Nurses Week 2021: Best Advice with Laura Rogers

Best Advice with Laura Rogers

I graduated nursing school I’m 2004. I spent the first seven years as an ICU RN and then transferred to the PACU. I have been a travel nurse for five years and all with TNAA. I spent a year in Boston and Boston Medical, a year at Martha’s Vineyard, Meridian Idaho, Denver Colorado, three months  each at those, 14 months at Indio California, six months in Dothan Alabama, three months in Dublin Georgia and Augusta Georgia. I have done Pre-OP, PACU, PAT, GI LAB. I have never ever had a bad assignment. Ever. One of the best days ever was when I became a Daisy Award Winner.

Years of nursing: 17
Years of travel: 5
Specialty: ICU RN, PACU, Pre-OP, PAT, GI Lab
Assignments: 7
States: Massachusetts, Idaho, Colorado, California, Alabama, Georgia

I remember the chair I was sitting in,  in my Mema and Pepa’s house,  that I  declared that I wanted to be a nurse when I grew up. My pepa had asked me that day what I wanted to be and I said a nurse without hesitation. I remember vividly the sparkle and pride in his eyes that day. Up until then, I never really had much interaction with nurses and to be honest, I can’t exactly remember what made me say it other than I KNEW that’s what I wanted to be. Very few nurses I have met went into this profession for the money. And if you did, jokes on you. By and large, those who choose this profession do so for one reason, to care for those who can’t care for themselves. We don’t do it for money. We will almost always work harder than what we get paid for. We don’t do it for fame or accolades as this oftentimes makes nurses uncomfortable because, after all, “it’s part of the job.” We do it because that is what we have been called to do. When I decided to pursue this career, in my mind I would have thankful patients and families who appreciated everything I would do for them, coworkers that would always play as a team along with the rest of the hospital, administration who would put their staff first, physicians who would be so appreciative of everything the nurses do. For the most part this has been true. However, I have seen a lot of the opposite. Nursing is so much harder than they can ever prepare you for. The emotional toll it takes on you. There have been times I left work, worried about my patients, calling the unit to check on them, coming in on my day off to see them, going to viewings for those lost, heartbroken. And yet, we continue to go back day after day, because it’s our calling. This year has been a hard year for nursing, but it’s also cast a light on our profession that is long overdue. What we do matters. What we do is important. Not everyone can do what we do and that is amazing. You are amazing. You deserve to be recognized. Many years ago, I was on call and had to come in to take care of a patient in pacu. The patient happened to be a friend of mine. She wanted me to hold her hand so I did. I charted with my right hand and held her hand with my left hand. Nursing doesn’t care the color of your skin, your religion, your political beliefs, your ethnicity or your past. What we do care about is you. We will keep you safe. We will do everything in our power to care for you. We will fight for you. We won’t quit. We won’t stop. We are nurses. We’ve got you.

 

Giveaway Details:

Two chances to win! Register below and/or interact by commenting in this session for a chance to win a Gypsy Nurse Box or Amazon Gift Card of equal value! Medical Edge Recruitment will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, Medical Edge Backpack, and Medical Edge Blender Bottle to 1 lucky nurse!