The year of ethics

The American Nurses Association declared 2015 the Year of Ethics. They also updated their Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements this year, too.

Lately, there are lots of ethics issues in the news. This recent article series talks about risks for manicurists calls into question the ethics of nail salons. There are sections of major newspapers discussing everything from genomic issues to the latest celebrity ethical dilemma.

In the Hotel, we deal with issues, too. Is it ethical to share your cell phone number so patients can call you back promptly when the phones in the facility don't always work? Is it ethical to be Facebook friends with patients? Is it ethical to deny certain patients items during care that aren't denied of similar patients, when there is no risk to health and safety? Are prejudices appropriate as health care providers?

So many things to consider this year, and every day.

We are the most trusted profession after all. Shouldn't we be ethical?

More to come...

I think of arm wrestling

Or a juxtaposition of life where you wonder about things. For entertainment purposes, I checked out some interesting books at the library. The latest one: You are a badass: How to stop doubting your greatness and start living an awesome life.

Yes, this is indeed a book title. I didn't make it up.

When I read this opinion piece in the New York Times recently, it struck me for a few reasons. One, it's written by a doctor. Two, it's written by a young doctor with cancer. Three, it reminds me of a character at the Hotel struggling with his own diagnosis.

We can't give him time. We can only tell him that if he gets treated, he will most likely be cured. If he delays, he jeopardizes that chance of living until his grandchildren graduate from school.

He's cheated death a few times, so maybe he's jaded. Or maybe he'd just believe us if we could give him a number.

We can't.

So he's just going, as Becket says, to keep not going, and going along.

One week down

Yes, it's terribly different in the clinic I'm in. With all the construction and learning new stuff, I am thoroughly discombobulated. I'm not horribly exhausted, but my days literally fly by as I work on e-mails and documents I have to attend to on a regular basis.

I still traverse through the Hotel, but lately, with all the construction, there's not much people stuff going on. No patients congregating in the hallways between therapies, not too many outside, since the weather's getting weird again, and not too much activity.

Overall, though, I'm pleased with the change. I like doing this work in the clinic because it is challenging. I am forced to grow, and to make contact with lots of people from lots of places every day.

Despite the fact that some of the work reminds me of being in sales again (the making the numbers part), I feel like I can make a difference: for those patients, as well as for my coworkers and the staff at our sister hospitals, too.

I may be a newbie, but I'm ready to go. I'll keep at it until we get everything done...and right!

Stay tuned...it's a thrill a minute here!