I of course have little to no idea to whom I am talking. I do love your love love of the work. I recently spent 24 hrs or so in a chair on a corridor in an accident and emergency department while the people ouzzled over what was wrong with me. I was quite Ill. It was a Monday into Tuesday and the department was absolutely stacked and to the uninitiated chaotic. I was so well cared for. I loved watching the staff manage the place and make sure we were all as comfortable as we could be. I thank them all profusely. I would hate(love) to see the place on a Friday or a Saturday if it was stacked approaching midweek.
Oh thank you and I hope all is well now with you. It’s sometimes terrifying to be in an ED when you’re a nurse. I know it looks like chaos in the ICU, but it’s controlled. The ED is controlled chaos too, but less so and it’s not for me. I’m glad you were well cared for. When I’m a patient I usually say I’m an ICU nurse so we can cut the small talk. Almost everyone is relieved, the only one who ever gave me the entire rundown was an anesthesiologist and I appreciated it, even though I am fully aware of the risks of anesthesia since I spent some time working in the recovery room. I have so much respect for that particular doctor and nothing but love for everyone who works in the hospital.
Yes I got the crap cut when I beat the the doctor who was examining the rash caused by the vasculitis to what ESR was. Then the tone of the conversation changed and we got properly down to business. The biopsies confirmed the diagnosis and I’m as good as I have been apart from my injured knee.
Excellent Kristin, this is actually the second time I’ve read your article. My mother was an RN, who often worked tge night shift. Reading about your nursing experiences mirrors so much of my mother’’s life at work, and home. Nursing is a tough job, and served best by special gifted individuals like you and my Mom who physically work hard, and have a resilient personality and soul. I understand nursing from the perspective of being a daughter of one. I must say, I’m happy and blessed to have had some of her strength passed onto me. I’m sure you’ve instilled your children with power! Stay strong and beautiful! ✨💖🤗🙏
Thank you. I always find our personal connection here so beautiful and magical. That’s your gift my friend. As a nurse, I need to smile and laugh and be surprised by the magic of life. I bet you were a delight to your mother even if she didn’t show it. I hope she did. I adore my children and don’t always show it, they bring me so much joy even when they’re on my last nerve. ❤️❤️
You are so good ! Excellent read and your love for the industry, no matter how goofy it gets shows. To use a baseball adage, you are the catcher, the team quarterback. You know where everyone (nurses) is suppose to be on the field and you guide your pitcher (doctors ?) through the batting order (patients). No matter how many foul tips you get on the mask, the helmet, your fingers or get bowled over by a runner while guarding the plate, you are always there, in position for the next batter…irritation, frustration or pain be damned.
Thank you Ken, I love this analogy. It’s really accurate I would say the other nurses and respiratory therapists scramble for the ball and it’s the patient who bats it.. I think that’s what you said, who’s on first?
Enjoyed your piece. I think the middle of the night is where the creative magic is, so nothing abnormal there far as I'm concerned. I worked as a safety companion ("sitter") in hospital in my early 20's, and I was thinking about it as I read your piece. The education you'll get working in a hospital is one you can't get anywhere else. I kept detailed notes on things the patients said and did (no one is more quotable than a hospital patient) but lost them all when I dropped my phone in water. I was gutted. I quickly wrote down everything I could recall but so much was forgotten. I planned on writing about it all one day. Maybe I'll still try.
One of two things is going to happen when you work in a hospital: you'll either develop a wicked sense of humor, or you'll go mad:) Some of the best and funniest people I've ever met worked in hospitals. I developed a great respect for the nurses while I was there.
Thank you Mike. I did not enjoy working the night shift, but I do miss the night shift and I'm oh so familiar with the hospital sitter. Now that clinicals have mostly been replaced by simulation labs, many new nurses receive their experience on the job. It's quite shocking and too late for them to turn back which makes me feel kind of sad.
Wow, I'm sorry to hear you lost those notes because I would love to read your book. I have a few quotes if you ever need inspiration, and always have a ton of respect for the patient sitters as well--even the former ones
Awesome article, Kristin. It works on so many levels and weaving in the Shakespeare quotation is brilliant. I remember reading Dr Gawande’s book The Checklist and wishing the practice would get built into veterinary medicine as well. I have friends who work in aviation and the protocol is really efficient. Safety is paramount.
Thank you Heidi. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I will add The Checklist to my reading list. Many hospital safety systems are based on Why Hospitals Should Fly by John Nance. Our standardized communication is based on a military method known as SBAR. It's used throughout the country-- very direct and succinct, like a speed round of notification. I think that's why my pieces run longer, I have to be so quick and to the point at work and I am. Safety is paramount and you learn to get out of your own way.
You, my friend, are an exceptional writer and I am so grateful you came into my writing life by appearing in the comments. I am beyond glad to read this as we have been beyond disgruntled with the "system." Being non-union electrical contractors (3rd generation) it's no fun at all to be in a state like California and get any breaks, let alone healthcare. Frankly the powers that be would like us to go away. Small business is for the fearless at heart. But when we complain we always realize that there is a system in front of the door to a lot of good people. When I was young, I did a stint flying for a small aviation company as a flight attendant (just before deregulation and aviation fell apart in the early 80's) - The protocol, front desk, check-in, would often leave passengers screaming at me. I get it. I was just a kid. We try to remember as we scrape the literal bottom of the barrel for a monthly "catastrophic" payment to Kaiser (the best of the worst here), that there are caring people behind the door. I couldn't get seen 3 weeks prior to my recent emergency, so I had to go through an emergency - but the care I received was exceptional. I was lucky. I read your words and I see one of my nurses faces. I'm not gonna cry again. Thank you for this. Your spirit truly warms my heart. I am sending a huge virtual hug and wish I could run through NYC with you. Oh, and small theater!! Yess! and Shakespeare! So good. Been all over that with a theater kid. It's definitely something to take in. I love that A.I. image of you delivering your commencement speech. And, you there with your ex-husband gave me some tears. Didn't know I'd be reading this, after I left my last novel comment to you. Love you Kristin. ox
Yes yes! My first husband and I were small business owners and I feel this in my soul. To this day I make every effort to support small businesses and I'm still looking for a great electrician here in NJ. Half heartedly trying to convince my son to become an electrician and he thinks I'm joking. My father was a union painter at Princeton University and it had its advantages and disadvantages. I've worked as a Union and a non-Union Nurse and I prefer the strength of the Union.
Both my girls were theater kids-- One was a sound booth goddess and the other starred in multiple shows. Both were presidents of the HS Theater Company and we've seen countless shows from preschool to Broadway and everywhere in between.
I started taking them into NYC when they were 5.
This is the place where I love AI, I don't have a great scanner to post my old photos, so I enjoy the imaginative aspect. My basement is filled with storage boxes of photos and negatives. Give me black and white slide film any day thank you very much. I believe it's quality is unmatched. We also had a darkroom for many years and I miss watching the photos come to life underwater.
You understand the business owner thing too! We are not understood much. Do you know our healthcare is $1600/mon here in Calif.? It's insanity. Business owners get no breaks. We fight for everything.
I wish I could package John up and send him over! He's a GREAT electrician. The reason is because he is absolutely 100% vested and as passionate about his work as he is about his music. I'm always wondering why it's so hard to find a good electrician? I hear this all the time - but I think, like you, he has set standards very high. My dad set standards extremely high and it's why I am obsessed with the things I love as well. We are a non-union shop. Much of that had to do with his older brother being a union shop and weighing the benefits, which weren't much out here in SoCal. When I was a young flight attendant I really understood the benefit of the union. Aviation safety was #1. Not much anymore. It depends, and once again, if a worker has a good and worthy union backing them - then that's great - - if it's opposite of that - then that's a problem. When it comes to safety, that goes deep into weighing it out. How cool your dad was a painter at Princeton (sounds like a story!!).
And the theater!! Yesss to the theater kids! This was our life with Ian for a long time and we loved every single minute. Another reason that the city meant so much to us when he went to college there. We were already going into L.A. to get rush tix, from Jr. High on, but then we found a good theater package for a weekday where it was cheaper. Like six shows. We finally gave that up as Covid shut it all down :( Sad. Really sad for all those passionate actors that didn't make much money and every stage hand, sound, lighting, etc.. What Covid stole is miles long. We were, in fact, getting pretty tired of how disgusting the entire area around the theater and city hall were getting. You'd get off the freeway and see things you can't unsee. I remember two young girls on a mattress out in the open on the overpass. It compromised everything in my heart about humanity that should not be this way, as we were making our way to such a privilege. Then going home at 10:30pm in stop and go traffic? just ridiculous. We stay in California for the grandkids. Your girls sound so awesome. Reflection of a good mama! Soooo, you're just like me with boxloads of pictures and negatives? I bet our kids will be cursing us on top of a mountain somewhere, someday, while offloading reams of boxes! ha ha! I loved the darkroom in college! It's so funny because during the heat of spring/summer I'd take an old peacoat and bundle up for the darkroom. For some reason it was freezing! But seeing pictures come to life is something I'll never forget. I was in the darkroom on 9-11 and watched as my three kids faces came to life in black and white. All three under an umbrella looking up to the sun. I had a lot of tears. oxoxox
I really do understand, have had many roles over the years which gives me a great perspective! I feel like this is the angle for us—so much connection ! ! I love it, it’s so beautiful
It’s a great angle! I spent several hours talking to Patrick’s mom today and I think we’re going to go for a podcast in October. It was an incredible gift speaking to her. I’m going to look at my calendar and see what you and I could do in perhaps mid September? or third week? I need to meditate on what we’ll talk about in 40 min. It will be before Patrick’s family - so your angle of chaos during that time - the sensitivity of it all - but getting into your love of nursing, photography. I’m having my mom back on September 1st :) Those 1960’s dates.
I love how you weave the power of connection, what we need as a humanity, and how your work is driven by an underlying compassion for the human condition … your commitment to people, despite the foibles of the system and the people themselves!. Oh, and always engaging to read😄💜. PS: This English teacher likes a bit of Shakespeare too 😊
Thank you so much Simone. All of my favorite teachers have been my English teachers save for one history teacher from middle school. I believe I disappointed them all when I chose nursing. Lol. I think most of us love people and also don't love people. I always try to find the way I can connect with them either through music, baseball or laughter, whatever it takes. I'm stuck with them for 12 hours so I make the best of it. Same goes for my co-workers.😇
I hope so!! My love for a run on sentence and liberal use of the Oxford comma always got me some red marks from my English teachers. This was quite a deterrent .😂
Love a run on sentence myself 🤣. Perhaps those English teachers that struggle with stream of consciousness are closet editors for mass media diatribe 🤣. Keep running 🏃💜. The English language evolves like everything else; just ask Shakespeare 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I of course have little to no idea to whom I am talking. I do love your love love of the work. I recently spent 24 hrs or so in a chair on a corridor in an accident and emergency department while the people ouzzled over what was wrong with me. I was quite Ill. It was a Monday into Tuesday and the department was absolutely stacked and to the uninitiated chaotic. I was so well cared for. I loved watching the staff manage the place and make sure we were all as comfortable as we could be. I thank them all profusely. I would hate(love) to see the place on a Friday or a Saturday if it was stacked approaching midweek.
Oh thank you and I hope all is well now with you. It’s sometimes terrifying to be in an ED when you’re a nurse. I know it looks like chaos in the ICU, but it’s controlled. The ED is controlled chaos too, but less so and it’s not for me. I’m glad you were well cared for. When I’m a patient I usually say I’m an ICU nurse so we can cut the small talk. Almost everyone is relieved, the only one who ever gave me the entire rundown was an anesthesiologist and I appreciated it, even though I am fully aware of the risks of anesthesia since I spent some time working in the recovery room. I have so much respect for that particular doctor and nothing but love for everyone who works in the hospital.
Yes I got the crap cut when I beat the the doctor who was examining the rash caused by the vasculitis to what ESR was. Then the tone of the conversation changed and we got properly down to business. The biopsies confirmed the diagnosis and I’m as good as I have been apart from my injured knee.
😂 ❤️ 🤛
Excellent Kristin, this is actually the second time I’ve read your article. My mother was an RN, who often worked tge night shift. Reading about your nursing experiences mirrors so much of my mother’’s life at work, and home. Nursing is a tough job, and served best by special gifted individuals like you and my Mom who physically work hard, and have a resilient personality and soul. I understand nursing from the perspective of being a daughter of one. I must say, I’m happy and blessed to have had some of her strength passed onto me. I’m sure you’ve instilled your children with power! Stay strong and beautiful! ✨💖🤗🙏
Thank you. I always find our personal connection here so beautiful and magical. That’s your gift my friend. As a nurse, I need to smile and laugh and be surprised by the magic of life. I bet you were a delight to your mother even if she didn’t show it. I hope she did. I adore my children and don’t always show it, they bring me so much joy even when they’re on my last nerve. ❤️❤️
You are so good ! Excellent read and your love for the industry, no matter how goofy it gets shows. To use a baseball adage, you are the catcher, the team quarterback. You know where everyone (nurses) is suppose to be on the field and you guide your pitcher (doctors ?) through the batting order (patients). No matter how many foul tips you get on the mask, the helmet, your fingers or get bowled over by a runner while guarding the plate, you are always there, in position for the next batter…irritation, frustration or pain be damned.
Thank you Ken, I love this analogy. It’s really accurate I would say the other nurses and respiratory therapists scramble for the ball and it’s the patient who bats it.. I think that’s what you said, who’s on first?
Either way we’re hoping for a home run ⚾️❤️
Enjoyed your piece. I think the middle of the night is where the creative magic is, so nothing abnormal there far as I'm concerned. I worked as a safety companion ("sitter") in hospital in my early 20's, and I was thinking about it as I read your piece. The education you'll get working in a hospital is one you can't get anywhere else. I kept detailed notes on things the patients said and did (no one is more quotable than a hospital patient) but lost them all when I dropped my phone in water. I was gutted. I quickly wrote down everything I could recall but so much was forgotten. I planned on writing about it all one day. Maybe I'll still try.
One of two things is going to happen when you work in a hospital: you'll either develop a wicked sense of humor, or you'll go mad:) Some of the best and funniest people I've ever met worked in hospitals. I developed a great respect for the nurses while I was there.
Thank you Mike. I did not enjoy working the night shift, but I do miss the night shift and I'm oh so familiar with the hospital sitter. Now that clinicals have mostly been replaced by simulation labs, many new nurses receive their experience on the job. It's quite shocking and too late for them to turn back which makes me feel kind of sad.
Wow, I'm sorry to hear you lost those notes because I would love to read your book. I have a few quotes if you ever need inspiration, and always have a ton of respect for the patient sitters as well--even the former ones
Awesome article, Kristin. It works on so many levels and weaving in the Shakespeare quotation is brilliant. I remember reading Dr Gawande’s book The Checklist and wishing the practice would get built into veterinary medicine as well. I have friends who work in aviation and the protocol is really efficient. Safety is paramount.
Thank you Heidi. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I will add The Checklist to my reading list. Many hospital safety systems are based on Why Hospitals Should Fly by John Nance. Our standardized communication is based on a military method known as SBAR. It's used throughout the country-- very direct and succinct, like a speed round of notification. I think that's why my pieces run longer, I have to be so quick and to the point at work and I am. Safety is paramount and you learn to get out of your own way.
You, my friend, are an exceptional writer and I am so grateful you came into my writing life by appearing in the comments. I am beyond glad to read this as we have been beyond disgruntled with the "system." Being non-union electrical contractors (3rd generation) it's no fun at all to be in a state like California and get any breaks, let alone healthcare. Frankly the powers that be would like us to go away. Small business is for the fearless at heart. But when we complain we always realize that there is a system in front of the door to a lot of good people. When I was young, I did a stint flying for a small aviation company as a flight attendant (just before deregulation and aviation fell apart in the early 80's) - The protocol, front desk, check-in, would often leave passengers screaming at me. I get it. I was just a kid. We try to remember as we scrape the literal bottom of the barrel for a monthly "catastrophic" payment to Kaiser (the best of the worst here), that there are caring people behind the door. I couldn't get seen 3 weeks prior to my recent emergency, so I had to go through an emergency - but the care I received was exceptional. I was lucky. I read your words and I see one of my nurses faces. I'm not gonna cry again. Thank you for this. Your spirit truly warms my heart. I am sending a huge virtual hug and wish I could run through NYC with you. Oh, and small theater!! Yess! and Shakespeare! So good. Been all over that with a theater kid. It's definitely something to take in. I love that A.I. image of you delivering your commencement speech. And, you there with your ex-husband gave me some tears. Didn't know I'd be reading this, after I left my last novel comment to you. Love you Kristin. ox
Yes yes! My first husband and I were small business owners and I feel this in my soul. To this day I make every effort to support small businesses and I'm still looking for a great electrician here in NJ. Half heartedly trying to convince my son to become an electrician and he thinks I'm joking. My father was a union painter at Princeton University and it had its advantages and disadvantages. I've worked as a Union and a non-Union Nurse and I prefer the strength of the Union.
Both my girls were theater kids-- One was a sound booth goddess and the other starred in multiple shows. Both were presidents of the HS Theater Company and we've seen countless shows from preschool to Broadway and everywhere in between.
I started taking them into NYC when they were 5.
This is the place where I love AI, I don't have a great scanner to post my old photos, so I enjoy the imaginative aspect. My basement is filled with storage boxes of photos and negatives. Give me black and white slide film any day thank you very much. I believe it's quality is unmatched. We also had a darkroom for many years and I miss watching the photos come to life underwater.
XOXO!!
Kristin!
You understand the business owner thing too! We are not understood much. Do you know our healthcare is $1600/mon here in Calif.? It's insanity. Business owners get no breaks. We fight for everything.
I wish I could package John up and send him over! He's a GREAT electrician. The reason is because he is absolutely 100% vested and as passionate about his work as he is about his music. I'm always wondering why it's so hard to find a good electrician? I hear this all the time - but I think, like you, he has set standards very high. My dad set standards extremely high and it's why I am obsessed with the things I love as well. We are a non-union shop. Much of that had to do with his older brother being a union shop and weighing the benefits, which weren't much out here in SoCal. When I was a young flight attendant I really understood the benefit of the union. Aviation safety was #1. Not much anymore. It depends, and once again, if a worker has a good and worthy union backing them - then that's great - - if it's opposite of that - then that's a problem. When it comes to safety, that goes deep into weighing it out. How cool your dad was a painter at Princeton (sounds like a story!!).
And the theater!! Yesss to the theater kids! This was our life with Ian for a long time and we loved every single minute. Another reason that the city meant so much to us when he went to college there. We were already going into L.A. to get rush tix, from Jr. High on, but then we found a good theater package for a weekday where it was cheaper. Like six shows. We finally gave that up as Covid shut it all down :( Sad. Really sad for all those passionate actors that didn't make much money and every stage hand, sound, lighting, etc.. What Covid stole is miles long. We were, in fact, getting pretty tired of how disgusting the entire area around the theater and city hall were getting. You'd get off the freeway and see things you can't unsee. I remember two young girls on a mattress out in the open on the overpass. It compromised everything in my heart about humanity that should not be this way, as we were making our way to such a privilege. Then going home at 10:30pm in stop and go traffic? just ridiculous. We stay in California for the grandkids. Your girls sound so awesome. Reflection of a good mama! Soooo, you're just like me with boxloads of pictures and negatives? I bet our kids will be cursing us on top of a mountain somewhere, someday, while offloading reams of boxes! ha ha! I loved the darkroom in college! It's so funny because during the heat of spring/summer I'd take an old peacoat and bundle up for the darkroom. For some reason it was freezing! But seeing pictures come to life is something I'll never forget. I was in the darkroom on 9-11 and watched as my three kids faces came to life in black and white. All three under an umbrella looking up to the sun. I had a lot of tears. oxoxox
I really do understand, have had many roles over the years which gives me a great perspective! I feel like this is the angle for us—so much connection ! ! I love it, it’s so beautiful
It’s a great angle! I spent several hours talking to Patrick’s mom today and I think we’re going to go for a podcast in October. It was an incredible gift speaking to her. I’m going to look at my calendar and see what you and I could do in perhaps mid September? or third week? I need to meditate on what we’ll talk about in 40 min. It will be before Patrick’s family - so your angle of chaos during that time - the sensitivity of it all - but getting into your love of nursing, photography. I’m having my mom back on September 1st :) Those 1960’s dates.
Can I just talk to you all day? 😂
I have plenty of free time, so grateful for my flexible schedule that allows me time to do things I love. Like talk to you. 😘
ha ha! Yesss!
I love how you weave the power of connection, what we need as a humanity, and how your work is driven by an underlying compassion for the human condition … your commitment to people, despite the foibles of the system and the people themselves!. Oh, and always engaging to read😄💜. PS: This English teacher likes a bit of Shakespeare too 😊
Thank you so much Simone. All of my favorite teachers have been my English teachers save for one history teacher from middle school. I believe I disappointed them all when I chose nursing. Lol. I think most of us love people and also don't love people. I always try to find the way I can connect with them either through music, baseball or laughter, whatever it takes. I'm stuck with them for 12 hours so I make the best of it. Same goes for my co-workers.😇
Bless you Kristin … I reckon your English teachers have forgiven you … nearly 🤣
I hope so!! My love for a run on sentence and liberal use of the Oxford comma always got me some red marks from my English teachers. This was quite a deterrent .😂
XOXO
Love a run on sentence myself 🤣. Perhaps those English teachers that struggle with stream of consciousness are closet editors for mass media diatribe 🤣. Keep running 🏃💜. The English language evolves like everything else; just ask Shakespeare 🤣🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂 😘😘😘
Oh, and bless you for indulging each patient for the 12 hours you are with them each shift … what an emotional labour of love ❤️.