The month of May is a dynamic month. How's that for an understatement? May plays host to Mother's Day, Cinco de Mayo, no fewer than 23 Hindu festivals, the Kentucky Derby, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Armed Forces Day, Victoria Day, and Memorial Day. Global Employee Health and Fitness gets an entire month. I think it is also National Golf Month but I'm not sure. Florence Nightingale's birthday, Princess Charlotte's birthday and my dad's birthday, God rest his soul, are in May. Lest I forget, this May also hosted nurse's week.
Hundreds of nurses, ready to graduate, take their places among the ranks of caring health professionals in the month of May. People embark on a nursing career for a myriad of reasons. Many have a call to help others. Some follow a career such as full-time parenting, serving as a police officer, firefighter or as a medic in the military, with a nursing career. Others choose nursing over teaching, motherhood or becoming a nun. Still others go into nursing to find a spouse. Really. I know several people who went into nursing to find a nice doctor to marry. Opportunities for flexibility, creativity, travel and intellectual pursuit are inherent in the nursing profession and there are many nursing specialties to choose from.
As for me, I went into nursing for a practical reason namely to please my father. My father objected to my other career choices. I wanted to be a Pan Am stewardess so I could travel the world and speak a second language. Dad nixed that one as well as my desire to major in early American history. Both were "useless" he said. My desire to please him outranked my desire to follow my bliss. So I went off to nursing school at the tender and naïve age of 18. I have worked in several of the possible nursing specialties. Eventually I earned a Master's degree in nursing and I am very proud of that accomplishment. My career in nursing turned out just fine. In fact, I am grateful for my dad's guidance.
It's been a while since I was 18. I retired from my nursing career after 36 years. I now work as a Master Fearless Living Coach and mentor. Nevertheless, once one becomes a nurse, one is always a nurse.
Generally speaking, people are not admitted to the hospital to catch up on their sleep. Not much could be farther from the truth. They are admitted to the hospital for 24 hour nursing care. Here are a few of the things that nursing has taught me about life.
- 1. Kids really do put peanut peanuts up their noses.
- 2. There's no such thing as sort of pregnant.
- 3. Two-year-olds need lots of Band-Aids. Sometimes they need them all at once. You can't be too careful when you are two.
- 4. Babies get born when they are ready even if you are not.
- 5. Believe a kid who says, 'I'm gonna barf."
- 6. Some people faint at the sight of blood especially men watching their baby being born. Always have smelling salts in your pocket.
- 7. Some things are hard to swallow like pills, diagnosis and hospital food. Jell-o can taste like nirvana. Try to avoid red Jell-o. It has a tendency to stain...anything it touches.
- 8. Not everyone knows that farts are the same as "passing gas per rectum". Beware of medical terminology.
- 9. You can actually do an entire bed bath with a washcloth when there are no towels.
- 10. Temperatures can be taken with your hands. You just need to learn to trust your hands.
- 11. Thank you comes in many forms. So does F* you. You can usually hear the difference.
- 12. Live well and choose health. People all die eventually. Honor grief with time and love. That's all there is to it.
- 13. Do your best to avoid mistakes and know that mistakes happen. Love yourself anyway.
- 14. Everyone has a name. Use it respectfully.
- 15. People tell lies. Don't take it personally.
- 16. Practice does not make perfect. It does build confidence however. There is a mystique about confidence.
- 17. Perfection and excellence are different. Perfection is impossible. Go for excellence. It means you're fully present in the moment. You don't have to be flawless to be excellent.
- 18. Self-care and self-love are different. One begets the other.
- 19. Burnout is the result of giving without receiving.
- 20. Eat when you're hungry, drink water when you're thirsty, and pee when you have to.
- 21. Don't be afraid to touch someone and remember, not everyone likes to hug.
- 22. Tenderness is not weakness. It is tenderness.
- 23. Coffee is not food. Nor is it water.
- 24. The doctor is NOT always right. Either are you.
- 25. Wear sensible shoes. You will thank yourself someday.
- 26.The key to happiness is being willing to be happy.
Yikes! That's a lot of learning and it's a partial list to boot. Here's the thing: I am not done learning and I never will be done learning. That much I now know. I also know that sometimes we get stuck on how to put what we learn into action. That is why I love coaching with people from all over the world helping them to make sense of all the things they have learned in a lifetime, how to make decisions, how to master the fear that gets in the way and how to have fun doing it.
Remember that the key to happiness is being willing to be happy.
My mentor is Rhonda Britten founder of the Fearless Living Institute. I'm grateful for her encouragement as I share from my 30+ years of nursing experience. Thank you Rhonda.
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