Cliche as it may seem, when people ask me what I did for Christmas, I unashamedly say: “I slept and watched TV.” My line of work requires the use of many brain cells at a time. For that reason, sleep and the opportunity to be idle are blessings that are often overlooked. One of the movies that Mico and I watched was Dreamwork’s Kung Fu Panda. There, Master Oogway stated: Quit, don’t quit… Noodles, don’t noodles… You are too concerned…
Filipino nurses have been stereotyped as bedside nurses, especially in Western countries. This may have been one of the reasons why despite comprising only 4% of the total healthcare workers, it is estimated that at least 25% of the COVID-19 mortality among the nursing profession in the United States (US) are Filipinos. The majority opt to remain in that role as they can work overtime and make more money that way. For this reason, fewer from our ranks are pursuing…
This year marks my and my Fidelis Christi Mariae 1993 college classmates’ 30th year as Paulinian nurses. Maybe for that reason, I am a little bit introspective and reflective as I think back on our years in the storied halls of St. Paul College of Iloilo. Those four years were never walks in parks. In fact, they were hard, challenging, and at times, maddening. Nevertheless, I appreciated every skill, knowledge, and attitude (values) I learned from the sisters and our…
“Why did you come home? Don’t you have a nursing board review class tomorrow?” Nanay asked me these questions when I got home at 6 pm on April 22, 1993. She asked those questions because it was unusual for me to come home in the middle of the week. We lived an hour away from the city and it was so uncharacteristic of me to leave the dorm for home on a school day. I answered: “We have a review…
This year marks the 30th year since we left the storied halls of St. Paul College of Iloilo. Molded in the Paulinian way of caring, we have proudly carried on that torch daily in our respective practice settings. Despite the challenges that came along our way, we continue to count our blessings both professionally and personally. For this reason, please allow this grateful nurse to reminisce and reflect on how we have touched lives. Here are the links to the…
First off, let me start with an apology since I have not posted anything lately. For whatever reason, I am going through writer’s mental block. For those of you who personally know me, you may think that I always have something to say, yet I cannot articulate it through an article. So uncharacteristic of me, right? By the way, here are the podcast links: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/DdrxyNi5Sxb and https://open.spotify.com/episode/6JtHGPF0qoXrRyec0OPexI?si=9bb2079f3d1148e3 Well, I have started writing about a variety of topics lately. Yet, I never felt…
So many nurses these days are asking about nursing informatics opportunities. These nurses come from different backgrounds and specialties. Some are bedside clinicians who may have had enough of working short-staffed shift after shift. Others are advanced practice nurses who are looking to venture into other fields. What is surprising to me is a handful of travel nurses who have expressed willingness to let go of their high-paying travel assignments in exchange for getting into the narrow door leading to…
Every nurse in the world knows who Florence Nightingale is. Otherwise known as the “Lady with the Lamp,” she was credited as the founder of modern nursing. Her environmental theory helped soldiers who fought in the Crimean War recover. That very theory included seven assumptions. One of which is: Nursing requires a specific educational base. So what has that got to do with “Operation Nightingale” you may ask? Or better yet, what is it? By the way, here are the…
Unashamedly, I am still in Cloud Nine after passing my most recent nursing certification in the field of informatics. I feel empowered to inspire others which in turn brings me pure unadulterated joy. I don’t mind sharing my preparation and test-taking strategies with colleagues or even complete strangers. Honestly, I feel that paying it forward is my way of doing homage to my mentors who helped me pass my own exam. A nursing certification does not come cheap. Applying for…
I often envisioned 2022 as a banner year! For one, this was supposedly my “Goldie” year. Well, I actually meant golden, but for those of you who may not know, my paternal side of the family used to call me Goldie. In fact, some of my childhood friends still call me that to this day. Why, you ask? I am my paternal grandparents’ first grandchild who carried the last name Oro. Spanish 101: Oro is the Spanish word for gold, hence Goldie!…