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National Nurses Week
Walden University salutes you, our nurses - compassionate and tireless in delivering exceptional health care every day while still selflessly fulfilling multiple roles as mothers, fathers, care-takers, community organizers and volunteers. In celebration of National Nurses Week, Walden students, faculty, staff and alumni share how being a nurse has made a difference in their lives and in the lives of others.
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"Nursing has given me the opportunity to help others on a personal level, which I would not have if I had chosen another profession. I am able to help people on an individual basis through one-on-one interactions. But through the teaching of other professionals, many more individuals’ lives are improved than I could impact alone."
"I feel that being a nurse is a gift. I get a chance to make a difference in the lives of my patients and fellow nurses every day I go to work. Sometimes it is just letting a dying patient know that they are not alone. Other times it is helping other nurses believe that they have the potential to make a great impact in the lives of others. I love what I do. Being a nurse is not just a profession but is a huge part of who I am as a person."
"Being a nurse has given me an appreciation of life. It has taught me that life is very precious and can be taken in an instant. With this in mind, I try to treat everyone with respect and courtesy. Every moment should be cherished and enjoyed. It has taught me to be the best I can be at every moment, because when a life is at stake, there a very few second chances. I know that miracles still do happen, from the everyday miracles of a new birth, to major survival stories."
"I have had the opportunity to work with and care for some wonderful patients and families. I have met strangers who have shared very intimate parts of their lives with me; I have been awed and inspired by the trust they have placed in me. I strive not to let them down in their time of need."
"Being a nurse has transformed me, makes me a confident and a proud professional. I can proudly tell anybody at any gathering who I am and what I do. I have come across so many people and played a major role in their lives or the life of their family. I have played a lot of roles in the lives of those I touched, including teacher, resources finder, caregiver, friend, health coordinator, advocate and sometimes even an extended family for some. I enjoy every second of my professional time and always look forward to do more for my society."
"I never thought of nursing as a calling until I became a nurse. The passion must have been buried deep inside because the more I learn, the more I want to know, and the greater my drive for continuing my education. Nursing has allowed me to work all across the country with a wide variety of people. It has enabled me to meet countless numbers of people who have enriched my life. If I have made a change in one person’s life then it has all been worth it."
"Being a nurse has given me the opportunity to do what I love to do … work with people. I have been able to work in a variety of settings. I have never been bored. Nursing afforded me the ability to spend time with my children as they were growing up. They were influenced by my work. My son graduates from nursing school this month. My daughter graduated last year with a degree in health care administration. As a nurse, I am able to touch people’s lives. Sometimes a good day at work, in any setting, can be very hard. But, being a nurse, next to being a parent, is something that I am very proud of."
"Nursing has had a profound impact upon my life. It has been a wonderful career and learning opportunity. I have been touched deeply by the patients that I have met while working as a nurse. I had one particular patient encounter that had a direct impact on my life. I nicknamed the patient, 'Smiley' because no matter how painful the procedures we did, such as dressing changes and suctioning, he constantly smiled. Although he was ventilated, he communicated via gestures and his signature ‘smile.’ He taught me to 'smile' as I nursed others, and I’ve never stopped smiling."
"Being a nurse has given me the opportunity to give to people in a way I never thought possible."
"Nursing has been a desire of mine since I was 8 years old. My goal was to help people who were sick. I reached my personal goal. An M.S. in Nursing Education opened more opportunities by allowing me to assist other nurses in the learning process so that positive social change can be achieved in a continuous, ongoing process. We need to care for each other and to prevent the spread of diseases. Without nurses, who would carry the torch?"
"This past year our family was personally touched by the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Ut Prosium (that I may serve) became our theme, and I have found that I am able to serve in my role as a nurse, by caring for those in my extended family and community. As I completed and earned my M.S. in nursing, I have had the pleasure and opportunity to share in the education of nursing students, mentoring them as they gain knowledge and contemplate how they will also serve as nurses in our global community." "I love to care for people, teach and share my faith. I love impacting lives and as a nurse, I do have the blessing of doing that on a daily basis." "For the past 22 years nursing has been a mentally stimulating career for me. I am continually learning and growing as a practitioner, and truly believe in lifelong learning. Not only has nursing afforded me a very good salary, but also flexibility in scheduling allowing for family time with my husband and children. I know that I have had an impact on many lives over the years, and that is extremely gratifying. I work in Neonatal ICU, and have done so for the past 15 years. I guess you could say that NICU nursing is one of the 'loves of my life'!"
"Influence change and mentor novice nurses to learn and grow." |
"In 2007, I spearheaded a project in a primary care office to determine those patients with mental health issues. Through the use of various screening tools and collected data, I was able to identify and direct those in need to someone in mental health. As a direct result of my efforts, the project was awarded a $325,000 grant to continue the work in other primary care offices, both adult and pediatrics. Thanks to this project, there is now collaboration between the medical and psychiatric providers that allow patients integrated care."
"Most nursing students will tell you that they want to be a nurse “to help people.” This is a noble ambition, and while doing this, nurses are able to be present when people draw their first breaths and present when they draw their last. How much more blessed can a person be than that?"
"The secondary gains from nursing have made me grow into a spiritual representative of God’s grace. Nursing has taught me what is important in this world. It’s not material things, but rather gifts of the spirit and heart. It’s not about me, but rather what God wants us to give our fellow man."
"I have been a nurse all my life. I cannot remember a time I did not want to be a nurse. I love going to work each day and practicing nursing. I feel I care for and meet each patient to make a difference in both my life and theirs. I am in the masters program to change the face of nursing one nurse at a time. If I pass on my love and passion for nursing it will spread, and if just one nurse will pass it on, then, I will have impacted nursing."
"http://www.openarmshospice.org/testimonials.php. This link provides a newly written testimonial regarding the McCall Hospice House of Greenville, where I am currently employed. This is the reason for nursing and, in particular, the field of end-of-life nursing chosen at this time in my spiritual journey. The letter was edited and I am glad for that. It is not about one person. The original letter, posted on the unit has my name mentioned as providing a “moment” in time for the family that will never be forgotten. Many people, however, assisted in this. The Hospice house is where I am to be. Through obedience, not ambition, the work of nursing compassion, teaching, and hope; yes, hope continues. The letter quotes the term I always use; “spiritual beings.” We have come from somewhere, and we are traveling somewhere as spiritual beings first, using this physical body as a short term vehicle. I have touched lives through nursing, and I am ministered to as well on a daily basis. I feel blessed to have found nursing and will forever be grateful for the opportunity to teach and be taught in this classroom of life."
"Because I am a nurse I have a deeper appreciation of life, and I realize that family and friends are the important things in life. Although I have been a nurse for many years, I still feel exhilarated when I know that I have made a difference in someone’s life, and that I have helped them. I still feel sadness when I lose a dear patient. I would not wish to be involved in any profession other than nursing."
"My great-great grandmother was a midwife in the 1930s to 1940s as has been told by my grandmother. I have always had a passion to care for the ill veterans during my 20 years of working with the Veterans Health Care System. I feel I am giving back to the many veterans who gave up so much to protect our country. My daddy was a Veteran during the Vietnam War and has been my hero in obtaining my higher educational degrees. He and mother taught me the value."
"As a nurse I possess a special gift, a gift that I share with others every day. A gift when opened spreads cheer, compassion, kindness and love. Nursing has impacted my life far beyond the limitations of a profession; it has become my life’s work. A passion far beyond words." "Receiving a master’s degree from Walden University has provided a great personal sense of accomplishment and has been the greatest gift I could give myself. Lifelong learning is a powerful tool. There are no guarantees in life, but the wisdom and knowledge one gains through higher education is priceless. Sage advice from my father regarding a career in nursing was sound and sustaining over the years. No matter where life or its circumstances have taken me, I have always been able to work as a nurse in a wide variety of settings. Thanks, Dad! Thanks, Walden University for making my dreams a reality."
"Nursing has made me a better friend. I am a better listener. I can hear what the person is not saying. I can look at a person now and tell what is on the inside. Are they in pain? Do they need a shoulder to cry on? Or just someone to be there? That is how nursing has impacted me."
"I believe that to be a nurse is to be privileged. Who else gets invited intimately into patients’ lives no questions asked? Patients trust that you will provide care with knowledge and compassion. I have felt many things as a nurse; proud, scared, excited, disappointed, sorrowful, joyous, angry, frustrated, compassionate and empathetic. What I have never felt is regret for my decision to continue to learn and to continue the journey." "As we go through life, we read about people who do wonderful things that change the world. As a nurse, I am grateful that I am able to change little pieces of the world by helping patients in my care. I, in turn, have been enriched by watching their courage, determination, strength, and hope. I have been a nurse for over 40 years and still get Christmas cards from patients I had 30 years ago. I have also been fortunate to have worked with many physicians and nurses who have been pioneers and leaders in their field. Being a nurse has not just impacted my life; it has become a part of what I am." |
