how do you … do?

1
HOW DO YOU.. . DO? Ruth S. Metzger, R.N. Very well, professionally, of course. You take professional pride in all you do. Though the burden of work tempts you to leave a small task half done, you know that the lowliest activitiy in the OR is important to patient care, and that you and your time are so important that anything worth doing at all is worth doing well. Or do you do well? Do you really handlr each assignment, pleasant and unpleasant, in such a manner that a student nurse could rr- gard you an ideal? Do you really prrform tasks so conscientiously that you inspire your co-workers to do their work well also? Do you really perform with such deliberatenes. of action that your patient’s fears are dis- pelled ? How do you do, professionally? Are certain tasks beneath you because you are an RN? Is it a waste of your proiessional rducation to perform a lowly service, despite the fact that it would keep your patient irom waiting an extra quarter hour to get in the oprrating room? Do you allow small transgressions of aseptic practice because this time no one saw you? Do you leave your operating room stripped of supplies and in a state of disaster because you won’t be the one to use it next? Do you fail to report broken equipment be- cause its repair isn’t your job? Do you Irave expensive supplies just “tossing” around be- cause inventory is someone else’s responsi- bility? And do you bring all your woes with you and use your captive audience to ven- tilate and expound on your personal trials? How about your professional growth? Are you content with having gotten your nursing diploma or degree? Or, do you carefully at- tend to your professional advancement? Do you read the current literature, and keep up with new procedures and new products? Do you participate in professional associations? What of your co-workers? Do you willing ly share your knowledge, striving to help them gain understanding of aseptic technique and surgical practice? Do you lend a hand when they need assistance in organizing their work? Do you look upon nursing as just a job? Or do you diligently apply yourself to bettering your profession while improving yourself? You are not a professional nurse just be- cause someone says that you are-actions speak louder. “What you are thunders so in my ears that I can not hear what you say.” Professionalism comes from within. Though there are many external manifestations of the nursing profession. they are only reflections of what is inside of you, the woman. In the OR, one’s mettle is tested. The close and con- stant contact with other highly skilled and qualified individuals, the myriad of small de- tails, the urgent demands for accurate pcr- formance, and the critical use of yourself, these leave you stripped bare-you are what you are. You do not cheat your associates, and most of all yourself, by doing less than your best. You are inspired, and dedicated, eager and intelligent, with an inquiring mind always looking for ways to improve nursing and you, the nurse. You are professional in- sofar as you look, and sound, and behave professionally. How do you do? Professional! June 1967 33

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Page 1: How do You … Do?

HOW DO Y O U . . . DO? Ruth S. Metzger, R.N.

Very well, professionally, of course. You take professional pride in all you do. Though the burden of work tempts you to leave a small task half done, you know that the lowliest activitiy in the OR is important to patient care, and that you and your time are so important that anything worth doing a t all is worth doing well.

Or do you do well? Do you really handlr each assignment, pleasant and unpleasant, in such a manner that a student nurse could r r - gard you an ideal? Do you really prrform tasks so conscientiously that you inspire your co-workers to do their work well also? Do you really perform with such deliberatenes. of action that your patient’s fears are dis- pelled ?

How do you do, professionally? Are certain tasks beneath you because you are an RN? Is it a waste of your proiessional rducation to perform a lowly service, despite the fact that it would keep your patient irom waiting an extra quarter hour to get in the oprrating room? Do you allow small transgressions of aseptic practice because this time no one saw you? Do you leave your operating room stripped of supplies and in a state of disaster because you won’t be the one to use it next? Do you fail to report broken equipment be- cause its repair isn’t your job? Do you Irave expensive supplies just “tossing” around be- cause inventory is someone else’s responsi- bility? And do you bring all your woes with you and use your captive audience to ven- tilate and expound on your personal trials?

How about your professional growth? Are you content with having gotten your nursing

diploma or degree? Or, do you carefully at- tend to your professional advancement? Do you read the current literature, and keep up with new procedures and new products? Do you participate in professional associations?

What of your co-workers? Do you willing ly share your knowledge, striving to help them gain understanding of aseptic technique and surgical practice? Do you lend a hand when they need assistance in organizing their work? Do you look upon nursing as just a job? Or do you diligently apply yourself to bettering your profession while improving yourself?

You are not a professional nurse just be- cause someone says that you are-actions speak louder. “What you are thunders so in my ears that I can not hear what you say.” Professionalism comes from within. Though there are many external manifestations of the nursing profession. they are only reflections of what is inside of you, the woman. In the OR, one’s mettle is tested. The close and con- stant contact with other highly skilled and qualified individuals, the myriad of small de- tails, the urgent demands for accurate pcr- formance, and the critical use of yourself, these leave you stripped bare-you are what you are. You do not cheat your associates, and most of all yourself, by doing less than your best. You are inspired, and dedicated, eager and intelligent, with an inquiring mind always looking for ways to improve nursing and you, the nurse. You are professional in- sofar as you look, and sound, and behave professionally.

How do you do? Professional!

June 1967 33