I Am a Critical Care Nurse

Abstract

I became a nurse after spending time in the hospital as a teenage candy striper. When I turned 16, I participated in the practical nursing program at my vocational high school and worked as a licensed practical nurse. My uniform impressed many people in my community. I became a registered nurse 10 years later. Nursing brought me knowledge, respect, and a way out from living in poverty. It was an opportunity for my American dream.My coworkers make me happy and joyful. I enjoy telling jokes to my coworkers and family members when appropriate because I love to laugh and see others laughing. Humor can be a stress reliever in the critical care setting and can distract patients and families so they don’t focus on their illness or sadness.Many of the patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) are so critically ill that it looks as though there will only be one outcome: death. The patients who survive make the job rewarding. I cherish the miracles I witness on a daily basis. I enjoy learning all the new procedures that we perform to help our patients. Every day I get to live, cultivate, and nurture my critical care skills. My job as a nurse in the ICU is a dream come true.My coworkers and I cared for a patient who was very ill, but her family didn’t want to give up on her. Even when I wanted to call it quits, her family’s faith and dedication to their daughter were astounding. Many of the patient’s days in the ICU looked hopeless, but she hung on, alert and responding appropriately to her family; she recharged the staff with her perseverance. As time went on, her family became our family. Then one day she passed on, and the whole unit mourned with her family. One staff member wrote a poem about the patient for her funeral. To this day some of the staff members keep in touch with her family.My major personal challenge is that I procrastinate. It’s a weakness and a challenge. I work hard daily to try and overcome this problem.The introduction of electronical medical records (EMRs) and documentation has been extraordinary to my nursing career. This invention has moved nursing practice and health care forward. The EMR has freed up the amount of time used for charting and has made not only nurses’ handwriting legible but even physicians’ writing. Hospitals can now communicate with each other around the world in just seconds. The EMR allows health professionals to better serve our patients and anticipate their needs.I find balance in being with my family and attending Zumba classes. I even take my daughter. My coworkers call me the “Zumba queen” because I live, work, and eat Zumba. This exercise helps relieve my stress. Nurses must find a way to unwind after working in the ICU. I think it’s important for us to take care of ourselves so we can take care of others.AACN has played a major role in my career. I attend CNE classes, which motivate me and provide the extended knowledge I need to teach new graduates. I also enjoy reading the journals and taking the free CNE tests. When I joined AACN years ago, I planned to obtain my CCRN. When I finally did so, I was so proud that I challenged myself and put together all the critical thinking skills that I have learned over the years.