During the mid-80’s, functional nursing was an alternative solution to address staffing shortage. This means that either a nurse functions as the medication nurse, charge nurse, or bedside nurse. Nursing care delivery is task-oriented instead of patient-centered. I took the initiative of changing the process by implementing primary team nursing and rounding with physicians. The new process enhanced communication amongst physicians, nurses, social workers, and other clinicians involved with the patient’s care. Nurses and physician interaction improved. The medical floor 16 West that was formerly known as 16Worst was transformed and was renamed as 16Wonderful by physicians. This change led to my promotion as a head nurse.

I also have a rich critical care experience. My close encounter with life and death situations helped me develop greater tolerance to stress. This allowed me to increase my analytical skills and attention to details. My exposure to high-technology equipments like mechanical ventilators, computerized monitoring, pacemakers to name a few motivated me to pursue a degree in nursing informatics.

With my current role as Clinical Systems Manager, I continue to fulfill my new role successfully through communication and collaboration. I may no longer be at the bedside but I continue contributing to a safe healthcare delivery by helping design and build computer systems that are patient-centered and nurse-friendly. Ensuring that nursing is represented in all the major phases of the system design life cycle is an essential component for a successful implementation of any clinical computer systems.
Communication and collaboration are key strategies that I do best in my nursing career.

What do you do best in your current nursing career?

Do you know your value as a professional registered nurse? Oftentimes, nurses’ contribution to healthcare is minimized based on how the media portrays the nursing profession. Television network with healthcare themes such as ER, Grey’s Anatomy, Scrubs, and House stereotype nurses as physician’s handmaiden with labor skills instead of collaborative care providers that possess critical thinking skills. The Center for Nursing Advocacy recommends multi-step strategies to improve the image of nurses including speaking to the media through letter-writing campaigns. Mainstream nursing organizations such as the American Nurses Association and National League for Nursing have advocacy campaigns promoting the professional image of nurses and the nursing profession. In addition these organizations address issues that impact nursing practice, education, and, research.

In comparison to what the media portrays, the general public has rated nurses as top of the list in honesty and ethics. According to the Gallup’s annual survey on honesty and ethics poll, nurses’ have consistently top the list compared to other occupations with an average of 81% since 1999. (http://www.gallup.com/poll/103123/Lobbyists-Debut-Bottom-Honesty-Ethics-List.aspx)

When a patient or family member has a healthcare experience, they would often mention almost everyone involved with their healthcare specially those individuals who helped them during difficult times of recovery or in their moments of loss. Will that story include you? Does the public really understand what nurses do? Now is the time to be proactive.

Market yourself and utilize the power on the Internet by creating your personal web presence. Widen your network beyond your workplace and reach out to other professionals, fellow alumni, potential employers, and the general public.

Start now.

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