What is old school anyway?

We had a lively discussion about this on a recent evening shift.

What really is "old school nursing"? Does it mean you do your job, then do some more, and walk with the fear of the Almighty in you, that you would never think of whipping out your smartphone and talking for an hour?

Do you really think we need the big woman in whites and the "hat" to come back and tell you if you're not moving that you should be cleaning?

Every shift, I'm beginning to think that. I get so tired of trying to figure out if I have everything I need, that I just bring my "emergency pack" into a room, because I can never expect someone to think ahead, or be nice enough to leave anything in there.

Maybe a little less "There, there" and a little more "Get your arse out of the chair!" would be appropriate.

We can only hope....stay tuned!

Uniform uniforms?

In yet another effort to stifle the morale at ye old Hotel Rehab, the management has decided we would just "look better" if we all wore standard uniforms. Rumor has it we'll get light blue tops and blue pants.

The best suggestion was to go back to "nursing whites because they're so much more professional". Yuck! I work with poop and other bodily fluids a lot on some shifts (and I may get wet in a shower--or may sweat due to the heat and humidity on our unit) and I really don't want to see it if it does end up on my scrubs.

And who might have thought this was a great idea? It was the "Nursing Standards" committee, which consists of nurses who no longer work the floor anymore. Our representative did work the floor, until he/she got the office and is rarely seen anywhere near the unit, unless there are donuts or other free food.

Now if they do like the ORs and build a locker room for us and allow us to change at work, I might go for it. I doubt they'd go for it...I work the floor. What could I know?