Dear Nanay, It’s the second Sunday of May once again. Another Mothers’ day without you. In fact, this is the 30th Mothers’ day without you around. Oh, what I would give up just to have you again! I missed those simple days when I would scrimp up my leftover allowance just so I can afford to buy you a card. Tatay always pointed out that it was also your money spent on that card. However, no matter how cheap it…
We have established in the previous post that it is indeed hard to be a nurse, yet be so far from our loved ones. This is more so true when those family members are in need of healthcare. Our nursing instincts kick in almost instantaneously and we want updates every step of the way. We feel that despite our absence, we still need to have our say. Thus, we turn to the computer screen to continue our life-saving crusade! The…
This story is not mainstream, yet common among nurses who left home and family to pursue opportunities abroad. Why did they leave their families, you ask? So that they can provide better futures for those very same loved ones. Sure, those nurses, myself included, are able to earn better wages and have better means to provide for those they have left behind. However, at what cost? Leaving the Family for Greener Pastures If you happen to be working with a…
As nurses, we could be robotic in our practice. What do I mean by that? We are just being mechanical instead of purposeful in our practice. It is therefore a welcome change if we stop for a moment and reflect on what we accomplished for the day. Moreover, it is significant to evaluate the impact of our actions on our patients’ lives, no matter how small they may be. A Premature Baby with Congenital Anomalies For my reflective practice narrative,…
Five Important Lessons Worth Sharing with the New Nurses in Your Life It’s almost graduation season again. Pretty soon we will have new graduates joining the workforce. And you…Yes, YOU! You are a new nurse! Congratulations! *For those who prefer to listen to this content via a podcast, here is the link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ldoFlBk0qWuC4tfkAycBJ?si=4ebbf1dcd92a4992 You made it despite juggling between your clinicals and academics. Heck, you may even have had to budget your time between your schoolwork, a part-time working gig, and…
As nurses, it is inherent for us to listen to our patients’, clients’, and even our colleagues’ needs. We firmly believe that taking care of their mental health is just as important as tending to their physical health. With that being said, how do nurses take care of our own mental health? Service-centered Profession Nursing is both a science and an art. Nurses learn the latest and the best evidence-based science and apply them to practice. However, it is not…
So much has already been written and said about RaDonda Vaught. She was the nurse convicted in Tennessee. The conviction was because she gave the wrong medication that caused a patient’s death. In this blog, we have already explored the implications of this case to the profession. We have also analyzed the systemic factors that may have contributed to the series of mistakes. However, isn’t it worth reflecting on the five reasons why it could also happen to us? Reason…
What is a Paulinian nurse? A colleague once told me that a nurse is a nurse, no matter what. That may be true up to a certain extent. Also, I am not insinuating that we are better than others in any way. However, in the light of this week, being Holy Week, I want to honor my Paulinian roots which make me the nurse that I am today. By the way, here is the link to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Uh1L3MGMLT1O7MveagzW1?si=24ed354ba3014d21 Guided by our…
If you are currently working in healthcare, particularly in the United States, and have not heard of the RaDonda Vaught trial, you must have been hiding under the rock. Vaught is a former nurse who was convicted last month in Tennessee. Committing an unintentional medication error that caused a patient’s death led to that conviction. While she reported her mistake to her leader immediately, the bigger question is: is she solely to be blamed for that? Or were there systemic…
Why is there a story about Europe in a nursing blog, you ask? Please indulge me if I take a break from writing about nursing on this post. I know that I spoke about my mother lighting that nursing spark in the very beginning. However, I want to honor the person who has been keeping that nursing fervor aflame all these years, my husband – Chez Ranie! No, I am not going to write about our love story – that…