Work

Work has been going well for me, and is keeping me busy busy! It has really been an eye opener to be in public health learning more about medical assistance and meeting low income individuals and families every day. Some of the homes I enter are so dirty and disorganized that I am amazed the people are not in worse condition. I have also met many of gun shot wound victims over the past few months. Part of those clients received the gun wounds here in Minneapolis due to gang violence, and the others are Afghan, Iraqi, Somali, and Hmong refugees. Their stories amaze me every time I hear them. I have been brought to tears on several occasions because these refugees saw so much sorrow and endured, and still suffer from, much physical, mental and emotional pain in their home countries. One Iraqi man worked as a police officer in Baghdad, Iraq. One night his home was invaded by criminal men. My client was shot 3 times, once in the head, once in the spine, and once in the abdomen. He watched as the men shot and injured his wife, and killed his mother and 9 year old son who was cradled in his mother's arms. This client of course is paralyzed, but even more debilitating is his depression and PTSD cause by the trauma of that night.

At first I was bitter that I got stuck with another public health job because I couldn't get a job in a hospital, but now I am glad to have this experience. I feel so lucky to be who I am and to have what I have, and working in public health has helped me realize how easy my life is. To some of my clients I am as wealthy as a king. I hate that a lot of the time I find myself dwelling on thoughts of a better financial future. Selfish thoughts they are. I have so much in terms of worldly possessions and I have a wonderful support system of friends and family. Many of my clients are alone. They do not have wiling family members and their mental and physical state keeps them from having friends to support them. Shame on me and my petty complaints of what I don't have. I have everything.

I have been praying each day that as I go on my home visits I will be able to help my clients in some way. At times I feel so helpless because my job is not hands-on. I try to show as much compassion as possible to let my clients know that I will make referrals for them so that they can get the help they need, and then I hope that the referrals I call do not drop the ball . As I have learned to be more patient and have truly listened to my clients rather than just fill in the questions on my assessments, I have connected with them and have been able to bring smiles to their faces.

Nursing is a profession I truly enjoy because you can connect with people on such a deep level. People become very vulnerable when it comes to healthcare. Think about it, they have to show their naked bodies, talk about personal and embarrassing subjects, and they have to rely on you to be competent. Gaining the trust of a patient is one of the most rewarding experiences to have as a nurse. To see the smiles on patients' faces because you walked into their hospital room or home makes you feel worth something. Nursing is not only competence of medical subjects, but most importantly it is the ability to be compassionate, nonjudgmental, and willing to do what it takes to provide comfort to a broken person. I am developing my skills of compassion at my current job and I know that these experiences will help me to be a better, and well rounded nurse for my future career. I love nursing, and I hope that you all love the compassionate nurses around you.