Nurses, this latest blog post I wrote for American Journal of Nursing is for sharing with your friends and family, who may be struggling to know how to support you. Of course we don’t expect our friends and family fix all our woes, but here are some tips for them in what - and what not - … Continue reading New Blog Post for AJN: How to Support the Nurse in Your Life, May 2022
resilience
Truths and Lies in Nursing
Some healthy perspective for a Friday afternoon: Truth: What I do at work holds great responsibility and implications for others’ lives. Lie: I am responsible for everyone I could possibly be responsible for, and should feel guilty if I take time off, don’t pick up an extra shift, or need to request a lighter assignment … Continue reading Truths and Lies in Nursing
Can Grieving Loss of Idealism in Nursing Give Room for New Hope?
It is no secret by now that the pandemic has dealt blows to morale in nurses like never before. The issues are being voiced everywhere - nurses find themselves overworked, understaffed, underpaid, disrespected by both the healthcare system and many in the general public in sometimes deeply startling ways. As professionals who come to work … Continue reading Can Grieving Loss of Idealism in Nursing Give Room for New Hope?
Shamelessly Acknowledging Our Weight Limit as Healthcare Workers
We’ve spent some time thinking through what it can look like to hold space for rhythms of professional grief. While my specific rhythms will certainly be different than yours, I hope you’ve been encouraged to consider the validity of your professional grief and that you’ve taken time to consider where and how it shows up … Continue reading Shamelessly Acknowledging Our Weight Limit as Healthcare Workers
Holding Space for Rhythms of Professional Grief: Part 2 of 2
In my last blog post, I shared my short-term response to the common questions I get as a pediatric ICU nurse, “How do you deal with all the sad things you encounter at work? How do you separate your personal life from your work life? How do you stay in that environment and not completely … Continue reading Holding Space for Rhythms of Professional Grief: Part 2 of 2
Holding Space for Rhythms of Professional Grief: Part 1 of 2
From time to time, people will ask me how I deal with the saddest, hardest patient cases I encounter as a pediatric ICU nurse. Related questions also take the form of, “How do you separate your personal life from your work life?” or “How do you keep working in an environment with so much suffering … Continue reading Holding Space for Rhythms of Professional Grief: Part 1 of 2
NPR TED Radio Hour Podcast Episode
My NPR TED Radio Hour podcast episode has dropped! In this podcast, Manoush explores a few TEDTalks connected to the topic of Heartache. Starting at 27:00, my interview with her explores some of my bittersweet experiences as a nurse and the hard-wrought lessons grief has brought about over the years in this profession. I can … Continue reading NPR TED Radio Hour Podcast Episode
Bringing the Voice of Grief into the Room
Because of the nature of events that precipitate grief, we often understandably believe that the voice of grief is one dimensional – dark and intensely oppressive, and therefore unwelcome in the room. There is no denying that it can feel this way in its sharpest moments. Even in its gentler moments, it’s still hugely uncomfortable. … Continue reading Bringing the Voice of Grief into the Room
Why We Don’t Know What to do With Grief
In my recent interview for an upcoming NPR TED Radio Hour podcast (10/1) on “Heartbreak,” the host, Manoush Zomorodi, asked a series of insightful questions from many angles about my experiences with grief over the years as a pediatric ICU nurse. Those questions have sparked many thoughts that I believe are worth exploring and sharing … Continue reading Why We Don’t Know What to do With Grief
Upcoming NPR TED Radio Hour Podcast: Exploring Grief as a Nurse
Just finished my interview with Manoush Zomorodi for an upcoming episode of NPR TED Radio Hour, where she and I talk about grief and how I have learned to navigate it over time as a pediatric ICU nurse. While certainly not lighthearted, I promise it’s not all doom and gloom. Rather it’s about walking through, and … Continue reading Upcoming NPR TED Radio Hour Podcast: Exploring Grief as a Nurse
The Heart of Nursing 