The greatest nurse

I've only been a nurse for a little while compared to the people I've worked with, but I've noticed a few traits to consider if you want to be the "greatest nurse."

1. Roll with it, baby. My preceptor and confidant, G., instilled that in me in my orientation at Saintarama. Life happens while you're making other plans, as the song says, so always go with the flow and use plan B if you have to do it!

2. Have a sense of humor. As a kid, I hated shots. One of my favorite nurses, Mitzi, always found a way to get me to take them without them hurting so much. I use her line, "Dangle that arm like a dishrag and relax." a whole lot. Her counterpart, Rita, used to do a Bickersons routine every time she saw my mom, which usually sent the office folks away laughing.

3. Appearances can be deceiving, so use it to your advantage. Moral of the story: never mess with a 4 foot eleven inch former Navy nurse. MMB taught me that a good nurse can be tough and tender at the same time....and that nurses who work with moms and babies will take you out in a heartbeat if you mess with either. (Said nurse had to diffuse a momma/baby daddy situation before security came on one clinical.) She managed to do it without force. Whew!

4. Do what you have to do to get done, but get a break wherever you can. You're not going to be a very good nurse if you're crabby, have to pee, or have six phone calls to make . Prioritize accordingly. It may not solve every problem, but your bladder will thank you.

5. Sleep. Get enough sleep so you can deal with the tasks of the day. Many of your coworkers will slack off or work too much overtime, so someone needs to be paying attention.

6. Old school's not always so bad. Don't knock primary nursing. You may end up with less patients. My professor gave me the greatest compliment when I told her I was going to be a rehab nurse on a primary care unit. "That's what nursing is all about!"

7. Vent and get it out, but treat everyone you can with dignity. Yes, we get frustrated, but if we do nothing about it, it bubbles up and takes over. Find ways to relieve stress in a constructive manner, both at home and at work.