so, I'm a nurse....

I come from a long line of avid readers and as a child I eagerly read through my mother's childhood books like Nancy Drew (I loved Nancy Drew!). She also had a handful books about Nurse Cherry Ames . Much as I enjoyed reading them, I can honestly say that they didn't inspire me into the nursing profession. At the time I seem to remember that I imagined an exciting life in the Foreign Service. My career plans and ambitions changed a few times as I tried my hand at different things ranging from computer programming and secretarial work to translating and subtitling for TV..... all very short and unillustrious careers! It wasn't until I was on my mission and I found myself in the Emergency Department with a fractured foot that the idea of nursing found me. I was talking to the nurse who was plastering my leg about her job, and I liked the sound of it. I had dismissed Medical studies because it would have involved taking more maths courses and I did not get on with maths. Nursing sounded more versatile and flexible as well. So - here I am, a few short years (it seems like) later in a job that I enjoy (probably mostly because I am only part-time so I don't have to get involved in all the politics at work). It's not anything as glamourous as the reality of Cherry Ames, but it's good. I'm not out there in 3rd world countries or disaster areas, but I hope to make a small difference to a few patients each shift.

Just because I am sitting here feeling a little tired after a long on-call shift, I am going to share this (shortened) version of

"You know you're a nurse when....." (Sirpa - enjoy!)

Your kids get their presents in TED stockings and their presents are wrapped with Transpore tape

You can identify different causes of diarrhoea by the smell of it

You've seriously considered catheterising your children before a long car journey

Every time someone asks you for a pen you can find at least 4 of them on you. Most of them have names of laxatives on them.

You live by the motto "to be right is only half the battle, to convince the doctor is more difficult"

You've basted your turkey with a 50ml syringe

Eatings chips out of a sick bowl is perfectly normal

You avoid unhealthy looking people in the shopping mall for fear that they will drop near you and you'll have to do CPR on your day off

Almost everything seems funny....... eventually