Most everyone I talk to these days agrees that it feels harder than ever to be a nurse. In some ways, the very title itself of my latest guest post for American Journal of Nursing may signal that I’m out of touch or too Polyannish. But hear me out, and if you have five minutes, give the full post a read. I would love to hear others’ thoughts, both in agreement and disagreement.

“…am I, as a pediatric ICU nurse, also able to delight in my work?

The “no!”s come fast and loud.

“No! Your work involves so much death and dying, among kids no less! It’s heartbreaking and tragic and bizarre. No one wants to hear about your work at a dinner party because it’s too depressing.”

“No! Health care is stressful, broken, and inequitable in our country.”

“No! People mistreat you and underappreciate you, to say the least!”

All of these things are true and hard.

And yet.

Something deep in my gut still believes I can, and do, experience an element of delight in my work. Not just deep meaning, but actual delight.”

Read the full post here.