Nursing Is Caring
By Beverly Wheeler and Melissa Maschke
()
About this ebook
Nurses work long hours, deal with difficult patients, and their job gets messy. So why do so many men and women enter the profession?
That question is answered in Nursing Is Caring, which highlights the experiences of Beverly Wheelers former students at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas School of Nursing.
The students were asked to write a short paper about a patient they had taken care of since entering nursing school who had inspired them and made them realize they were in the right profession.
Their essays show that while people enter the profession for numerous reasons, they all want to care for peopleand not just patients. Nurses play a critical role in helping families start the healing process.
Whether it is holding a patients hand, talking to a patient, or being a shoulder to cry on, nurses do much more than take blood or carry out a doctors instructions.
Whether youre thinking about becoming a nurse, questioning why you entered the field or simply seeking more information about the profession, youll be inspired by the personal accounts in this tribute to the profession.
Beverly Wheeler
Beverly Wheeler, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas School of Nursing. She was formerly a clinical nurse specialist at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, and an adjunct clinical instructor at Marymount University, Arlington, Virginia. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. Melissa Maschke received her Associate Degree in Art from the San Antonio College and has been accepted in to bachelor degree program at the Southwest School of Art, San Antonio.
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Nursing Is Caring - Beverly Wheeler
Nursing
Is
Caring
Beverly Wheeler, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC
52410.pngNURSING IS CARING
Copyright © 2015 Beverly Wheeler, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
iUniverse
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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.
ISBN: 978-1-4917-7524-0 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-4917-7525-7 (e)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015913402
iUniverse rev. date: 11/19/2015
56863.pngContents
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Preface
Patient Memories
Anders, Haley. BNS, RN, -- A Little Girl's Words
Auman, Andrea (Johnson ), BSN, RN, -- He Was My Very First Patient
Ballard, Theresa B, MSN, RN, -- My True Calling in Nursing
Bermudez, Leonardo, BSN, RN, -- A Patient's Poem
Cannon, Kristen BSN, RN -- A Wonderful Experience
Carey, Laura, BSN, RN -- A Great Patient
Chaiya, Charles BSN, RN, -- A Patient I Won't Forget
Chavez, Charisa, BSN, RN -- Patient Impact in Nursing
Cortinas, April BSN, RN, -- A Patient To Remember
Cunningham, Christina, BSN, RN -- An Apology
Dearinger, Carla, BSN, RN, -- Comeback Kid
DeMase, Gillian, BSN, RN, -- Miracle of Birth
Deuel, Natalie, BSN, RN, -- A Most Inspiring Patient
Edwards, Yashika Denise, BSN, RN -- School Experience
Engle, Julie BSN, RN -- A Patient's Fears
Evans, Tammy, BSN, RN -- Confirmation
Fulton, Karen B., BSN, RN -- Confirmation Of My Chosen Path As An RN
Garcia, Jacob BSN, RN -- Personal Narrative
Garrison, Jessica BSN, RN, -- That One Patient
Gillespie, Mary Jane, BSN, RN, -- Voices of the Voiceless
Gorychka, Elizabeth, BSN, RN, -- Giving Comfort
Greer , Andrea, BSN, RN, -- A Patient Remembered
Hajda, Sara, BSN, RN -- A Man Who Made a Lasting Impression
Henk, Krystal (Wohlfahrt), BSN, RN -- A Simple Conversation
Hines, Kelly, BSN, RN, -- My Most Memorable Patient
Idicula, Jenny, BSN, RN, -- Paralyzed
Ingle, Elyse, BSN, RN, -- Brief Paragraph
Jacob, Feba, BSN, RN -- Finding Inspiration
Kakuta, Minami, BSN, RN -- A Mission Trip
Kanarch, Rima, BSN, RN -- A Patient's Impact
Kirkwood, Chelsea, BSN, RN, -- Unconditional Care
Kluger, Sharon BSN, RN, -- The Moments That Make Life Meaningful
Knapp, Katherine, -- My First Patient
Kruse Jessica Christensen, BSN, RN -- Experiences in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
LaSalle, Nicole, BSN, RN, -- A Critically Ill Patient
Ledbetter, Lindsey, BSN, RN, -- A Patient Who Made A Difference
Lee, Eun, BSN, RN, -- A touching story
Lundy Zeinelabdin, Lucinda, BSN, RN, -- I Learned to Listen
Manocchio, Antonio, BSN, RN, -- A Grateful Patient
Martinez, Jesus BSN, RN, -- A Special Patient
Medintz, Jackie BSN, RN, -- A Pediatric Patient
Michalec, Karen, BSN, RN, -- A Patient Who Inspired Me
Micheletti, Tanya, BSN, RN, -- My A Ha Moment
Micke, Luka, MSN, RN, -- A Fun and Genuine Patient
Moon, Crisann (Dodgen) BSN, RN, -- Angels
Moreno, Allison BSN, RN, -- A Wound Care Patient
Neri, Rocio M, BSN, RN, -- A Spanish Speaking Patient
Ojowa, Winifred BSN, RN, -- My Inspiration
Olsen, Kristin, BSN, RN, -- Inspiring Patient Experience
Omisola, Kristina, BSN, RN, -- A Young Soldier
Paglia, Alaina BSN, RN, -- A Little Boy
Perez. Krystal, BSN, RN, -- Significant Patient
Pitts, Kelleah, BSN, RN, -- My Labor and Delivery Patient
Polasek, Jennifer, BSN, RN, -- Answers
Powao, Reynaldo BSN, RN, -- An Angry Patient
Ramos, Analisa, BSN, RN, -- Fluff Is Good Medicine
Richesin, Alicia, BSN, RN, -- A Touching Patient
Roberson, Takesha, BSN, RN, -- A Little Girl in PICU
Robisheaux, Ryan, BSN, RN, -- Nursing Experience
Sakhel, Emil, BSN, RN, -- Patient Who Touched Me As A Student
Saldivar, Melodie, BSN, RN, -- My Patient Inspired Me
Sheesley, Martita, BSN Nursing Student, -- My A HA
Moment
Silva, Keyster, BSN, RN (US Army Nurse) -- Babies Depend on Nurses
Sirchia, Erika, BSN, RN, -- The Patient That Changed My World
Smith, Rodney, BSN, RN, -- Patient Who Touched Me as a Student
Solis, Eli, BSN, RN, -- Why Nursing Is For Me
Stefanic, Meaghan BSN, RN, -- One Patient Vividly Remembered
Stuckey, Kristi, BSN, RN, -- A Special Child
Sylvester, Chris, BSN, RN, -- A Patient That Touched Me
Taele, Josephine, BSN, RN, -- My Niche
Talley, Sara, BSN, RN, -- A Little Brother
Teran, Meghan , BSN, RN -- A Patient Who Helped Me Realize I Chose the Right Career
Theriot, Kimberly, BSN, RN -- My Most Memorable Patient
Thomas, Antony, BSN, RN, -- A Memorable Couple
Thomas, Ashley. BSN, RN, -- My First Code Blue
Turner, Christela, BSN, RN, -- Patient Reflection
Vaello, Kathryn [Lawson], BNS, RN -- Unforeseeable Forces
Valle. Angelica, MSN, RN, -- An Uncooperative Patient
VanBremen, Russell, BSN, RN, -- A Homeless Patient
Villasenor Raquel, BSN, RN -- A Busy Day
Wholly, Amanda, BSN, RN (US Air Force) -- Intensive Care Unit Mother
Zorn, Kristy, BSN, RN, -- A Very Bad or Bored Patient
A Challenge
52613.pngDedication
This book is dedicated to my late husband, Wylie Thompson. When I first told him my idea for this book, his comment was Go for it
and then reminded me that I would need patience. He supported me, encouraged me, and frequently reminded me to have patience throughout the major portion of this process. Even though he didn't get to see the finished product, he had read all the students' works and saw the majority of the artist's work. I thank him for his faith in me.
Acknowledgements
I wish to acknowledge and thank Ms Lark Ford, PhD, MSN, MS, RN, a Clinical Assistant Professor at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, School of Nursing for her suggestion that these students' works be put into a book. Her suggestion started the process. I also want to thank her for her continued enthusiasm, support, and always being ready to give me advice, help, and to answer my questions.
I also want to thank Dr. Carol [Reineck] Huebner, PhD, RN, my Department Chair at the Health Science Center when I started this project, for her excitement and support.
I further want to acknowledge and thank Ms Melissa Maschke, my artist, for the donation of her time and talent in helping me with this project. I wish her the very best as she progresses in her career.
52639.png52645.pngPreface
Most nurses have a patient they will, for a variety of reasons, never forget. When I first started teaching clinical nursing in Virginia, my students and I often talked about patients they would remember and the reasons why they would not forget them.
When I moved to Texas and started teaching, I decided to have all my fourth semester clinical students write a short paper about "a patient they had taken care of since entering nursing school who had inspired them and made them realize they were in the right profession." They also had to give me permission to show their work to others.
When I mentioned to Dr. Carol [Reineck] Huebner, my department chief at that time, what my students were writing, she stated she would like to read them. Each semester after she had read their papers she would pick one of the student's works and print it in the department newsletter. However, as I read their papers I wished more people could read all of the students' papers and see what I was reading. I have cried more than once while reading a very touching paper. After a few semesters, I began to think of possible ways that others could read these papers. Even some of the students stated they wished people knew why we are nurses. Unfortunately, all my ideas had multiple reasons why they would not work.
Finally, one day I was mentioning these papers to Ms. Lark Ford, PhD, MSN, MS, RN, another faculty member, and she immediately stated what a great book of memoirs those papers would make. That suggestion started me thinking and planning. By the next morning I had a plan, and over the next three years this book has become a reality. This book contains the work of the majority of my former students. My goal was to publish one hundred present. Unfortunately, there were some former students whose present addresses I could not find or my letters containing copyright release forms were simply not returned.
I had further difficulty finding an artist who was able