Adjust your sails
As I look back on my 42-year nursing career, I realize that it was never nursing I was dissatisfied with... it was the toxic work environment. Years ago I found myself in a toxic hospital unit that made me think I no longer wanted to stay in nursing. I had diverse experiences in numerous settings, which gave me the confidence to bid on various positions for which I was well qualified. At that particular hospital, it was seniority, not experience, that allowed one to transfer from one position to another. I failed to get any of my multiple bids. In desperation, I bid on an OB position and received it! I had no OB experience; in fact, I did not like OB during my training. With some trepidation, I decided to give it a try. Much to my surprise and delight, I absolutely loved OB and worked in that unit for the next eight years. There were times I wanted to leave nursing altogether. I am so glad I did not! I could never think of anything else I would rather do. Engagement and fulfillment are extremely important components of a long, satisfying, and healthy nursing career. The field of nursing is incredibly diverse. My experiences prove this saying to be very true: "If you can't change the direction of the wind, adjust your sails." As I look back on my nursing career, I can honestly say I'd do it all again!
-FAYE ABBOTT ALEXANDER DITTEMORE, INACTIVE RN, CGRN, RNC-OB
A thank you to military nurses and medics
In the August 2021 issue of Nursing2021, the article, "Nurses on the Front Line: The 1918 Influenza and COVID-19 Pandemics," claimed a failed response of our federal government to the COVID pandemic in New York City in March 2020.
On March 30, 2020, the federal government sent the U.S. Navy Ship Comfort to New York City harbor (with a capacity of 750 beds). That same month, the Army Corps of Engineers started setting up the Jacob Javits Convention Center as an emergency 'field' hospital with a capacity of 2,500 beds.
There was an abundance of military medical personnel ready, willing, and able to help out the local government in New York City in March 2020, but unfortunately, both the Javits Center and the Comfort remained completely underutilized.
I want to send out a big THANK YOU to all of the military nurses and medics who traveled to New York City in the spring of 2020 to assist with the pandemic. As a lifelong New Yorker, I was extremely appreciative of all your efforts.
-KATHY KEANE, RN
Garden City, New York