How do you know if you’ve crossed the line from trying to be wholehearted and deeply empathetic, to being co-dependent? This was a question that came up in a couple of conversations at the recent (and incredible!) End Well conference. I’ve thought about it quite a bit over the years, as there is without doubt … Continue reading Wholehearted Nursing vs Codependency
empathy
Brief thoughts on walking with those who grieve and suffer
If someone comes to you carrying 200 pounds and says, "I've been carrying a heavy load for a while and I hurt," don't say, "At least you're not carrying 300 pounds!" or "Look on the bright side!" or "I don't know how you do it." Acknowledge the weight. Help carry some. Facilitate their rest.
The Art of Healthcare
(An earlier version of this article was recently printed in our PICU's newsletter.) There is a long list of technology, procedures and interventions to learn about in order to care for patients in the PICU. We can’t avoid marrying so much of our care for the patient with our management of all the technology and … Continue reading The Art of Healthcare
Returning to Bedside Nursing after My Own Cancer Journey
As described in previous posts, the first half of this year took me sideways on a cancer journey that I never anticipated. I had my lumpectomy in January, which was followed by a complication with a massive hematoma at the surgical site that had me swollen, in pain, and oozing old blood from my incision … Continue reading Returning to Bedside Nursing after My Own Cancer Journey
Latest Blog Post for American Journal of Nursing: Honoring the Personhood of Brain-Dead Patients
My latest blog post for American Journal of Nursing treads carefully into the art of caring for pediatric patients who have been pronounced brain-dead. These are some of the most sensitive spaces to inhabit as a nurse, some of the trickiest conversations to navigate with the parents and other loved ones struggling deeply with the … Continue reading Latest Blog Post for American Journal of Nursing: Honoring the Personhood of Brain-Dead Patients
the liminal space of serious illness with good prognosis
I'm strong and frail Depending on who is asking Who is listening to the text and subtext And who is listening only for what they are listening for . Who catches the hesitations in my sentences The eyes dropped at a certain moment The laughter I offer To ease our tension To assure us we … Continue reading the liminal space of serious illness with good prognosis
Finishing Radiation: Waiting Room Story #2
Because radiation is a therapy that happens every day for weeks, you start to see some of the same people in the waiting room as your schedules overlap. I kept to myself but I certainly did notice a few faces that became a little more familiar, particularly those who would be leaving just as I … Continue reading Finishing Radiation: Waiting Room Story #2
Finishing Radiation: Waiting Room Story #1
The bell I rung signaling completion of my radiation was near the short hallway where patients enter from the waiting room and move into the space branching out to various radiation treatment rooms. Just as I had finished ringing the bell and was moving toward the hallway to exit, one of the therapists had called … Continue reading Finishing Radiation: Waiting Room Story #1
Join Me at the End Well Symposium this November!
I am beyond thrilled to be speaking at the End Well Symposium in Los Angeles this November. I’m so grateful for their focus on pediatrics this year. It is a population that evokes particularly tender emotions when we talk about end of life, because goodness, they're only just getting started. It is a tremendous privilege to be … Continue reading Join Me at the End Well Symposium this November!
Finding the Story Amidst Technicalities
Today I went for a CT scan to prepare for upcoming radiation as part of my breast cancer journey. I've been posting some reflections about my experiences for friends in my personal social media accounts, but I will share one here because it pertains to the way we can go about the technicalities of our … Continue reading Finding the Story Amidst Technicalities
The Heart of Nursing 