OPEN LETTER

"So never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning, however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard-seed germinates and roots itself." Florence Nightingale

Today I write as a proud nurse, a nurse who is happy to see the great strides our profession is taking. A journey that began with a young lady observing the massive death rate among soldiers and asking herself, "What can I do differently to improve their outcomes?" A lady who made inquisitiveness a thrill and led the way for others who followed her dream. Happy nurses week colleagues I am proud of all that you do in your practice. With such a great trendsetter we should not tire of working towards making great improvements in this profession. We have come a long way and we have a long way to go. Steve Jobs once said “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”

As we celebrate I wish to go against the grain and write to that new nurse. Specifically, the clinical nurse who is trying to get her footing. There is a lot that I can write to you but here is what I feel you need to hear for now. I needed the same, but unfortunately,  I did not have colleagues in my first year of employment to let me know this.

Dear  nurse,

I wish I could have had a sitdown with you earlier but I was not wise enough to give you sage advice then. I still am not yet there but the little I have learned I wish to share.  In this new journey you will cry, laugh, get frustrated but how you react to it all makes the greatest difference.


1. Everyone's path is different.

You may have joined the profession accidentally you may have always wished to be a nurse like I did or it was a predetermined choice for you. If nothing keep this in mind;
“When you find your path, you must ignore fear. You need to have the courage to risk mistakes. But once you are on that road... run, run, run, and don't stop till you've reached its end.”
José N. Harris, MI VIDA: A Story of Faith, Hope, and Love
Where you start does not mean its all that you can achieve. It is just a stepping stone to greater things. There are so many available options in the nursing field use this time to identify your interest and start working towards it. It may take a short time or a long time but it will happen just keep at it.
I joined the field while really young and I have always had dreams to go to great heights. Initially, they were just a hazy idea but recently they are morphing into a great thing. I can now see what exactly that is but  I am still trying to work on the fine details. Do not put too much pressure on your self, enjoy the initial process. You will learn a great deal about yourself.

2. Invest in people.

Those people you interact with daily can offer great motivation or ruin your career path. Care enough about that and be discerning of anyone who will hinder you from attaining your goals. You can learn from all around you but choose what is appropriate for your path. take the time to learn your fellow colleagues, those in leadership, the supervisors, and the managers identify their strengths and weaknesses. Create harmonious work relationships with them. However, this will not apply to all and it is okay. You will achieve more from investing in people than in investing in processes.

3. Some skills are learned on the job.

 A lack of empathy may break you. No school will ever teach you how to deal with the grief you experience when you lose a newborn because of a preventable cause or when someone dies without their close family saying goodbye because of travel restrictions. You will be insulted for actually doing your job and for standing your ground. It will hurt but the good deeds will always outweigh the bad. You can only do so much as a human being. Give your best for that is all you can do. When it gets overwhelming seek counseling services. It is okay to get help. Be unapologetic about caring for yourself first and more so for caring for the vulnerable.

4. It is all teamwork.

As I wrote on a previous blogpost" Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much." Helen Keller.  You can not do it all. You need everyone around you no matter how small their role you assume is. In this profession its all about collaboration. Always appreciate this and you will achieve a lot in a day's work.

5. Always make time for your own things.

"Don't work 8 hours for a company then go home and not work on your own goals. You're not tired, you're uninspired." Anonymus
Always seek to improve your self. Be intentional about your own goals and time. As you gain experience and work in different organizations you will learn that it is only a few that actually care about this so always dedicate some time for yourself. Not only will this help you maintain your sanity after a terrible shift/day but there is some sort of accomplishment that comes with it. It allows you to be all-rounded and have a full life. At the end of the day, you are your own best asset.

As I conclude, as we continue having the globe watching us closely in this pandemic. Always remember that nursing is among the few professions that "too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest accomplishment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." Leo Buscaglia
Own the title.

BLUES

" Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people." Roy T. Bennett

Today was meant to be a good day after all, isn't it Labour day. The day we celebrate the achievements of workers but today my heart is broken. It is broken because with the pandemic so many unprecedented effects came with it. People have lost their livelihoods and hence they can not meet their basic needs. Today this hit home, it all began with watching a video of a lady boiling stones in the guise of food to ease her children's' hunger pangs. This was then followed up by a tuk-tuk ride where the unknown driver begged me for a loan as he has become desperate for money. He and his family will get thrown out for he has very few clients and has not made enough money for rent. Then I walked into one of the local supermarkets and saw a man look at his shopping list then his wallet and shake his head. He then proceeded to pick only a packet of salt and walked to the counter. Finally, my day ended reviewing a conversation with a friend of mine who has no income currently since there are no clients and has been forced to shut down his business. When one becomes keen enough to observe and to listen but can at least afford the bare minimum or more you tend to feel ignorant for all the times you took these things for granted.

I'm further heartbroken for I can not manage to help a large group of people but I am grateful that I can at least help a few. It may not be for a long time but on those days when I can, I choose to help and so should you. We have been witnessing increasing Co-VID-19 cases and this has led to an extension of the lockdown in some parts so why are the numbers still going up? They are going up because with no source of revenue people are getting more desperate to earn a living and not really caring about the measures put in place. This is predominantly true in the coastal region where some people are blatantly ignoring the put-down safety measures. The public service vehicles are still carrying excess passengers to earn a bit extra, the passengers are often not openly raising concern over this as everyone is in a rush to go earn the little money they can. Unscrupulous businesses are using soap in the guise of sanitizer hence hand hygiene compliance is a fail. Social distancing is actively not being practiced. Some people still believe that the pandemic does not exist as they are yet to witness someone close to them get unwell. All this means that more and more people will end up being in need for a long time. Abraham Maslow said it best  “When people appear to be something other than good and decent, it is only because they are reacting to stress, pain, or the deprivation of basic human needs such as security, love, and self-esteem.”

How can you and I help?

1. Charity begins at home

“Many of us dream of a better, safer, more caring world, without recognizing that it all begins with creating and maintaining a deeper love in our own home. The seeds of world peace should be planted in our own backyard.”Anthon St. Maarten
Has your neighbor, caretaker,  watchman, grandmother, a friend, etc met their basic needs? Ask do not assume. Human nature may lead to most people not disclosing their needs or problems until they get into desperation.

2. Work with what you have.

Upon having a candid conversation with one of my close friends and I vented so much on the same she reminded me of this quote “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
Arthur Ashe.
If you have a surplus supply of cash that is wonderful but if you are also operating on a tight budget look at your shopping list. What does not meet an urgent need? Once you have identified it, replace it with an essential item for instance foodstuffs, pads, etc. If it is a local supermarket such as Naivas which has a care box at the exit drop it off there. If that is still not an option send the little you have to authentic pay bills it will get to someone in need. One can also support a friend who has identified people in need and maybe created a budget for what they may need. Pick an item on the list and buy that. There is so much we can do. we just need to take the time to think about it.

As we brace ourselves for the great depression do not forget to be your brother's keeper. We as health professionals are already experiencing a hard time emotionally and physically but we should never forget that "Strong people stand up for themselves, but stronger people stand up for others."