What is the Best Thing About Your Job?

Someone recently asked me, "what is the best thing about your job?"  I have been a nurse for 40+ years and I can say I have mostly loved all of it.   All of my career, I have worked in some aspect of maternal child nursing.   I have gone from a small community hospital pediatric unit to a major teaching children's hospital, to a newborn nursery while learning labor and delivery nursery, to primary care and urgent care and back to hospital nursing in women's care.   I think I  have a passion for caring for women and babies. 

Some one saw something in me long ago and sent me on my journey to not only caring for patients but also caring for other employees as a nursing leader.  In 1986 I took on the role of Nursing Director and I haven't looked back since.   So, for 32 years I have been not only taking care of patients but taking care of and mentoring employees.  All of those nurses and allied health personnel who have worked with me over those 32 years have made an impact on my life and given me gifts along the way.

I have a pretty amazing nursing staff that I have been working with for the last 18 years.   We have a nursing staff that is comprised of 100% certified nurses.  They go to conferences and they learn new things.   At one time, we had 20+ people on our team that were in school for one thing or another.  We love learning.

The really fun part of it is they are open to trying new things.  We have some what prided ourselves on being the trend setters in our area as far as birthing practices go.   They take ideas and run with them and make them even better than I ever imagined.   Ideas come from every where!  We read journals, we network, we share ideas with each other and put them into practice to make birthing better for our mothers, babies and their families.  I love when my team is inspired and put their ideas into action!  I love watching when they work together to solve problems.   

Watching your team grow is a huge satisfier.   As a leader, you want to watch your team to grow and develop to do amazing things.   From presenting a project as a poster presentation for the team to presenting at a staff meeting to their peers.  I have watched them participate and run hospital committees. I have also had the honor of watching my team members present at national meetings.   Something they thought they "never could do", they did with ease.   All of this shows growth and development in the professional practice of nursing.  

Give your team wings and let them fly!   Every idea is a gift.   Being a mentor is a wonderful thing.