, who’s got time to read the consent for the surgery and “other related procedures”. Which doctor has time to sit with the patient and family to answer questions about the proposed procedure when they can write orders like “obtain consent for [whatever procedure]“. No biggie right?

Now that the bill was passed, it has to go through the senate. Unfortunately for madam speaker Pelosi, some senators are saying that this house bill will be DOA. On the other hand, the senate is also cooking up their own version of healthcare reform. Overall, I doubt that healthcare reform will be signed into law before the year’s end as our president suggests. Regardless of what happens this year, or even early next year, the American people loses on this one. What some people think is a “victory” for passing this house bill, is actually a waste of time. Clean up healthcare? I doubt it… they should have done this a long time ago. Unless special interest groups drop their agenda, and I mean ALL SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, we will never truly “clean up” healthcare. There’s just too much at stake on the expense of the American people. I believe the best thing to do right now is to not do anything as drastic as a 2000 page bill (too late) and study the current system OBJECTIVELY without interference from the government or special interest groups, then come up with a solution that solves the problem of waste and fraud. Call me naive, but wouldn’t you do the same in your own house if faced with a problem? Of course you would… you’d put your nurse’s cap on and apply the nursing process! For now, what makes sense to me is to open the market for healthcare insurance providers to operate across state lines, which will increase free market competition and help drive costs down. What’s so wrong with that?

Overall we’ll just have to wait and see what happens next. Unfortunately a spoonful of sugar can’t make this medicine go down. Why? Because congress just said… “open wide America… get ready for your ENEMA!“

Time surely flies when you’re having fun! For me, it’s more like work and school… not really that fun. It’s been a busy few weeks for me and I haven’t made entries to this so called blog. What a bummer!

What’s more of a bummer is what is happening in our country today… the healthcare debate, the war in Afghanistan, the Acorn vs pimp and prostitute scandal, Iran and her nuclear weapons development because that crazy leader of theirs see our leader as weak, indoctrination of our public school children, tea party goers labeled as “the angry mob that incites violence”, while the G20 protests was described as orderly and peaceful (which in reality was the other way around), etc., etc.

Quite frankly, I’ve never seen anything like this in the last 15 years I’ve been in America. I would have to say that we are living in uncertain times. I think we are starting to see the beginning of the end. Things will only get worse from here. The country is being shaken from its core. Everyone has their own agenda… you can hardly trust anybody anymore.

I have never seen America so divided in terms of Republicans vs Democrats, Liberals vs Conservatives, Black vs White, etc., etc. It’s sad to see how you can be labeled a racist if you oppose or disagree with someone that doesn’t have the same skin color as you do. Can’t we agree to disagree anymore? Has common sense been thrown out the window in America today? What is happening to this country?

Doesn’t it strike you odd that our president has been pushing this public healthcare option, saying that it has to be passed now? Why the rush? It’s like a pushy car salesman telling you that you need to buy this Pinto when you already own a Mercedez. May the people in congress should vote for this public option, Republicans and Democrats alike. They should look up to our president and follow his example when he was a senator… they should vote PRESENT!

The debate rages on… the president pushing his agenda, “angry mobs” storming townhall meetings across the country…(Oops, correction) not angry mobs… “furious mobs”  (Oops, sorry again)… not “furious mobs”… just good ol’ common sense and critically thinking Americans who can smell dead fish from a mile away. It’s nice to know that that America still exists!

I think what the president ought to do is just STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN…

STOP pushing the health care agenda…

LOOK at the current healthcare situation and do a comprehensive study…

LISTEN to the people and what they say…

I find it odd that a president, who hasn’t gone to church (as far as I know), who hid behind his desk during the National Day of Prayer, all of a sudden calls on the religious leaders of the country to urge them to tell their congregation that it is our “moral obligation” to get health care to the masses. It’s like atheists who cry “God save me!” when their plane is about to crash. I don’t think there has been any comprehensive studies made on the current health care situation of the country (unless you know of some, I’d like to hear from you). I believe this is what we need… not universal healthcare… at least not now.

Yes, health care is definitely important , especially today and in this uncertain economy. We all agree that the cost of health care has gone up as more and more people live longer, sicker lives. And although the thought of health care for everyone may be a noble idea, the reality is that, not everyone wants healthcare. Simply put, if one doesn’t care about their health, why should the rest of us have to pay for it? After all, this is AMERICA. We can do anything we want because we have the FREEDOM to do anything we want! Right?

We can decide not to live healthy, we can decide to live wrecklessly, we can decide to sit in front of the TV all day munching on salty tortilla chips and downing gallons and gallons of soda while piling on the ice cream and chocolate chip cookies till it comes out of our noses. We can decide to drink cases of beer or hard liquor till our liver turns yellow and we start pooping blood that gushes out where the sun don’t shine while we’re being turned in the ICU because we wanted “just one more sip” for 10 years. Heck, we can smoke all the cigarettes that can fit in our mouth all at once and go through 3 cases a day till we end up intubated in the ICU and dependent on a vent. We can eat all we can in those chinese buffets and Mexican restaurants til we get so big that nurses break their backs when they give us bed baths or turn us to prevent pressure sores. That’s all good, it’s your business, you’re paying your health premiums, do whatever you want. Live la viva loca. But what about those that don’t pay their health premiums or do not have healthcare coverage that live life in wreckless abandon? Don’t judge me… mind your own business!

Here’s the deal… and I think here’s were the debate comes in. There are definitely people that NEED health care because of their medical condition that IS NOT THEIR FAULT. For example, those who were born with developmental or congenital anomalies, those that were stricken with an uncurable degenerative disease who were otherwise healthy, those who are stricken with diseases of old age, etc., etc. There are also those that NEED health care because of disabilities that IS NOT THEIR FAULT. For example, those who got injured severely on the job, that lost all limbs or sustained a devastating head injury, unforseen accidents that caused their disabilities, victims of violent crimes, our veterans (most definitely), etc., etc. I’m sure we can name other situations that someone would need health care becuase of an unfortunate event that IS NOT THEIR FAULT.

On the other hand, there are those that NEED health care, BUT was caused by their wrecklessness. For example, drunk drivers getting into a car wreck and ending up paralyzed, victims of self inflicted gun shot wounds because of playing Russian Roulette, a failed suicide attempt (this is iffy), etc., etc. The list goes on, and on.

How about the people who have Medicare… those who’ve worked hard all their lives, were productive members of society who because of the frailty of old age are sick. They take care of themselves as much as they can, they take their medications religiously, they follow doctor’s advice, they do everything they can to live healthy lives. I’m sure they would definitely need healthcare. Then there are some who, for some reason or another, did not work hard, who couldn’t find a job, who were not fortunate enough to get educated and thus couldn’t find a job, who get sick because of poverty, who just did not have the means to contribute to Medicare. They need healthcare too, but who’s paying for that?

How about the difference between, universal healthcare access, and healthcare entitlement. Am I more entitled to healthcare because I contributed to society by working hard and raising my familiy right? Or do I expect other people to pay for my healthcare and continue to live my life as unhealthy as I please because I am entitled to it?

There is no doubt that the middle class mostly could afford health insurance, and that the wealthy, and politicians, do get the best health care available. There are people in the mid to lower class that have a job that could not, or do not have health insurance. They work and strive to make a living, yet healthcare is out of reach simply because they cannot afford it. Then there are those who are just plain lazy. They think the world owes them a living. They think society owes them from the years of “white man” oppression. They may be able bodied but refuses to work because they are entitled to something anyway. And so, on and so forth.

What can we do? At the moment, we need to do nothing. The best thing we can do is to STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN. And although pundits or even the president would say that if we do nothing, we are digging ourselves deeper and deeper into a hole, I believe unless we figure things out first… the what, whys, and hows… the only option we have is to keep healthcare the way it is. There is just too many people involved in this “broken” system that an overnight, over the weekend vote by congress, who do not even read what they are voting for, would solve anything.

I believe that the best healthcare experts the president could and should hear from are those who are at the forefront of healthcare delivery, WE THE NURSES!

We the nurses deliver healthcare. We the nurses see the effects of years of health abuse. We the nurses see the effects of lives lived in wreckless abandon. We the nurses see the mismanagement of healthcare resources. We the nurses see the exploit of physicians who run their practice as a business as opposed to service to the community. We the nurses see how hospitals exploit us for profit. We the nurses are the answer to healthcare reform. BUT WHAT ARE WE THE NURSES DOING?

Wow! It has surely been a while since that last time this blog had life. In the span of almost 2 months, a lot has happened in terms of developments in government, the media, and most recently the passing away of a few well known celebrities, so famous, we won’t need to mention them.

In the last couple of months since Mother’s day, our world has changed drastically. Of course any mention here would be in retrospect. And like the crisis of our time, what seemed to be an almost devastating personal crisis would actually breathe new life into my life. I’m glad to say that thanks to God’s grace, His guidance, His mercy, His providence, and leading, the future looks brighter. I believe I’ve cleared a hurdle that kept me back a few years. Now, it’s full steam ahead. Watch out, here I come!

That being said, I’d like to take this time to welcome myself back into the odd world of nurse bloggers, who, without Mother Jones‘ encouragement, would have seen this blog fade into obscurity. What had started as an outlet to vent on the seeming lack of common sense found at my workplace, intended for a small group of readers, became a speck of dust on the mountain of the nurses’ blogosphere. And although you may not always agree with the opinions expressed here, you are right, and are definitely entitled to mine. Here’s to nurse bloggers and blogging. Cheers!

Growing up I remember fond memories with my mother. Although she wasn’t home a lot because of her work being a college physician, she always made a point to spend quality time with us. I’m sure she’d rather be home most of the time, however, when duty calls, she had to respond to it even at 2 in the morning. This is one of the reasons why early on I decided not to pursue medicine even when my parents wanted me to follow in her footsteps, or be in the medical profession for that matter. Ironically, I ended up being a nurse. At least I don’t get called at 2 a.m., and with a 3 – 4 day 12-hour work schedule, I get to spend some time with my kids.

I’m sure you have fond memories of you mother too. I’m sure you can remember the joys and pains you caused her has you grew up into adulthood. I know she had her fair share with me, and if not for her love and patience, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

So to all you mothers out there I’d like to salute you and greet you a Happy Mother’s day. There is nothing so dear, so sweet, so nurturing as a mother’s love.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last century, I’m sure you’ve seen at least one movie in your lifetime. That being said, we all know that what we see on the big screen is a culmination of weeks, even months, of hard work by a group of people who came together to create that spectacle we call a movie.

Unfortunately for those who worked behind the scenes, all the audience remembers are the people who had the leading role. What most people don’t realize is that, these so called movie stars wouldn’t exist if nobody put them on a pedestal. And although looks and talent may be a big factor in their rise to stardom, it is their fans and the people behind them that makes them look good, an important ingredient to achieving celebrity status.

In the field of healthcare, you can say that the “stars” of the show are nurses. I’m not saying that because I am one, but rather, because it is the way it is. At the end of the shift it is the nurse that gets remembered by the patient, just like a movie goer would remember the star who had the leading role. And just like a movie goer who would judge the actor’s performance as excellent or poor, a patient also makes judgements about the nurses’ performance based on their experience with the nurse.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that the people who work in the background are trivial… far from it! In fact, it is the people in the background that make or break the performance. Just think about it for a minute…. You can have stunning special effects, but if the actors aren’t talented the scene starts to look phony. Or, you can have great action, but if the music sucks, the scene sucks. On that note, you can have a star nurse, but if the pharmacy doesn’t deliver that pain medication on time, what can your star nurse do? If xray takes 48 hours to get a report to the chart because it is the weekend, who is to blame? If a bloody dressing cannot be reinforced or changed because central supplies failed to stock the unit, would the patient have to wait till the next day?

Regardless of what department you work… don’t get fooled by the cliche, “we are here for the patient”. NO… the NURSE is here for the patient… you are here for the nurse! Hate the idea, but I believe this is reality. Each supporting department is here for the nurse… labs, pharmacy, xray, housekeeping, central supplies, dietary, information services, you name it. Without the cooperation and full support of these departments, the nursing department suffers, and subsequently, the patient suffers. 

I’m sure you work at a hospital where nurses are held in high esteem, where the nurses’ success is everyone’s success, where management treat nurses as assets instead of liabilities, and where departments work together to solve each other’s problems. But then again, it’s a dog eat dog world out there, and for the most part, nurses are fair game and oftentimes get the short end of the stick unlike movie stars who get the red carpet treatment for their life-saving performances… ya. At least as a nurse, I get to go to Walmart without the pesty paparazzi.