Suzanne Gordon, an esteemed author previously discussed on this blog (click here and here for two of those posts), has now published a new book about nursing that will certainly be required reading for anyone desirous of a realistic view of issues facing nurses in the 21st century.
"When Chicken Soup Isn't Enough: Stories of Nurses Standing Up for Themselves, Their Patients, and Their Profession", is a response to the soft and sentimental genre of feel-good books which have been published, according to Gordon, to lift the spirits of overworked and unappreciated nurses without thought of empowerment or a true representation of what nurses actually do. Gordon says on her website:
"The problem is, in this heavily sentimental genre, the real-world context of long hours, increased patient loads, and chronic understaffing quickly fades into the background. In the foreground we see traditional images of nurses as people (generally women) who “make a difference” through their touch–always gentle–and niceness. Rarely are their abilities or technical knowledge–represented in a true-to-life setting–the subjects of the story…"
I for one greatly appreciate Gordon's response to what I see as an insipid "Chicken Soup" book culture that uses platitudes and niceties to gloss over the true reality behind the myth of nurses as angels of mercy who simply need a pat on the back and an inspirational story in order to continue working double shifts and mandatory overtime without complaint.
Gordon continues on her website:
"No wonder the public clings to this sentimentalized vision of nurses and texts that are produced to inspire nurses deliver up story after saccharine story that reinforce traditional stereotypes of nursing and women’s work. Nurses are plied from every direction with a narrative that depicts them as modern angels endowed with extraordinary powers of empathy and compassion–qualities that are never depicted as the products of education or experience on the job."
The "angel of mercy" image of nurses---long a myth brought forward since the time of Florence Nightingale---has indeed secured a place in the modern view of nurses, and it is authors like Suzanne Gordon who seek to shatter that image and paint a picture of nurses' challenges and true professionalism with realistic hues.
I sincerely hope that I myself have not inadvertently contributed to this widespread sentimentalism about nurses and nursing through my own writings in print and online, but as a nurse on the front lines since the mid-90's, I hope I have indeed written enough about the vicissitudes of nursing over the years to make up for any notions of sentimentality on my part.
Suzanne Gordon's consistent championing of the cause of 21st-century nursing is heartening and encouraging. Gordon brings a sober journalist's eye to a subject that, according to her keen observation, has been watered down and delivered without consideration regarding how to move nurses from sentimental caricature to real life. Gordon believes that nurses need "crucial tools" such as negotiation and conflict resolution in order to have a true seat at the health care table, and the "inspirational narratives" so often published about nurses focus too much on feeling and not enough on the nitty gritty action that portrays nurses in a true light.
I greatly look forward to reading Gordon's new book, and applaud her for her advocacy and courage as a writer and journalist. Gordon has done a great deal for nurses through her work as an author, and I'm certain that this new collection will only add to the canon of literature that truly defines the reality of modern-day nursing.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
The National Health Service
As Congress argues about whether national health care can ever be a reality here in the United States (with fears of socialism abounding), the British National Health Service (NHS) is often brought up as an example of socialized medicine gone awry.
Just a few days ago, I received an email from a contact who wanted me to share with my readers some real facts about the NHS in order to counter many of the falsehoods bandied about. The NHS was established in 1948 for the benefit of the residents of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and contrary to popular opinion here in the US, residents of those countries can indeed purchase private health insurance, go to private hospitals and otherwise pursue high-quality care.
An article on Health Express extolls many of the positive aspects of the NHS, readers can click here to peruse the article in its entirety.
A few highlights of this review of the NHS include:
Meanwhile, millions of American children and adults still live without any health insurance whatsoever, and a considerable percentage of home foreclosures in the US are due to health care bills which homeowners simply cannot pay.
Health care in the US is frequently a sad state of affairs, and perhaps some day we'll look back on the millions of uninsured as a sad stain on our health care history. Til then, the debate rages on........
Just a few days ago, I received an email from a contact who wanted me to share with my readers some real facts about the NHS in order to counter many of the falsehoods bandied about. The NHS was established in 1948 for the benefit of the residents of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and contrary to popular opinion here in the US, residents of those countries can indeed purchase private health insurance, go to private hospitals and otherwise pursue high-quality care.
An article on Health Express extolls many of the positive aspects of the NHS, readers can click here to peruse the article in its entirety.
A few highlights of this review of the NHS include:
- The first successful "test-tube baby" was born under the auspices of the NHS in 1978
- Nurses make up 30% of the NHS workforce
- Almost 1 out of every 23 residents of Wales and England are employed by the NHS
- The NHS pays for and supports 16,000 home births per year
- Life expectancy for both men and women has increased by 10 years since the NHS was founded
Meanwhile, millions of American children and adults still live without any health insurance whatsoever, and a considerable percentage of home foreclosures in the US are due to health care bills which homeowners simply cannot pay.
Health care in the US is frequently a sad state of affairs, and perhaps some day we'll look back on the millions of uninsured as a sad stain on our health care history. Til then, the debate rages on........
Thursday, February 25, 2010
A Nursing Student in Taos
Sitting in a Middle Eastern cafe in Taos, New Mexico this afternoon, my wife and I were lucky to strike up a conversation with a young man with whom we were sharing a low table surrounded by comfy pillows.
In the course of our conversation, it turned out that he's pursuing a degree in nursing, and it's quite heartening to see a thoughtful young man of heart and intelligence planning to enter the field. Nursing still seems to be all the rage among young people seeking an honest and remunerative career, and when I meet someone like this, I'm pleased to feel that, yes, I would want this person at my bedside when I'm in the ER.
Even as some areas of the country are seeing hiring freezes and a dearth of jobs in comparison to the number of students being churned out by nursing schools, it seems that some states (like Florida and Texas) still enjoy a high number of positions waiting to be filled. Apparently, demand may actually outstrip supply in Texas in 2010.
There are so many good people entering the field of nursing, and I'm very pleased that the profession is attracting many mature, educated individuals who are bringing their life experience and knowledge to the fore. I know several extremely intelligent and kind people now in the throes of their nursing education, and I'm certain that they will bring great compassion and thoughtful regard to their work in the very near future.
May the continued flow of high quality nursing students continue for years to come as long as the demand for their service persists, a scenario made very likely by the aging of our society and the need of the retiring Baby Boom generation for medical care. Nurses are still the backbone of the medical industry, and a strong backbone it is.
In the course of our conversation, it turned out that he's pursuing a degree in nursing, and it's quite heartening to see a thoughtful young man of heart and intelligence planning to enter the field. Nursing still seems to be all the rage among young people seeking an honest and remunerative career, and when I meet someone like this, I'm pleased to feel that, yes, I would want this person at my bedside when I'm in the ER.
Even as some areas of the country are seeing hiring freezes and a dearth of jobs in comparison to the number of students being churned out by nursing schools, it seems that some states (like Florida and Texas) still enjoy a high number of positions waiting to be filled. Apparently, demand may actually outstrip supply in Texas in 2010.
There are so many good people entering the field of nursing, and I'm very pleased that the profession is attracting many mature, educated individuals who are bringing their life experience and knowledge to the fore. I know several extremely intelligent and kind people now in the throes of their nursing education, and I'm certain that they will bring great compassion and thoughtful regard to their work in the very near future.
May the continued flow of high quality nursing students continue for years to come as long as the demand for their service persists, a scenario made very likely by the aging of our society and the need of the retiring Baby Boom generation for medical care. Nurses are still the backbone of the medical industry, and a strong backbone it is.
Persevering on the Spiritual Path
As we follow the teachings and as we practice, we will inevitably discover certain truths about ourselves that stand out prominently: There are places where we always get stuck; there are habitual patterns and strategies that are the legacy of negative karma, which we continuously repeat and reinforce; there are particular ways of seeing things—those tired old explanations of ourselves and the world around us—that are quite mistaken yet which we hold onto as authentic, and so distort our whole view of reality.
When we persevere on the spiritual path, and examine ourselves honestly, it begins to dawn on us more and more that our perceptions are nothing more than a web of illusions. Simply to acknowledge our confusion, even though we cannot accept it completely, can bring some light of understanding and spark off in us a new process, a process of healing.
Monday, February 22, 2010
A Lone Star Nurse
Having left Massachusetts for the great American West, I am in the process of applying for a nursing license in Texas, the state where I now have legal residence. Having only received a license in Massachusetts in the past, I am somewhat overwhelmed by the circuitous and complicated nature of the application process in the Lone Star State, bearing in mind that a Texas nursing license will allow me to practice in 20 other states thanks to the Nurse Licensure Compact.
Once I had begun the online application process to apply for a Texas nursing license, I was interested to learn that the application required me to present myself to the nearest Sheriff's office for fingerprinting. Never having had the opportunity for such an indignity in the past, this novel experience was indeed quite novel, and I left the Georgetown, Texas Sheriff's Department with a very official-looking set of fingerprints, paying the paltry sum of five dollars for the privilege.
Delving further into the application procedures found me calling the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing to ascertain the date on which I took my nursing board exams (good thing they didn't ask for my score!), as well as paying an additional fee to have an electronic verification of my Massachusetts license sent to the Texas Board of Nursing.
The fees for my new license application were as follows:
The most disconcerting aspect of this application was a question which required me to reveal if I have been treated or diagnosed in the last five years with Antisocial Personality Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Paranoid Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, or several other mental illnesses. While I understand the reasoning behind such questions (images of Nurse Ratched come to mind), it seems a grave violation of privacy to demand such personal and confidential medical/psychiatric information from a licensure applicant. While I'm not certain what may have occurred had I selected "yes" for a psychiatric treatment history, it seems fairly apparent that revealing such information would not necessarily win over the hearts and minds of the members of the Texas Board of Nursing who would be reviewing my application.
While I admit to feeling both inconvenienced and annoyed at the frankly burdensome nature of this process, I understand that it is indeed a privilege to practice as a nurse in any state or country, and both nursing education and licensure are difficult for a reason: to winnow down the applicants to the hearty few who can see the transaction through to the bitter end. From seeking admission to nursing school to surviving clinical to passing the nursing boards, nothing about becoming a nurse---or remaining one---is simple, and perhaps that is, in fact, for the best.
I will indeed be grateful to receive my Texas nursing license---and the rights and responsibilities therein---and will frankly breathe an enormous sigh of relief when the red tape has been sufficiently satisfied. It has been an intimidatingly complicated business, and obtaining that license will be a moment of great satisfaction indeed.
Once I had begun the online application process to apply for a Texas nursing license, I was interested to learn that the application required me to present myself to the nearest Sheriff's office for fingerprinting. Never having had the opportunity for such an indignity in the past, this novel experience was indeed quite novel, and I left the Georgetown, Texas Sheriff's Department with a very official-looking set of fingerprints, paying the paltry sum of five dollars for the privilege.
Delving further into the application procedures found me calling the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing to ascertain the date on which I took my nursing board exams (good thing they didn't ask for my score!), as well as paying an additional fee to have an electronic verification of my Massachusetts license sent to the Texas Board of Nursing.
The fees for my new license application were as follows:
- Fingerprinting: $5.00
- Online application: $200.00
- Online license verification: $30.00
The most disconcerting aspect of this application was a question which required me to reveal if I have been treated or diagnosed in the last five years with Antisocial Personality Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Paranoid Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, or several other mental illnesses. While I understand the reasoning behind such questions (images of Nurse Ratched come to mind), it seems a grave violation of privacy to demand such personal and confidential medical/psychiatric information from a licensure applicant. While I'm not certain what may have occurred had I selected "yes" for a psychiatric treatment history, it seems fairly apparent that revealing such information would not necessarily win over the hearts and minds of the members of the Texas Board of Nursing who would be reviewing my application.
While I admit to feeling both inconvenienced and annoyed at the frankly burdensome nature of this process, I understand that it is indeed a privilege to practice as a nurse in any state or country, and both nursing education and licensure are difficult for a reason: to winnow down the applicants to the hearty few who can see the transaction through to the bitter end. From seeking admission to nursing school to surviving clinical to passing the nursing boards, nothing about becoming a nurse---or remaining one---is simple, and perhaps that is, in fact, for the best.
I will indeed be grateful to receive my Texas nursing license---and the rights and responsibilities therein---and will frankly breathe an enormous sigh of relief when the red tape has been sufficiently satisfied. It has been an intimidatingly complicated business, and obtaining that license will be a moment of great satisfaction indeed.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Change of Shift at INQRI Blog
The newest edition of Change of Shift, the nursing blog carnival, is up at The Blog of the Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI), with the focus being education.
The primary goal of INQRI is "to generate, disseminate and translate research to understand how nurses contribute to and can improve the quality of patient care." I am new to INQRI and will be perusing their site to gather more information about their work and research.
The primary goal of INQRI is "to generate, disseminate and translate research to understand how nurses contribute to and can improve the quality of patient care." I am new to INQRI and will be perusing their site to gather more information about their work and research.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Freelance Writing
It seems that my work as a freelance nurse writer is beginning to bear increasing fruit. Digital Doorway has been in existence for five years now, and it has been a slow but steady process of becoming published in a variety of venues and media.
I have been an "Expert Blogger" on BlackDoctor for a year, and I have now been asked to provide a weekly editorial article on that site beginning later this month. This will allow me to use my skills as a writer and nurse to reach a slightly wider audience on a regular basis. I'm grateful to the editors at BlackDoctor for this opportunity.
Just this week, I completed an article on "Disaster Relief Nursing" for the Southern California-based Working Nurse. The article will appear on the Working Nurse website and in their print version, which reaches 100,000 nurses at home and at work. With the ongoing situation in Haiti, it couldn't be a better time for nurses to learn more about disaster relief as a specialty.
In terms of books, two stories of mine will be appearing in a new collection entitled "Nurses on the Run" which is scheduled for publication by Dog Ear Publishing later this year.
Drumming up work as a writer is not always easy, but my level of satisfaction is currently high with so much good news to report. I will continue to pursue further opportunities, and fully appreciate the trust and support I have received from so many people along the way.
I have been an "Expert Blogger" on BlackDoctor for a year, and I have now been asked to provide a weekly editorial article on that site beginning later this month. This will allow me to use my skills as a writer and nurse to reach a slightly wider audience on a regular basis. I'm grateful to the editors at BlackDoctor for this opportunity.
Just this week, I completed an article on "Disaster Relief Nursing" for the Southern California-based Working Nurse. The article will appear on the Working Nurse website and in their print version, which reaches 100,000 nurses at home and at work. With the ongoing situation in Haiti, it couldn't be a better time for nurses to learn more about disaster relief as a specialty.
In terms of books, two stories of mine will be appearing in a new collection entitled "Nurses on the Run" which is scheduled for publication by Dog Ear Publishing later this year.
Drumming up work as a writer is not always easy, but my level of satisfaction is currently high with so much good news to report. I will continue to pursue further opportunities, and fully appreciate the trust and support I have received from so many people along the way.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Tax Returns For Nurses
For the nurses who read this blog, there is a new website dedicated to providing tax return help for nurses and caregivers. I have not researched this site, nor is this an endorsement. I am posting this simply as a resource for nurses who might want to check out the site.
Change of Shift at RehabRN
The newest edition of Change of Shift is up at RehabRN. Please pay her a visit to read the freshest blog entries by some of the best nurse bloggers around.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
The Fresh Air Fund...
Here's a great video for the Fresh Air Fund, an organization that I periodically promote via this blog. Please consider supporting them.....
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Making a Difference in Haiti
Nurses and other health professionals from around the world have descended on Haiti to assist in the recovery effort following the recent earthquake. According to National Nurses United, a national nursing union based in California, more than 7,000 nurses have already volunteered to travel to Haiti, and more are signing up each day. These are impressive numbers, and there's no doubt that nurses are playing a major role in the Haitian effort. The California Nurses Association seems to be at the forefront of this undertaking, and it is incredibly heartening to see my chosen profession so well represented at such a crucial time of need.
For myself personally, I am deeply sorry to not be in a position in my life to travel to Haiti and pitch in as so many others are doing. Timing and personal circumstances are important, and I regret not being able to go. Taking part could be a life-changing experience, and I hope the best for the nurses who are going to Haiti.
When Katrina hit Mississippi and Louisiana several years ago, I was also not able to go to the Gulf personally, and instead took part in fundraisers and other events back in Massachusetts. Similarly for Haiti, I am raising funds for Partners in Health, and readers are encouraged to click here if you would like to donate to this excellent organization's work in Haiti.
Living with chronic pain and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity make participating in such work seem somewhat untenable for me at this time in my life, and I regret that my current physical health prevents me from taking part. Still, my heart goes out to the people of Haiti and those who are volunteering their time in this massive recovery effort.
May we all---myself included---realize how our own petty grievances and wants are so small in light of the suffering endured by so many, and may the people of Haiti be uplifted by the outpouring of support and love flowing their way from around the world.
For myself personally, I am deeply sorry to not be in a position in my life to travel to Haiti and pitch in as so many others are doing. Timing and personal circumstances are important, and I regret not being able to go. Taking part could be a life-changing experience, and I hope the best for the nurses who are going to Haiti.
When Katrina hit Mississippi and Louisiana several years ago, I was also not able to go to the Gulf personally, and instead took part in fundraisers and other events back in Massachusetts. Similarly for Haiti, I am raising funds for Partners in Health, and readers are encouraged to click here if you would like to donate to this excellent organization's work in Haiti.
Living with chronic pain and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity make participating in such work seem somewhat untenable for me at this time in my life, and I regret that my current physical health prevents me from taking part. Still, my heart goes out to the people of Haiti and those who are volunteering their time in this massive recovery effort.
May we all---myself included---realize how our own petty grievances and wants are so small in light of the suffering endured by so many, and may the people of Haiti be uplifted by the outpouring of support and love flowing their way from around the world.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
50 Best Blogs for New Nurses
Digital Doorway has been named as one of the 50 best blogs for new nurses on the Nurse Practitioner Schools website. It's an honor to be on this list of excellent and interesting nurse bloggers, and I hope that Digital Doorway can continue to live up to such attention.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Digital Doorway Turns Five
On January 18th, Digital Doorway quietly turned five years old, and this important anniversary passed me by without notice.
Over these last five years, this blog has been the repository of a great deal of my musings about nursing, health care, medicine, spirituality, life with chronic pain and chronic illness, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, and many other notions and experiences along the way. While some nurse bloggers focus keenly on nursing, Digital Doorway's life has been an itinerant one, wandering from subject to subject, meandering through many doors along life's innumerable corridors.
Blogs have a life of their own, and this blog has lived through any number of permutations. Along the way, there have been awards and recognition, and my writings here have actually led to paid work as a writer both in print and online, with some projects still underway.
I'm grateful for the opportunities that writing this blog have afforded me for the last five years, and although I may have lost some readers by not staying more clear and focused in my choice of subject matter, it has been a consistently gratifying ride.
Since my wife and I are still on the road and blogging about our experience, my blogging attention has admittedly been drawn elsewhere, but Digital Doorway will continue to be a place where I document my life, my thoughts, and my future work as a nurse when our traveling days are over.
Please stay tuned as I continue to retool and reevaluate what Digital Doorway is truly about, and thanks for being here.
Over these last five years, this blog has been the repository of a great deal of my musings about nursing, health care, medicine, spirituality, life with chronic pain and chronic illness, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, and many other notions and experiences along the way. While some nurse bloggers focus keenly on nursing, Digital Doorway's life has been an itinerant one, wandering from subject to subject, meandering through many doors along life's innumerable corridors.
Blogs have a life of their own, and this blog has lived through any number of permutations. Along the way, there have been awards and recognition, and my writings here have actually led to paid work as a writer both in print and online, with some projects still underway.
I'm grateful for the opportunities that writing this blog have afforded me for the last five years, and although I may have lost some readers by not staying more clear and focused in my choice of subject matter, it has been a consistently gratifying ride.
Since my wife and I are still on the road and blogging about our experience, my blogging attention has admittedly been drawn elsewhere, but Digital Doorway will continue to be a place where I document my life, my thoughts, and my future work as a nurse when our traveling days are over.
Please stay tuned as I continue to retool and reevaluate what Digital Doorway is truly about, and thanks for being here.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Change of Shift, and Digital Doorway Makes the Cut!
Well, folks, I finally made the cut and submitted two pieces to the most recent edition of Change of Shift, the ever wonderful nursing blog carnival that consistently pleases and enlightens readers around the globe every two weeks! Please click here to read what's on offer this time around!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Fundraising for Haitian Relief
Dear Readers,
On this Martin Luther King Day, I am taking action by creating a personal fund-raising page on the website of Partners in Health, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the poor of the world.
Founded by Dr. Paul Farmer on a shoestring budget decades ago, PIH now works in a number of countries around the world, but has worked specifically in Haiti for more 20 years. With boots on the ground in Haiti for so many years, PIH was able to be one of the first organizations to respond to the recent disaster, and I am honored to actively raise money on their behalf. My goal is to raise $1000 in the next week, and I ask that you consider donating today in memory of Dr. King and his historic legacy.
Please click here to visit my personal donation page on the Partners in Health website.
Thank you!
On this Martin Luther King Day, I am taking action by creating a personal fund-raising page on the website of Partners in Health, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the poor of the world.
Founded by Dr. Paul Farmer on a shoestring budget decades ago, PIH now works in a number of countries around the world, but has worked specifically in Haiti for more 20 years. With boots on the ground in Haiti for so many years, PIH was able to be one of the first organizations to respond to the recent disaster, and I am honored to actively raise money on their behalf. My goal is to raise $1000 in the next week, and I ask that you consider donating today in memory of Dr. King and his historic legacy.
Please click here to visit my personal donation page on the Partners in Health website.
Thank you!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Quick Links to Haiti Updates on the Ground
To navigate quickly to several organizations' Haiti-related updates, please follow these links:
Partners in Health (PIH)
Doctors Without Borders
Yele.org
Google's Haiti relief web page
Haiti Relief Fund
Fonkoze
Mercy Corps
Partners in Health (PIH)
Doctors Without Borders
Yele.org
Google's Haiti relief web page
Haiti Relief Fund
Fonkoze
Mercy Corps
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Responding to Haiti
With news of the devastation in Haiti coming to light, we all pray for the survivors, relief workers, and those searching for missing loved ones. With the death toll rising in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, it is hard to fathom how much more the people of Haiti can take. President Obama pledged $100 million in aid today, and there is no telling how much it will take to rebuild the country, bury the dead, and tend to the wounded and traumatized.
As I write this, a National Public Radio reporter is crying as he reports on the plethora of injured children and adults laying on cots in a hotel driveway in downtown Port au Prince.
Money is pouring in from all corners of the globe, and you can make a difference by donating to organizations such as Partners in Health and Doctors Without Borders. The online organization Care2 offers a useful selection of information on the crisis, and National Public Radio also has a list of resources available on their website.
When making donations, please be cautious that you are giving money through a secure and reliable website, and be aware that some scams have already been detected as people scramble to donate money quickly.
There have been some rumors circulating that American Airlines is offering to fly nurses and doctors to Haiti for free, but I have not been able to independently confirm that information.
We keep the people of Haiti in our prayers and thoughts, and join with others in the sense of helplessness that many of us can feel when devastation strikes. May we all do what we can, give what we are able, and hold the people of Haiti in our hearts and prayers.
As I write this, a National Public Radio reporter is crying as he reports on the plethora of injured children and adults laying on cots in a hotel driveway in downtown Port au Prince.
Money is pouring in from all corners of the globe, and you can make a difference by donating to organizations such as Partners in Health and Doctors Without Borders. The online organization Care2 offers a useful selection of information on the crisis, and National Public Radio also has a list of resources available on their website.
When making donations, please be cautious that you are giving money through a secure and reliable website, and be aware that some scams have already been detected as people scramble to donate money quickly.
There have been some rumors circulating that American Airlines is offering to fly nurses and doctors to Haiti for free, but I have not been able to independently confirm that information.
We keep the people of Haiti in our prayers and thoughts, and join with others in the sense of helplessness that many of us can feel when devastation strikes. May we all do what we can, give what we are able, and hold the people of Haiti in our hearts and prayers.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Happy New Year From Change of Shift
The first edition for 2010 of Change of Shift, everyone's favorite nursing blog carnival, is up and running. I thought that I had submitted a post for this edition which is inaugurating the new year and new decade, but alas, I didn't make it this time. Still, there's plenty to read over there, so enjoy!
Friday, January 08, 2010
The Demise of the Public Health Nurse
Back when H1N1 was on the rise, the city of Worcester, Massachusetts laid off all but one of its public health nurses, much to the consternation of the public health community. Public health has rarely been understood by Americans in general, and perhaps the H1N1 pandemic has brought the benefits of the public health infrastructure into the spotlight for both the public and politicians.
Back in October when I left my position as a public health nurse for a small college town in Western Massachusetts, I felt guilty that I was leaving at a time when I was needed the most. Luckily, I was quickly replaced by a skilled and capable nurse who was able to pick up the gauntlet and lead the town through the maze of H1N1 prevention and immunization clinics.
Now I have learned that the public health nurse position in that particular town has been eliminated, and the new director---a former public health nurse for the town---will fulfill the responsibilities of both nurse and department head, a monumental task that seems altogether untenable, no matter how capable and earnest this individual can be. From the surveillance of infectious disease to the management of tuberculosis, public health nurses need time and resources to fulfill their duties, and more and more nurses are being asked to decrease their hours and the scope of their practice, significantly limiting their overall effectiveness.
Public health is often seen as an expendable expense by politicians and bureaucrats, and the signs all point to the fact that public health---and public health nurses---are still not appreciated for the ways in which they safeguard the health of the population and work to prevent the spread of infectious disease.
The gutting of public health programs around the United States is a travesty, and when the ability of a local public health department to fulfill its responsibilities is emasculated in the interest of saving money, everyone loses.
Back in October when I left my position as a public health nurse for a small college town in Western Massachusetts, I felt guilty that I was leaving at a time when I was needed the most. Luckily, I was quickly replaced by a skilled and capable nurse who was able to pick up the gauntlet and lead the town through the maze of H1N1 prevention and immunization clinics.
Now I have learned that the public health nurse position in that particular town has been eliminated, and the new director---a former public health nurse for the town---will fulfill the responsibilities of both nurse and department head, a monumental task that seems altogether untenable, no matter how capable and earnest this individual can be. From the surveillance of infectious disease to the management of tuberculosis, public health nurses need time and resources to fulfill their duties, and more and more nurses are being asked to decrease their hours and the scope of their practice, significantly limiting their overall effectiveness.
Public health is often seen as an expendable expense by politicians and bureaucrats, and the signs all point to the fact that public health---and public health nurses---are still not appreciated for the ways in which they safeguard the health of the population and work to prevent the spread of infectious disease.
The gutting of public health programs around the United States is a travesty, and when the ability of a local public health department to fulfill its responsibilities is emasculated in the interest of saving money, everyone loses.
Digital Doorway Nominated as Top Nursing Blog
Digital Doorway has been nominated as a "Top Nursing Blog" by Nursing Programs Online. I am honored and pleased at the nomination, and invite readers to visit their website for more information about other outstanding nursing blogs. Thanks to the committee at Nursing Programs Online!
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Learning From Pain
Living with chronic pain is like living with a psychic hitchhiker who never pays for gas or food. Pain comes along on vacation, but never picks up the tab after an evening at the night club. Pain robs one of ambition and drains the energy out of the day.
Pain is also a teacher, and we can learn to use our pain as a focus point for learning and growth. Yes, the pain can dog us throughout the day, but we can rise above it, ignore its desperate calls for attention, and even experience moments---perhaps even minutes or hours---without being conscious of its determination to be heard.
My pain is a nagging sensation along the right side of my spine, sometimes coiled there like a viper, at other times stretched out, enjoying its ability to take up space, coercing other nearby muscles to join the party. It doesn't move around much, but it has some contacts in other areas of my personal geography, and sometimes they chat and collude together. When the pain is more dispersed, my discomfort and unhappiness can grow exponentially, and the pain seems to thrive on my misery.
Sometimes, I realize that I haven't been conscious of any pain for minutes on end, and at other times I'll notice that it's been hours since I felt any pain. These are moments for celebration, and my deepest wish is to string together periods like this so that, eventually, I have entire pain-free days.
This morning, it's like a metal rod has been surgically implanted along the right side of my spine, and even if I stretch and pop a few vertebrae, the pain does not relent. Still, I expect that there will be moments and minutes today when I won't even notice it, when I am so enraptured with what's in front of me, leaving no space in my consciousness for something as measly and undeserving of attention as pain.
My pain gives me pause, makes me focus on my body, bringing me into the moment even when that moment is not a pleasurable one. Pain sharpens my awareness, reminding me of my corporeal reality, and can sometimes be a window into the suffering of others.
Several months ago, a dear friend of mine took his own life, partly due to unrelenting back pain that no doctor or healer could explain or assuage. My pain is similar, in that it cannot be identified or quantified by x-ray or MRI, and only one healer has had even a modicum of success in temporarily relieving it.
I understand my friend's motivation to end his own suffering and finally be without pain, but I am determined to beat the pain at its own game, turn it on it's head, show it who's boss, and leave this life naturally when my time comes, having lived a full life, undeterred by something as selfish and decrepit as pain.
Pain will not control me. It may limit my activities and make me think twice when there's wood to chop or water to carry, but it will not lead me deeply down those darkest roads of self-pity and fear. Yes, I have walked those roads and they are not pretty, but those are temporary visits, and I return to the light once more.
Pain is indeed a good teacher, and it is teaching me that life is for the living, and pain simply will not stand in the way of a life well lived.
Pain is also a teacher, and we can learn to use our pain as a focus point for learning and growth. Yes, the pain can dog us throughout the day, but we can rise above it, ignore its desperate calls for attention, and even experience moments---perhaps even minutes or hours---without being conscious of its determination to be heard.
My pain is a nagging sensation along the right side of my spine, sometimes coiled there like a viper, at other times stretched out, enjoying its ability to take up space, coercing other nearby muscles to join the party. It doesn't move around much, but it has some contacts in other areas of my personal geography, and sometimes they chat and collude together. When the pain is more dispersed, my discomfort and unhappiness can grow exponentially, and the pain seems to thrive on my misery.
Sometimes, I realize that I haven't been conscious of any pain for minutes on end, and at other times I'll notice that it's been hours since I felt any pain. These are moments for celebration, and my deepest wish is to string together periods like this so that, eventually, I have entire pain-free days.
This morning, it's like a metal rod has been surgically implanted along the right side of my spine, and even if I stretch and pop a few vertebrae, the pain does not relent. Still, I expect that there will be moments and minutes today when I won't even notice it, when I am so enraptured with what's in front of me, leaving no space in my consciousness for something as measly and undeserving of attention as pain.
My pain gives me pause, makes me focus on my body, bringing me into the moment even when that moment is not a pleasurable one. Pain sharpens my awareness, reminding me of my corporeal reality, and can sometimes be a window into the suffering of others.
Several months ago, a dear friend of mine took his own life, partly due to unrelenting back pain that no doctor or healer could explain or assuage. My pain is similar, in that it cannot be identified or quantified by x-ray or MRI, and only one healer has had even a modicum of success in temporarily relieving it.
I understand my friend's motivation to end his own suffering and finally be without pain, but I am determined to beat the pain at its own game, turn it on it's head, show it who's boss, and leave this life naturally when my time comes, having lived a full life, undeterred by something as selfish and decrepit as pain.
Pain will not control me. It may limit my activities and make me think twice when there's wood to chop or water to carry, but it will not lead me deeply down those darkest roads of self-pity and fear. Yes, I have walked those roads and they are not pretty, but those are temporary visits, and I return to the light once more.
Pain is indeed a good teacher, and it is teaching me that life is for the living, and pain simply will not stand in the way of a life well lived.
Friday, January 01, 2010
2010: Cultivating a New Garden
It's a new year and a new decade, and with 2009 behind me, I am thinking about what qualities I would like to cultivate in this new year. Here is a list of what comes to mind on this blustery January 1st in rural southwestern Georgia:
Patience
Optimal health
Tolerance
Kindness
Eloquence
Service
Clarity
Perseverance
Trust
Faith
Abundance
Compassion
Understanding
Love
This list could go on forever, but the true rebirth of the New Year is in knowing deep within me that all will be well. So often, I walk in fear, worried for the future and fretting about the past, all the while missing out on the glorious present. I want to reject regret, forget about worry, forgive myself for fretting, and simply allow myself to live in the moment and embrace the present for the gift that it truly is. This is one of my greatest growing edges in this life, and my hope is that 2010 will be the year when I finally embrace the challenge and truly "get it". This is my hope, and I am sharing it here in this public venue in order to make it more real, and also to be held accountable as the year progresses.
Happy New Year to all, and may the newness of the year bring myriad blessings upon you and yours.
Patience
Optimal health
Tolerance
Kindness
Eloquence
Service
Clarity
Perseverance
Trust
Faith
Abundance
Compassion
Understanding
Love
This list could go on forever, but the true rebirth of the New Year is in knowing deep within me that all will be well. So often, I walk in fear, worried for the future and fretting about the past, all the while missing out on the glorious present. I want to reject regret, forget about worry, forgive myself for fretting, and simply allow myself to live in the moment and embrace the present for the gift that it truly is. This is one of my greatest growing edges in this life, and my hope is that 2010 will be the year when I finally embrace the challenge and truly "get it". This is my hope, and I am sharing it here in this public venue in order to make it more real, and also to be held accountable as the year progresses.
Happy New Year to all, and may the newness of the year bring myriad blessings upon you and yours.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Saying Goodbye to 2009
It's been quite a year for many people, and 2009 is now in it's waning hours. As the year ends, so many people seem poised on the brink of change and flux, ready for new adventures, letting go of the old and welcoming the new. It's a time for reflection, self-evaluation, congratulations, repentance, and embracing of change. I've always loved the New Year and the opportunity to start again.
For myself, it has been a year of momentous change, uprooting, letting go, and moving on. In 2009, I lost at least 15 or 20 pounds, continued to live with chronic pain and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), quit my job as a Public Health Nurse, sold our house, sold or gave away most of our possessions, bought a mobile home, and left our beloved Western Massachusetts for parts unknown. What a ride!
As 2010 begins, Mary and I find ourselves in Americus, Georgia, making our way down the East Coast of the US, ready to turn West and continue along the Gulf of Mexico in search of a new life, community, improved health, and an opportunity to "reboot" our lives as we enter our third decade of marriage.
In terms of my health, I am not sure where to turn next. My chronic pain continues unabated, and my hope is that living in a warmer, sunnier climate will ease the pain that challenges my body most every day (but at least not every moment!).
In terms of MCS, we must make a concerted effort to avoid exposures to fragrances and chemicals that make us sick, and this is one of our greatest challenges from day to day. Nasty and toxic chemicals are everywhere---in homes, businesses, and even as we walk down the street. Laundry detergent, perfumes, scented candles, emissions, cleaners---we are surrounded and under siege.
When it comes to work and career, my identity as a nurse remains strong, but my resolve to work as a nurse in the future is wavering. I will most likely seek employment as a nurse again, but will also continue to explore other options---such as health and wellness coaching---as I take time to contemplate what I have already dubbed "my occupational navel".
The world itself is also in flux. Some form of health care reform is on the table here in the US, even though it has been watered down to some shadowy semblance of what many of us would like to see. War continues unabated, and injustice and violence run rampant in many countries as the world economy sputters and burps.
Still, people of good will can be found everywhere one turns. Service, compassion, volunteerism, community, sustainability and peace are common, and more and more people are dedicating their lives and livelihoods to causes in which they believe. Suffering can be found anywhere one looks for it, but responses to that suffering can also be seen, and it is in the response to suffering that we see hope for the future. In the mainstream media, bad news can dominate and overwhelm, but the alternative (and mainstream) media can also offer hope, with reports of amazing work being done to assuage the disparities and injustices of the world.
So, I ask myself how I can assuage the suffering of others in this New Year, how I can give back and improve the world in which I live. At the same time, I ask how I can continue to heal myself and improve my own well-being, since I can only help others if I come from a healed and healthy place. Sure, there are wounded activists out there who try to save the world while ignoring their own needs, but I am a true believer in the notion that one can only help others if one is willing to help---and heal---one's self.
With the New Year comes new opportunities for growth, self-reflection, self-improvement, service, positive change, community, and all good things. My desire is for 2010 to be the dawn of a new life for myself and my wife, and also a year in which every person moves closer towards their greatest desires and their own optimal well-being. Every day is a new chance to start again, and my hope is that many people will achieve their dreams, live in peace, live healthier and more prosperous lives, and take time to work towards a better world. Yes, it's a troubled world, but it's the only one we have, so may 2010 bring us closer to the vision of a world in balance and at peace.
Happy New Year to all, and may all brings be free from suffering.
For myself, it has been a year of momentous change, uprooting, letting go, and moving on. In 2009, I lost at least 15 or 20 pounds, continued to live with chronic pain and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), quit my job as a Public Health Nurse, sold our house, sold or gave away most of our possessions, bought a mobile home, and left our beloved Western Massachusetts for parts unknown. What a ride!
As 2010 begins, Mary and I find ourselves in Americus, Georgia, making our way down the East Coast of the US, ready to turn West and continue along the Gulf of Mexico in search of a new life, community, improved health, and an opportunity to "reboot" our lives as we enter our third decade of marriage.
In terms of my health, I am not sure where to turn next. My chronic pain continues unabated, and my hope is that living in a warmer, sunnier climate will ease the pain that challenges my body most every day (but at least not every moment!).
In terms of MCS, we must make a concerted effort to avoid exposures to fragrances and chemicals that make us sick, and this is one of our greatest challenges from day to day. Nasty and toxic chemicals are everywhere---in homes, businesses, and even as we walk down the street. Laundry detergent, perfumes, scented candles, emissions, cleaners---we are surrounded and under siege.
When it comes to work and career, my identity as a nurse remains strong, but my resolve to work as a nurse in the future is wavering. I will most likely seek employment as a nurse again, but will also continue to explore other options---such as health and wellness coaching---as I take time to contemplate what I have already dubbed "my occupational navel".
The world itself is also in flux. Some form of health care reform is on the table here in the US, even though it has been watered down to some shadowy semblance of what many of us would like to see. War continues unabated, and injustice and violence run rampant in many countries as the world economy sputters and burps.
Still, people of good will can be found everywhere one turns. Service, compassion, volunteerism, community, sustainability and peace are common, and more and more people are dedicating their lives and livelihoods to causes in which they believe. Suffering can be found anywhere one looks for it, but responses to that suffering can also be seen, and it is in the response to suffering that we see hope for the future. In the mainstream media, bad news can dominate and overwhelm, but the alternative (and mainstream) media can also offer hope, with reports of amazing work being done to assuage the disparities and injustices of the world.
So, I ask myself how I can assuage the suffering of others in this New Year, how I can give back and improve the world in which I live. At the same time, I ask how I can continue to heal myself and improve my own well-being, since I can only help others if I come from a healed and healthy place. Sure, there are wounded activists out there who try to save the world while ignoring their own needs, but I am a true believer in the notion that one can only help others if one is willing to help---and heal---one's self.
With the New Year comes new opportunities for growth, self-reflection, self-improvement, service, positive change, community, and all good things. My desire is for 2010 to be the dawn of a new life for myself and my wife, and also a year in which every person moves closer towards their greatest desires and their own optimal well-being. Every day is a new chance to start again, and my hope is that many people will achieve their dreams, live in peace, live healthier and more prosperous lives, and take time to work towards a better world. Yes, it's a troubled world, but it's the only one we have, so may 2010 bring us closer to the vision of a world in balance and at peace.
Happy New Year to all, and may all brings be free from suffering.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Inspiring Blogs for People with Chronic Illness
I am humbled and happy to report that Digital Doorway has been included in a list of 100 inspiring blogs for people affected by chronic illness. My gratitude to the generous people at MedicalFuture.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas Thoughts
On this day that's so important to so many, I pause to give thanks for family, friends, my health, my wife, my son and his new wife, our elderly but healthy dog, and the opportunity that I currently have to take a break from working in order to reevaluate and reboot my life.
On a personal level, this has been a year of great change, upheaval, letting go, and moving on. I plan to make 2010 a fantastic year of growth, improved health and unparalleled happiness, and I wish everyone the same as this year comes to a close and a new one begins.
May all beings be free from suffering, and may we all continue on the path of global and personal healing.
On a personal level, this has been a year of great change, upheaval, letting go, and moving on. I plan to make 2010 a fantastic year of growth, improved health and unparalleled happiness, and I wish everyone the same as this year comes to a close and a new one begins.
May all beings be free from suffering, and may we all continue on the path of global and personal healing.
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