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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1988-05-10, Page 12challen (Continued from Page 12A) through the emergency doors on an average day. She believes the public is not aware of the costs of health care, nor of the responsibilities of the nurses who work within the system. Sometimes, at the end of a long, hard day, she feels her re- wards are few and she is doing a thankless job. "Even waitresses get tips," she says. Debbie, who also works in the emergency ward, agrees that people have an "I'm _here, you serve me" attitude anc, each patient feels he should be seen first, though someone who comes later may be more seriously ill or need emergency care more promptly. Many health care workers comment about the abuse of the health care system, patients who visit hospital emergency, wards un- necessarily. In spite of their problems with the system, both women call nursing a rewarding profession and saythey have never regretted their decision to become nurses. "I wanted to be a nurse from the time I was 10 years old," Debbie says. Both love the ex- citement xcitement of emergency nursing be- cause situations are never thesame,. the unexpected is always around the corner. Debbie's extra responsibili- ties as a critical care worker could mean the administration of special intravenous drugs and special care .;ONFERENCE TIME—Caroline Greenaway, a registered nursing assistant in the emergency department at Wingham and District Hospital, has a conference with co-worker Keith Carson before go- ing off her shift. :« EMILY PHILLIPS, a registered nurse -in the obstetrics ward at Wing- ham and District Hospital, sees the happy side of the health-care system -- new life. Here she cuddles newborn Andrew John Proc- ter in the nursery. of heart patents. She.vould alsofind herself in the back o a. screaming ambulance on the way to a city hos- pital with a critically all Ii art patient or an accident victim► °at* Tering life-threatening injuries. Many times the patient -doesn't sur- vive. But "knowing we have done everything within the realms of =- capabilities" gives Debbie a good feeling. In future years, she sees herself seeking higher education, with an eye toward teaching student nurses. FAMILY -CENTRED CARE Emily Phillips sees a counselling role in her future. She would like to do grief counselling or teen coun- selling. A registered nurse since 1965, she specialized in obstetrics and gynecology and has taken several additional courses in her chosen field. Almost always, Emily sees positive and joyous results for her patients and she likes the family - centred care offered by the Wingham hospital: She works with families from the beginning, coun- selling couples before their child is conceived, seeing them through pre- natal classes and guiding them through the adjustments after a new life has joined the family circle. This continuity of care gives her a special tie with each family: She likes nursing, though she admits to having feelings of frustra- ion because she can't spend enough ime with her family and finds it dif- icult to adapt to shift work. A nurse, he feels, 'must be adaptable in many areas, especially with people — the public, patients, co-workers nd administration. COMMUNITY NURSING Another entirely different aspec of nursing is that offered by Lind night andher h Community Services. 'A former hospital worke nd one-time member of the Vic orian Order of Nurses home sery ces, Linda branched out on her own n 1984 and .founded Community ursing Services. She now heads a taff of eight regular graduate urses and 10 registered nurses and egistered nursing assistants. Under the Home Care umbrella, her group rovides services to patients in uron County in their homes, and o performs nursing services for epartment of Veterans' Affairs d insurance companies. Their uties could include treating a tient recently discharged from la► ospital who needs follow-up care; abetes education or ostomy caching, when a patient is learning adjust to a colostomy or eostomy; lab service for people ho need blood samples drawn or alliative care when the dying tient is able to stay at home with rsing care. The role of the community nurse is challenging one — physically, be - use of the driving (the group overs all of Huron County and rdering parts of Perth) and the act that they are on call around the lock on a beeper system; and emo- onally because of the change in the alth care system. Sicker people e now kept at home and the corn - unity nurse is trusted by the ysician to not only provide ade- ate care but also to make a ision as to the wisdom of the tient staying at home, should his ndition worsen. The strain of illative care on a continuing basis also very real, especially if the tient is young. But the nurses have comfort of knowing they were in- urnental in giving this patient re time with his family and are e to help family members work ough the grief process together. LIKES FREEDOM espite the drawbacks, Linda ds her work challenging and likes freedom and independence it ws. She welcomes the opportuni- to make important decisions and t s a at K • 1 N s n r H als D an d Pa di te il w P pa nu a ca e c bo f c tio ar m ph qu dec Pa co Pa is Phte str mo abl thr D fin the allo ties appTeciates the fact that het' job is not routine On a 'ans)ti,tutions. If the patient fears or anxieties, the coninnmi ;u na can stay au extra few minuteand yeas* sure him. And, age, the value of "hands-on care",is stressed. `That's why 1 became a nurse," Linda says. At present, Linda and a Goderich physician, Dr. Harry Cieslar, are working on a new project to provide a health program to local industries. A doctor will visit plants on a regu- lar basis, a nurse more frequently. That nurse will conduct pre-employ- ment and. ongoing physical examinations, do hearing tests and teach employees first aid emergency care so there is .always someone in the plant who can ad- minister emergency care. It is - hoped the new programwill- be im- plemented by the summer. SERIOUS SHORTAGE Right now in this province, there is a serious shortage of nurses, Emily, Debbie, Caroline and Linda agree that it is because many nurses are leaving the profession, some ' for other areas of health care but'many for completely different occupa- tions. There was a time when attrac- tive salaries and persistent em- ployers lured nurses to the UeS. Linda tells of such an offer 10 years ago when she first graduated and how they even went to the extra effort to find her husband-to-bea job if she would cross the border. The in- flux -south isnot as great now. However, many institutions do not hire as many full-time nurses now and this drives them to other jobs; many cannot tolerate shift work; they don't have a choice of time or a g r fiexibi t Se vitork weeke isawag ttle; fatally time - they done money and they ..stiff e • Morale is low and they feet: . i . predated, not •just by patients,, superiors 'and- families hut WS by their peers. Doctors stick together, says one, but nurses often don't sup-- port up port each other. Nurses need to, tell nurses they do a good job and and appreciated, -agreee these prof- sional caregivers.. "Who is .givuig care, to the caregiver?" asks one.. "Nurses are people, too," adds.. an- other. Asked what makes a good nurse, _ Debbie answered, "Being technical- ly adequate, having a level of excel- lence in herr profession ... being.com- passionate, willing to help, able to talk and get patients to reveal parts of themselves." She was obviously speaking as a nurse. Asked to as sume the role 'of a patient andan- swer the same question, she became thoughtful for .a few minutes, then answered, "Friendliness ..a a nice smile. She would identify herself at the beginning or a shift .., treat me with respect and dignity ,.. ensure my privacy." As an afterthought, she added, `I guess I'd want her to know what she was'doing ! " That may reveal a great deal about the public's expectations of. nurses. First, and above all, they are expected to give of themselves — to smile when they don't feel like smil- ing ..,. to come running to our bed- sides when they are tired and busy to always keep giving ... and giv- ing. Perhaps it's time to start giving in return – to the caregivers" to whom so much is owed.