René Kougel, the health center manager at our Martindale-Brightwood Health & Dental Center & Eastside Health Center, is a Registered Nurse just like each one of our health center managers. She and her colleagues have a LOT of experience in the nursing. In honor of National Nurses Week, today we’re reposting one of our most popular blogs — Rene’s reflections on her career as a nurse!
15 Lessons Learned During My Nursing Career
- Just when I think I’ve seen or heard it all, something else comes along.
- To be really successful, you must learn to be the master of multitasking.
- Don’t ever pass up the opportunity to use the bathroom—you might not get another one for a very long time.
- Losing my sense of smell at age 15 has served me very well in many situations during my career.
- Family, friends, neighbors will call you at all hours asking you for expert medical advice on any and all ailments, and you will be expected to know the answer—immediately.
- I have a great appreciation for nurses that work the night shift.
- I’m a terrible patient.
- I love Dansko shoes.
- Learning to accept that you can’t always be all things to everyone at all times.
- When people find out you are a nurse, they tell you everything—and I mean EVERYTHING.
- Always carry a blue or black pen.
- Don’t write your family notes that contain medical abbreviations—they will have no idea what you are talking about.
- Patients trust and need you. Do everything you can to respect and maintain that trust.
- Listen to your intuition.
- You should expect and look forward to learning something new everyday.
No comments yet.