SCRUBS CHIC
Transcription
SCRUBS CHIC
scrubs scrubs THE NURSE’S GUIDE TO GOOD LIVING Available at fine medical uniform stores special issue! scrubsmag.com We won gold! Best Nursing Publication 2012 FOLIO: Eddie Awards selfcare How to avoid compassion fatigue 50+ ways to nurture yourself Factors that fuel burnout Is that a dog in the ICU? TThe hehhhealing ealingpowerofpups power of pups A prison nurse... and other career stories Danielle Palmieri, RN, and Gracie SCRUBS CHIC Secrets behind the designs SPRING 2013 $2.95 T scrubs [spring 2013] here once was a knight nurse, in whom bravery was a gift... 4 Letter The central irony of nursing. 11 Vital Signs News for nurses on life, style and work. Yet in spite of his might, his red, itchy hands caused pain every shift. 19 Fashion superstar Marc Jacobs showed gingham; scrubs designers adapted the trend and added daisies. He switched his gloves to latex-free, but still was filled with woe. Not by sword, but by wits would he prevail, this noble battle won. 31 Do yourself a favor and pack a snack of fresh edamame. ‘Twas a deceptive chemical allergy... this hero’s job was done. There’s much more to this tale still left to tell... Only Ansell offers a premium line of both surgical and exam gloves that help keep Type IV chemical allergies out of your life story. and®TM areTMtrademarks owned by Ansell Limited or one of its affiliates. and are trademarks owned by Ansell Limited or one of its affiliates. ©2012 Ansell Healthcare Products LLC. All Rights Reserved. ©2012 Ansell Healthcare Products LLC. All Rights Reserved. Derma Prene® Ultra Derma Prene Ultra HydraSoft® ® Micro-Touch® NitraFree TM CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: CHRIS MOORE/CATWALKING; ISTOCKPHOTO; ISTOCKPHOTO; JEFFREY DECOSTER; CAROLYN JONES pediatric oncology nurse, has learned so much from her patients and their families. ® Nurses are great at taking care of others. Themselves? Not so much. Thatís why we are devoting most of this issue to encouraging you to be kinder and gentler with yourself. cont en t s 36 Jessica Graef, a T and an nd TM a e trad ar addema emarks rks oow wned byy An Ansel sell Limited sel ted or o on one of its affiliate ates. ate s. ©2013 ©20 13 Ansell ell He Healt althca hcare hca ree Pro Produc ducts duc ts LLC LLC.. All Rig Rights hts Reeser served ved.. ved 19 Scrubs Chic 21 S P E C I A L S E C T I O N : S E L F C A R E EUREKA! ® Well Contained Cool carriers keep food fresh in your lunchbox, even through a long shift! Behind the Design Great scrubs style doesnít just happen. Fashion experts take inspiration from real runway trends, then consider the needs of nurses. No wonder youíre lookiní so good! His comrades, too, were in need of relief... he must defeat this cunning foe. Visit ansellprotects.com/happyeverafter/scb to create your own fairytale ending, win great prizes and order r free samples! 17 Finds 22 How Well Do You Treat Yourself? Find out just how prone you are to burnout and compassion fatigueÖand what you can do to stop the spiral. By Nancy Jo Bush, RN, and Deborah A. Boyle, RN 26 Who Takes Care of the Caregiver? After 22 years of absorbing the trauma of others, a psychiatric nurse, wife and mother realizes itís time to tend to herself. By Laurie Barkin, RN, MS 31 50+ Ways to Nurture Yourself Put some energy and TLC into YOU for a change! By Hillary Quinn 26 Warning: Ignoring your own needs can be hazardous to your health. 36 All About You Nurses on Nursing Every nurse has a story. In their own words, five dedicated individuals describe what brought them to the profession and how their jobs add meaning to their lives. By Carolyn Jones 44 Expressions A Picture of Balance Whether sheís behind her desk or behind her camera, Carol Majewski, RN, MSN, easily switches from the big picture to the finer details. On the Cover Danielle Palmieri, RN, a high-risk labor and delivery nurse at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and Gracie, her two-pound Chihuahua therapy dog. On Palmieri, Cherokee Junior Luxe top. Photography by Lionel Cassini. Lose ten pounds just by getting dressed for work. Flexibles and ProFlexibles both feature our unique soft, supple stretch panel design, and they are changing the look of the American healthcare workforce...one slimmer, more comfortable body at a time. to show their best shape. ProFlexibles feature matching side panels for those who want to look bold and stylish in a solid-color/no-contrast dress code policy. Flexibles’ form-flattering contrast design is perfect for those who want Look professional and look great. That’s a policy everyone can support. [letter] The Central Irony of Nursing Isn’t it about time for nurses to take care of themselves? NURSES MAY BE BRILLIANT at taking care of othersópatients, family, friendsóbut when it comes to themselves, they too often grab food on the run, cheat on sleep, forgo exercise and then have no reserve to battle on-the-job and everyday stress, to say nothing about 12-hour shift work that can literally be back-breaking. This is a central irony of nursing, according to Nancy Jo Bush, RN, MN, MA, AOCN, and Deborah A. Boyle, RN, MSN, AOCNS, FAAN, co-authors of Self-Healing Through Reflection: A Workbook for Nurses. As the authors maintain, nurses are not natural self-nurturers, which is why weíve created a special section devoted to helping you heed your own needs. In “How Well Do You Treat Yourself?” on page 22, you can gauge your risk for empathy overload, and determine what you need to do to prevent burnout. The authors, Bush and Boyle, provide exercises and assessment tools for reflection so you can get started. Something is bound to resonate when you read the honest revelations by Laurie Barkin, a psychiatric nurse. In “Who Takes Care of the Caregiver?” on page 26, she recounts her vulnerability to other peopleís pain as well as to the demands of three small children and a husband immersed in his own career. Sound familiar? Finally, in “50+ Ways to Nurture Yourself ” on page 31, youíll find dozens of indulgences that will help you de-stress and reboot, including some super-fueling snacks for less than Psychiatric nurse Laurie Barkin eloquently shares her pain. 150 calories and weekend getaways under $500. THE GREATEST Once youíve opened the window onto your own needs, check out the five nurses in LEADERS “Nurses on Nursing” starting on page 36. Photographer and award-winning filmmaker Carolyn Jones gives voice to their very personal stories, and admits to being in awe of them. ìI do believe that they are a special breedósome combination of innate compassion and learned behavior.î Initially, Like Scrubs? Then connect with us and nearly 65,000 of your peers at facebook.com/ scrubsmagazine and twitter.com/ scrubsmagazine. she thought ìa nurse was a nurse,î but soon discovered they have different jobs, different ARE THOSE THAT ALSO SERVE. makeups and live very different lives from one another; the only constant is their devotion to their jobs. In their own words, they explain what it means to be a nurse and what nursing means to them. Photographer and award-winning filmmaker Carolyn Jones traveled the country interviewing nurses. Being an officer in the Air National Guard is about more than taking charge. You’ll apply your natural leadership abilities to a greater cause — service to community and country. And since you serve part-time, you can continue your civilian nursing career and still have plenty of time for your family and friends. Plus, you’ll receive a generous package of benefits, including health insurance coverage and a military retirement plan. Talk to an Air Guard recruiter today. Catherine Ettlinger, Editor-in-Chief Why do nurses neglect themselves? Let us know what you think. Email me at [email protected], or post your thoughts on facebook.com/scrubsmagazine. 4 scrubsmag.comï S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 Become an Officer in the Air National Guard. airguardjobs.com 1-800-598-4759 E X C L U S I V E LY O N L I N E AT scrubsmag.com INFOGR APHICS To aing winnrse nu ìYou donít know ME!î P S YC H N U R S E S Um, actually we do. Back by popular demand: Venn diagrams of nurse quirks. scrubsmag.com/venn ìDid I pass?î We dissect your nursing school anxiety. Find out the top classes nurses are taking (and repeating!). GRADUATE with MORE scrubsmag.com/school G I V E AWAY ìYou work where?î Win a Care Package Scrubs and Interim HealthCare QUIZ polled you about ìAre you really wearing that?î your favorite things. QUICK REFLEXES SENSE OF HUMOR PSYCH NURSES See what you could win! Illustrated scrubs style scrubsmag.com/wecare quiz: Find out if youíre Workplaces nurses love (and WHY). Find out how your facility ranks. scrubsmag.com/workplace frumpy or fabulous. scrubsmag.com/fab At WGU, earning your BSN or MSN means you graduate with more—more essential skills for the workplace, more knowledge to help your patients, and more credentials that may further your career. NURSE MEMES ìI did NOT spend my day kissing a doctor.î A nonprofit, online university, WGU was established to meet the needs of busy sy working adults like you. WGU offers online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in nursing that are accredited, affordable, and respected by employers for their quality. Pesky misconceptions debunked. Share these on Facebook. scrubsmag.com/memes WEEKEND READS Get a dose of humor in your inbox every week! Visit www.wgu.edu/scrubs to learn how you can graduate with more with a CCNE-accredited degree at WGU. Western Governors University | 1.888.518.6485 ADVERTISEMENT Why I Love Travel Nursing T H E I R P I C T U R E S T E L L P A R T O F T H E S T O R Y. T H E I R W O R D S T E L L T H E R E S T : G R E AT P AY ! G U A R A N T E E D H O U R S ! G E N E R O U S B E N E F I T S ! al! r r e f e rR e P 0 0 10 id Get Pa $, – 0 0 5 $ with all the Advantages: W H AT ’ S N O T T O L O V E ? N O P O L I T I C S ! ìI was stressed and A D V E N T U R E. ìBeing a travel nurse has getting burned out from hospital allowed me to explore the U.S. and learn about politics and staffing holes. Not so other places and cultures.î óDenise B., RN* G R E AT PAY. ìAwesome compensation and benefits.î óTony K., RN* Thousands of travel positions – all across the country • Weekly Guarantees, Top Pay Rates, Weekly Direct Deposit, 13+ Week Assignments • Day One Benefits, Prearranged Housing, 24/7 Traveler Support • Loyalty and Referral Bonuses, Free CEU Hours, Company-Matching 401(k) • 30+ Caring Recruiters eager to see YOU succeed personally and professionally. anymore. Traveling is one of my best career choices.î óBecky S., RN* N E W F R I E N D S . ìMy recruiter H I R E D ! ìIt took three will always be part of my hours from the time ëfamilyí and will forever hold a I met my recruiter to special place in my heart.î contract signing. That óTerri P., RN* absolutely rocks!î óSteve S., RN* S U P E R S U P P O R T. ìMy recruiter and my housing and QA coordinators are always there for me.î óRosa C., RN* LO C AT I O N , LO C AT I O N . CO M F O R TA B L E Q UA R T E R S . ìWhen I got to my site, I found my housing to be well furnished and equipped with everything I needed as a traveler.î óOlivia L., RN* ìI had some health issues last year. But that wasnít a problemóI got a job where my doctor was. The best part was that it was down the road from our children.î óJanice A., RN* E A S Y D O E S I T ! ìAll you have to do is pack your suitcase and take your toothbrushóeverything else is set up for you.î óLisa M., RN* Nurses’ snapshots, from top: In Vermont, Jennifer W. celebrates her climb to the top of Mt. Hunger, and captures a lovely lotus and a sunset over Lake Champlain; Alison M.’s photos include a hungry bear and the northern lights of Denali Park, Alaska; Jennifer W. leaps into a swimming hole in Bolton Valley, Vt.; and Nancy P. stands proudly in front of her new trailer in Riverton, Wyo. It’s Travel Nursing FA M I LY F U N . ìIíve been a traveling nurse for many years. Last year my wife started traveling with me. On a whim we bought an RV. Weíve worked throughout the Southwest and now Travel Nursing with Advantages! we are in California. www.advantagern.com 1-866-301-4045 We winter in Montereyólifeís tough!î óRichard [email protected] and Sherri M., RNs* *Weíd like to thank all of these travel nurses who shared thoughts and photos from their happy experiences with Advantage RN. Advantage RN was proudly named to Inavero’s 2012 Best of StaffingTM Client list and 2012 Best of StaffingTM Talent list. The Best of StafngTM awards, presented by Inavero and CareerBuilder, recognize exceptional service in the stafng industry. Fewer than 1% of all stafng frms earned this honor. COME TRAVEL WITH US! Email us ([email protected]) or Text us (760-670-3130 and type “Scrubs” as your message) to receive HOT JOBS for your specialty. Announcing the... Available at fine medical uniform stores N E W S F O R N U R S E S O N vitalsigns LIFE, S T YL E A N D W O R K EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Catherine Ettlinger The Healing Power of Dogs C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R Maxine Davidowitz EXECUTIVE EDITOR Mary Duffy DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Lila Garnett COPY EDITOR Melissa Brandzel RESEARCH EDITOR I Ta j i n d e r R e h a l Stress-free education? Yes! t was a tough case: a five-year-old girl awaiting a CONTRIBUTORS Theresa Brown, RN; Daryn Eller; Hillary Quinn bowel and pancreas transplant, who had essentially D I G I TA L D I R E C T O R given up the will to live. She hadn’t spoken a word in Miriam Bookey WEB SENIOR EDITOR days. But that was before Gracie, all two pounds of Paris Lia her, came to visit. Gracie, a Chihuahua rescue who D I G I TA L S T R AT E G I S T Jenna Briand belongs to Danielle Palmieri, RN, is a therapy dog in the M A R K E T I N G O P E R AT I O N S M A N A G E R Ta v a n e r S u l l i v a n People Animal Connection (PAC) program at UCLA. As soon COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER Kim Hong as Gracie entered the room, the five-year-old perked up W E B A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R Kirsten Withrow and her vitals returned to normal for the first time in days. WEB DESIGNER “She started talking and continued for 20 minutes,” says Jennifer Bennett Palmieri, a high-risk labor and delivery nurse at Ronald ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Susan Bunting 630-926-1816 [email protected] Reagan UCLA Medical Center. “They had tried every toy in that hospital, but nothing worked like Gracie.” R E C R U I T M E N T A N D E D U C AT I O N S A L E S D I R E C T O R For the first time, satisfy all your CE requirements with Scrubs Heather Lagergren This Spring, PBS will air an episode of Shelter Me, a series ADVERTISING SALES MANAGERS Fern Kershon; Cynthia Lappor te; Jay Little looking at the positive impact of adopted shelter pets, that D I R E C TO R O F M A N U FAC T U R I N G Jo-Ann Keith features PAC (see shelterme.tv for dates). PAC is one of the C I R C U L AT I O N C O N S U LT A N T Carla Blanco largest animal-assisted therapy programs in the nation, MARKETING DIRECTOR and its dogs make 800 visits a month to critically ill children Susan Pekich M A R K E T I N G A S S I S TA N T E r i n Ya r b r o u g h ❛❛ They had tried every toy in that hospital, but nothing worked like Gracie.” P U B L I C R E L AT I O N S Dayna Macy 510-219-0819 [email protected] • 1 website • 24-7 access • 140+ CE-approved courses • $44.95 annual, unlimited CE subscription MIND OVER MEDIA, LLC 702 16th Street Santa Monica, CA 90402 w w w.mindovermedia.net PA R T N E R S Susan Gates; Amy Rappeport trend that’s growing around the country. “Animal-assisted therapy lowers blood pressure 9800 De Soto Avenue Chatsworth, CA 91311 818-671-2100 former director. “I’ve even seen people come out of a coma in a dog’s presence. People ask, ‘But how do you know it PUBLISHER Michael Singer was the dog?’ and I say, ‘How do you know it wasn’t?’” E X E C U T I V E V P, M A R K E T I N G According to Barron, animal-assisted therapy wouldn’t Marty Morawski V P C O M M U N I C AT I O N S & I N D U S T R Y R E L AT I O N S Wendell Mobley happen without the nurses, who lay the groundwork so MANAGER OF DISTRIBUTION dogs can make the visits. And nurses benefit, too: PAC Copies of the magazine are available for $2.95 per copy plus shipping/handling, or in boxes of 75 copies for $1 per copy plus shipping/handling, or at the subscription rate of one year (4 issues) for $15, o r t w o y e a r s ( 8 i s s u e s ) f o r $ 2 5 — a l l a t w w w. s c r u b s m a g . c o m / g e t s c r u b s / . LIONEL CASSINI S c r u b s m a g a z i n e i s p u b l i s h e d f o r S t r a t e g i c M e d i a G r o u p b y M i n d O v e r M e d i a , L LC , c o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 3 S t r a t e g i c M e d i a G r o u p. A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d . S c r u b s m a g a z i n e i s a t r a d e m a r k o f S t r a t e g i c M e d i a G r o u p. P r i n t e d i n t h e U S A . A l l c o r r e s p o n d e n c e s h o u l d b e d i r e c t e d t o M i n d O v e r M e d i a , L LC , 7 0 2 1 6 t h S t r e e t , S a n t a M o n i c a , C A 9 0 4 0 2 . Danielle Palmieri, RN—a DAISY Award winner for going above and beyond the call of duty—tours the hospital in her off hours with Gracie. and normalizes respiration,” says Jack Barron, PAC’s S T R AT E G I C M E D I A G R O U P Vicki Kadosh Visi scrubsmag.com/ce and adults. It’s a dogs are also brought around to visit them, especially those in critical care. “It calms them down and puts smiles on their faces. It’s rewarding to see the nurses have a few relaxing minutes,” says Barron. S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 •scrubsmag.com 11 Coming Soon... [vital signs] An online shopping experience EXCLUSIVELY FOR NURSES Hand-picked clothing, housewares, beauty products and gifts nurses love Discounts and rewards with every purchase HOW SWEET IT IS Sister Act HOW MANY TIMES have you had a brilliant idea, only to shrug it off, believing it would be too arduous to pursue? California nurses (and sisters) Terri Barton-Salinas and Gail Barton-Hay also came up with a brilliant ideaóonly they saw it through to Clever cookie-maker Jaclyn Shaffer devised these medical-themed cookies by getting creative with cutters she already had. For instructions, go to scrubsmag.com/magazine, and also check out jaclynscookies.com. fruition. Their patented idea: ColorSafe IV Lines, color-coated tubing designed to prevent medication errors. ìWhen I worked in the ICU, the IV lines were like a big pile of spaghetti,î says Barton-Hay, now an OR nurse at Monterey Peninsula Surgery Center. ìWe were sitting around telling war stories, and Terri said, ëWouldnít it be great if tubing were It’s a Mad, Mad World Even if you’ve never been the target of a scalpel-throwing surgeon, no one has to tell you that physicians can behave badly. But did you know it’s so common that accredited hospitals must have a written policy on how to handle doctors’ disruptive behavior? Enter Anderson & Anderson, colored?í We did some research, went to a lawyer a certifed anger management and now here we are.î facilitator that frequently works The sisters (one other sister and their mom are with physicians. Factors that nurses, too) found a manufacturer and even began contribute to doctor rage include selling the lines until they hit a bump in the roadó stress, a perfectionist nature the FDA asked for paperwork that it had previously and dealing with insurance waived. They complied and expect approval soon. companies that limit treatments, ìAs nurses, we care about our patients and want says George Anderson, director nothing but the best for them, so weíve just kept of training. “Plus, doctors put in a plugging away,î says Barton-Salinas, a labor and lot of hours to get their degrees, delivery nurse in the San Francisco Bay Area. ìIf we which means they don’t have as prevent just one medical error, it will be worth it.î much time in life to develop interpersonal relationships.” To deal with doctors’ bouts of anger, bring it to the attention 16 12 scrubsmag.comï S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 of the appropriate department or committee at your hospital— and also try a personal approach. “Ask if you can speak to the doctor privately for a minute,” advises Anderson, “then ask if there’s anything you can do to help.” © TETRA IMAGES/CORBIS Number of states where nurse practitioners can practice independentlyó a figure not likely to grow if family physicians have their way. 0SÆ`abb]aV]^ Sign up today at scrubsmag.com/codehappystore [vital signs] HOSPITALS ARE well equipped to deal with medical emergencies, but crises of the spirit? Not so much. Enter Code Lavender, which, like a Code Blue, offers a form of resuscitation—but without the chest compressions. Instead, when a Code Lavender is called—whether the person in need is a patient, family member or someone on staff dealing with an emotional or spiritual crisis—the rapid response team comes armed with a bevy of potential therapies including reiki, healing touch therapy, aromatherapy, guided imagery, nutrition therapy and/or pastoral care. The brainchild of ExperiaHealth, a company devoted to improving the patient and staff experience, Code Lavender addresses everything from a patient’s fear of an upcoming surgery to a family member’s worry or stress about a loved one to a nurse’s despair over having just lost a patient. The program had its beginnings in a simple act of collective goodwill. “When a patient was in crisis, everyone on the hospital staff was asked to stop and send a healing intention or prayer to his room,” says Bridget Duffy, MD, chief executive officer at ExperiaHealth. “Eventually, Code Lavender morphed into not only sending intentions, but sending a healing services team to anyone in need.” Several hospitals around the country now have a healing team in place, including Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. And it’s been of particular benefit to healthcare workers: At the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, 40 percent of all Code Lavender requests are from employees. Grand opening! The prices and products nurses love Nurses, you deserve a break—and that’s just what you’ll get at The Code Happy Store. The virtual shelves are stocked with fantastic lifestyle products specially chosen—and discounted—just for nurses and their families. You’ll find everything from cozy sweaters to cool candles. In addition to the great nurse-to-nurse Code Happy App, the store is one more way of spreading cheer throughout the nursing community. Check it out at codehappystore.com. 14 scrubsmag.com• S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 GET MOTIVATED! OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLE, ACHIEVE ANY GOAL AND ACCELERATE YOUR SUCCESS WITH MOTIVATIONAL DNA by Tamara Lowe I’m fascinated by how to effectively teach/motivate patients (and myself ) to take charge of their own health. This book looks at how different personalities become motivated, and has already been valuable in helping me determine care plans for my patients. —Jonathan Steele, RN, holistic nurse in private practice, Scranton, Pa. MAESTRO: A SURPRISING STORY ABOUT LEADING BY LISTENING by Roger Nierenberg This is about how a symphony orchestra solved problems. I picked it up because I felt it would be inspirational, and it is. It’s helping me to become a better listener, something I feel we all need to be reminded of from time to time. —Melina Thorpe, Director of Cancer Services, Glendale Adventist Medical Center in Glendale, Calif. A FISTFUL OF COLLARS: A CHET AND BERNIE MYSTERY by Spencer Quinn This is number five in a series of privateeye novels narrated by a mixed-breed German shepherd who couldn’t quite make the cut for K-9 duty...but neither could his owner. Great romp of a read for stress-busting after a long day at work. —Coleen Kenny, RN, MS, division of geriatrics, Virginia Commonwealth University Hospital in Richmond HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG by Andre Dubus III I like it because the story builds up to something melancholy and tragic while giving some insight into human behavior and motivation. —Melanie Lukesh, FNP-BC, family nurse practitioner in California HOW SOCCER EXPLAINS THE WORLD: AN UNLIKELY THEORY OF GLOBALIZATION by Franklin Foer I am fascinated at how sports—in particular, soccer—meld with society and stretch beyond the pitch (field). —Kimberly Bertini, BSN, RN, RNC, Magnet Program Coordinator, Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Midwestern Regional Medical Center, Zion, Ill. DIRK RICHTER/ISTOCKPHOTO Emotional Rescue What’s on Nurses’ Nightstands? up to fading, wear and tear, and many, many washings. Made from a unique blend of high-tech stretch, soft cotton and easy-care poly, Core Stretch is the stretch that is built for work. Don’t let its soft, flexible, super comfortable exterior fool you – it has a heart and soul that stands CORE STRETCH T HE S TRETCH W ORK Cherokee Workwear will always be “Built for Lasting Comfort” – that is our pledge to you. With Core Stretch your comfort level just got a lot higher. cherokeeuniforms.com WASH. WEAR. WOW. Soft, smooth and cool, Xtreme Stretch makes it look easy. Made from a unique poly/rayon/spandex blend, this 4-way stretch comes in five flattering Junior Fit styles and two new colors. It moves effortlessly, drapes perfectly and needs little or no ironing. [finds] Well Contained W H AT ’ S I N YO U R L U N C H B OX ? P L A I N O L D S A N D W I C H B A G S ? O R C O O L C A R R I E R S T H AT K E E P F O O D F R E S H A N D J U S T T H E R I G H T T E M P E R AT U R E ! E V E N T H R O U G H A LO N G S H I F T ? No Microwave? No Problem! Grab the Crock-Pot Lunch Crock Food Warmer: Stock it with up to 20 ounces of comforting soup, leftovers or even hearty oatmeal. Plug it in at the beginning of your shift and enjoy perfectly warm food that’s ready when you are. $20 at amazon.com Now available in ten colors that are perfect for your group or office. If You Build It… How to keep ingredients separate until you’re ready to eat (think fruit and yogurt parfait with granola)? Fit & Fresh’s Fresh Start Breakfast Chiller is your answer. It’s got it all: The bottom bowl—complete with a portable ice ring to keep things cool—is perfect for fresh fruit; granola’s up next; followed by an insert for yogurt or cottage cheese; and last but not least, a reusable folding spoon that snaps into the lid. $10 at amazon.com Flatware on the Fly Going green (or just refusing to scrounge for plastic cutlery in the ICU’s kitchen drawer again) is reason enough to invest in To-Go Ware’s Bamboo Utensil Set. You get a durable, eco-friendly fork, knife, spoon and set of chopsticks (heat- and stain-proof), plus a recycled carrying case that ensures they make it to work day after day. $13 at reuseit.com Size Matters One day it’s a bologna sandwich, the next it’s last night’s spaghetti Bolognese. Either way, you can tote the same food carrier: MoMA Design Store’s Collapsible Lunch Box expands for larger portions of entrées and sides (great for dinner on a night shift!) or can be pressed down into a compact version for a simple sandwich and carrot sticks. $28 at hsn.com For these and other finds, go to scrubsmag.com/magazine. DickiesMedical.com Twist and Shake No more soggy lettuce! With Salad Shaker, your fresh, crunchy greens stay that way, thanks to a mini ice pack hidden under the lid. Come break time, twist the separate dressing dispenser, shake the container and voilà, you’re ready to dig right in. $10 at ft-fresh.com 17 [scrubs chic] Introducing Rated and reviewed by nurses Ask fellow nurses about: Job opportunites O Salary and perks O Workplace satisfaction O Department specialties O Learn more at: scrubsmag.com/guide/hospitals MARC JACOBS AND ALEXANDER MCQUEEN: CHRIS MOORE/CATWALKING/GETTY IMAGES; DAISIES AND PAW PRINTS: ISTOCKPHOTO; KALEIDOSCOPE: DAJ/GETTY IMAGES; OSCAR DE LA RENTA: VICTOR VIRGILE/GETTY IMAGES The Nurse’s Guide to Hospitals Behind the Design F A S H I O N E X P E R T S T A K E I N S P I R AT I O N F R O M R E A L R U N W AY T R E N D S A N D T H E N C O N S I D E R T H E N E E D S O F N U R S E S . N O W O N D E R YO U ’ R E LO O K I N ’ S O G O O D ! THE TREND m go-go gingha Gingham has grown up! Style icon Marc Jacobs paired the little-girl checks with a complementary—not matching!—pink paisley-style print. Cherokee designers spotted the trend and adapted it for nurses. A sophisticated blackand-gray ground gets a dose of cheer from big blooming daisies. In the same way Jacobs used a contrasting belt for definition at the waist, Cherokee added piping around the V-neckline to highlight your face. Runway by Cherokee “Floral Fantasy” top, $27. THE TREN kaleidoscDop e Runway by Cherokee “Check out the Daisies” top, $26. With her fearless fashion sense, Lady Gaga became Alexander McQueen’s unofficial muse—but you don’t have to be outré to be “in” at work. McQueen’s popular kaleidoscope prints on his one-of-a-kind designs— now in the hands of the multitalented Sarah Burton, who designed Kate Middleton’s wedding dress—are turning up on perfectly appropriate work clothes. The beauty is in the blurring: The overall effect of a wild design in bright colors is muted through the eye of a kaleidoscope, making it hospital-worthy. Oscar de la Renta has been one of the world’s leading fashion designers for over 50 years, known for his red-carpet gowns and evening wear. No, he doesn’t have a line of scrubs, but the creative team at Dickies has taken inspiration from his “hot spots” on ladylike dresses in basic black and white and created irresistible prints with charming animal-face dots. ND THE TRE hot spots Dickies “Spot the Animals” top, $27. S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 ïscrubsmag.com 19 [scrubs spring 2013] Introducing SELF-CARE Special Section The Nurse’s Guide to Nursing Schools While we were working on the first 10 issues of Scrubs, one irony kept screaming out to us: Nurses are great at taking care of others. Themselves? Not so much. So, we are devoting the bulk of our pages to the topic of self-care, encouraging you to be kind, gentle and patient with yourself. Itís the ìsecure your oxygen mask firstî ruleóthe best way to care for others is by caring for yourself first. 2,000+ nursing schools rated and reviewed by students and alumni Find out about: Applications Student satisfaction The best schools for you “This school is great! I applied online and their financial aid process was super easy.” IN THIS SECTION: HOW WELL DO YOU TREAT YOURSELF? P. 22 WHO TAKES CARE OF THE CAREGIVER? P. 26 50+ WAYS TO NURTURE YOURSELF P. 31 scrubsmag.com/guide/nursingschools SHOUT Learn more at S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 ïscrubsmag.com 21 [special self-care section] HOW WELL DO YOU TREAT yourself? ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS TO FIND OUT IF YOU SHOW YOURSELF THE SAME COMPASSION YOU SHOW YOUR PATIENTS AND EVERYONE ELSE IN YOUR LIFE. I F E E L YO U R PA I N . . . A L I T T L E TO O M U C H ? Empathy is a natural human response. But constant exposure to other people’s sufering without the protection of self-care and self-compassion can lead to empathy overload. Answer yes or no to the fve questions below—an afrmative answer is a warning sign of empathy overload. Next, refect upon the statements under each heading. Answer true or false to each to gauge your level of empathy strain and to recognize the ways it impacts your life at work and at home. 1. Are thoughts of patients intruding into your of hours? After working with my patients, I’m haunted by what is happening to them. I react to situations the way my patients might (e.g., on edge, anxious, irritable, startled). My work makes me worry more about the safety of those I hold dear. Because of the intensity of my job, I am reappraising my own beliefs. and D E B O R A H A . B O Y L E , R N Illustrations by S H O U T I experience protective feelings toward my patients. I have experienced a need to rescue, shelter or save my patients. I am deeply touched by my patients. I have done more for my patients than is required by my professional role. 4. Have you become isolated or alienated from friends and colleagues? I do not feel safe talking to my colleagues or supervisors about my concerns working with challenging patients. I feel alienated from those who do not understand the work that I do. I have felt abandoned by my colleagues and supervisors. I fnd it difcult to share some of the horrifc stories about my patients. 5. Are you disillusioned with your job? 2. Have you become detached from patients? By N A N C Y J O B U S H , R N 3. Do you have a super-nurse complex? While listening to my patients, my thoughts drift elsewhere. I fnd myself fatigued and drowsy while working with my patients. I feel myself “numbing out” while listening to my patients. I tend to remove myself emotionally from my patients. Is self-healing getting a big enough portion of the pie? It’s hard to maintain frm boundaries with my patients. I have wanted to discontinue working with specifc patients because of the intensity of their care. I often wish that I were doing something diferent in my career. I have a heightened awareness of living or reason for being. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER CREATE A PIE CHART to assess how you divvy up your days and how much effort you are devoting to self-healing. Draw a circle on a sheet of paper to allocate the percentage How do you begin to identify the need for self-care? First and foremost, by acknowledging the inherent risk of your activities in your usual day. If you work a 12-hour for emotional, physical and spiritual depletion brought shift, then that takes up half your day. Draw a wedge to on by the demands of nursing. Much like frefghters signify the amount of time you devote to self-care activities, anticipate and prepare for threats to safety in their work and write down the specifics (dinner with friends, reading for settings, so must nurses ready themselves for risks to pleasure, going for a hike, taking a nap, etc.). their well-being. Now draw a second circle and reconfigure your self-care That means building resilience by striving for inner wedge to make more time for self-nurturing, jotting down the peace, fnding a balance between giving and receiving, new behaviors you can undertake. sadness and joy, so you can continue to work with tenderness, empathy and vulnerability. 22 ADAPTED WITH PERMISSION FROM SELF-HEALING THROUGH REFLECTION: A WORKBOOK FOR NURSES, HYGEIA MEDIA, © 2012. COPIES OF THE BOOK MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH THE ONCOLOGY NURSING SOCIETY AT WWW.ONS.ORG/PUBLICATIONS. S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 ïscrubsmag.com 23 [special self-care section] FAC TO R S T H AT F U E L BURNOUT Here, the deadly dozen circumstances and running on empty... and what to do about it WHEN YOUR emotional reserves have been tapped dry, youíre more likely to suffer burnout. The following interventions can help prevent this. characteristics that can lead to burnout and AVO I D B L A M E . Burnout leads to feelings of isolation, and blaming empathy fatigue. Check which statements ring yourself or projecting blame onto others often leads to further withdrawal. true, and seek support (or at the very least, Blame is self-perpetuating and leads to a destructive negative cycle. do a little soul searching). TA K E AC T I O N . Start by stepping back and reflecting upon those circumstances that have led to burnout with your job. Self-knowledge can 1. Toxic supervisor and lack of colleague support 2. Little fun at work or in life 3. Only a fuzzy understanding of one’s own needs 4. Lack of a professional process to create more competence and less anxiety 5. Emotionally draining issues decrease feelings of helplessness. What action can you take to change your circumstances? Is there someone you can trust to talk to and share your feelings? Do you have colleagues who share the same frustrations? Brainstorm ways to assist and support each other. TA K E CO N T R O L . Identify what you canóand cannotódo to change your work circumstances. Focus on what you can control. Strengthen your own assertiveness skills and learn to say ìnoî when appropriate. Know your own triggers and find ways to manage them. S E T G OA L S . Reflect upon your professional and personal goals. If your current job doesnít nurture those goals, it may be time to take your talents in one’s personal life to a new and different setting. Transitioning from inpatient to outpatient 6. An inability to say no to care or changing specialty practice can often rekindle enthusiasm and the unreasonable requests 7. Vicarious traumatization that takes an accumulated toll 8. Personal relationships desire to learn. Think about the good opportunities that are ahead in your work and your life, which may help you feel ìunstuck.î P R AC T I C E S E L F - C A R E . characterized by one-way Basic self-care includes exercise, caring (you give, adequate rest and sleep, and everyone else takes) good nutrition. Other burnout 9. Constant perfectionism in work tasks 10. Continual unresolved ambiguous professional losses 11. A strong need to be needed 12. Professional success preventive measures may include meditation, guided imagery, yoga, journaling or other activities that lead to personal insight or a higher level of spirituality. Treat yourself to massage therapy or, if needed, interpersonal therapy. Find support from relationships It’s a vicious circle: When you’re sufering from burnout and compassion fatigue, physical and emotional exhaustion make it difcult to improve your self-care strategies. You may also subconsciously feel that self-care is selfsh if it takes away from work-related projects or valuable time with family and friends. This represents a diferent but similar double-edged sword— a personality trait of selfess giving but from a vulnerable point of self-starvation. Here, ways to steer clear of compassion fatigue. 1. Practice responsible selfishness. Engage in activities to recharge and renew personal energy for your own well-being while remaining responsive to the needs of others. 2. Separate work from home. Develop strategies to leave work at work. Decompress on the commute home, or practice meditation or exercise right after work. A healthy barrier can minimize the compounding efect of personal and professional stressors. outside of work, with people defned solely by outward who can listen to your concerns recognition or appreciation objectively and provide feedback. Identify something to look forward Go to scrubsmag.com/magazine for to each day, in or out of the interactive quizzes with real-time work setting. This may be quiet results. See how your scores compare moments in a garden or a walk with those of other nurses! with a close friend or loved one. 24 S I X S T R AT E G I E S F O R AV O I D I N G C O M PA S S I O N FAT I G U E 3. Develop positive support groups. Surround yourself with people who are willing to listen, empathize and problem-solve with mutual understanding. And don’t be afraid to engage in group or individual psychotherapy. 4. Refuse to be a victim. Feelings of helplessness exacerbate negative feelings. Don’t dwell on what you can’t control…the realities of managed care, for instance. 5. Remember to laugh. Hearty and sustained laughter has been found to relieve stress and boost immune response. Carry out activities that promote laughter, such as social events with friends, movies and, yes, even fnding the ability to laugh at our own gafes. 6. Redefine success. For high achievers, a sense of personal failure is a major contributing factor to compassion fatigue. Learn to reframe expectations and value every little thing you Web exclusive: Take our interactive self-care quizzes at scrubsmag.com/magazine. do for patients each day—they all add up! ● NANCY JO BUSH, RN, MN, MA, AOCN, is an assistant clinical professor and lecturer at the UCLA School of Nursing. DEBORAH A. BOYLE, RN, MSN, AOCNS, FAAN, is the oncology clinical nurse specialist at the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Irvine. 25 [special self-care section] WHO TAKES CARE OFthe caregıver? AFTER 22 YEARS ABSORBING THE TRAUMA OF OTHERS, A PSYCHIATRIC NURSE, WIFE AND MOTHER REALIZES IT’S TIME TO TEND TO HERSELF. I DECIDE I CANíT GO with Brian and the kids to his secretaryís party. I feel too anxious, too much in my own head, to be able to make small talk with people I donít know. As soon as theyíre out of the door, I have second thoughts. Maybe I should force myself to socialize. Will Brian be able to handle all three kids at the same time? Itís drizzling outside and the streets are slick. When was the last time I had the brakes checked? I think By L A U R I E B A R K I N , RN, MS about the father and his two sons who were killed by a drunk driver on their way back from a ski trip last year. Illustrations by The mother and daughter had stayed home. What ifÖ JEFFREY DECOSTER Stop! You have precious time alone. Uninterruptible time, reading time, singing time, gardening time. 26 FROM THE COMFORT GARDEN: TALES FROM THE TRAUMA UNIT. COPYRIGHT © 2011 BY LAURIE BARKIN. ADAPTED WITH PERMISSION OF LAURIE BARKIN AND FRESH POND PRESS. WWW.LAURIEBARKIN.COM. [special self-care section] I stand immobile in front of the window. The house itself spring. Itís so sad I almost canít bear it, until I realize that Maybe another drink will help me not bite Brianís head off seems to be in a state of shock. What, no clamoring? No she must bear it, not I. She must endure this sorrow while I when he walks in. But the alcohol has already unleashed my whining? No crying? In the silence, my heart pounds. get to go home and hear my childrenís laughter and feel worst thoughts. Do something! Clean the kitchen. Turn on the music. W hile I wail with Chaka Khan, I fill the their kisses and hugs. Life is not fair. Donít go there. How about the garden? Werenít you going to dig out that plum shrub? dishwasher, scrub the counters and put I pull on my jeans and boots and walk into the drizzle. away toys. I make beds and throw in a load Nasty barbed whips grow from each branch. I begin to of laundry. After that, I clean the kitchen left. What was the last thing they heard me say? ìMommy needs some time to herself.î When did I start putting my needs above my family? Then, another dizzy spell sends me to bed. slice the earth around the roots with my shovel. Not so much ìMommy! Mommy!î as a rootlet snaps. When a barb hooks my forearm skin, I Lights snap on. Chaka has sung herself out, I vocalize with Dusty Springfield curse and change tactics. Gripping my pruner, I begin to The boys jump on the bed. ìLet us in!î singing about ìa little loviní early in the morning.î sever the five- to six-foot whips on each branch, removing I groan, ìMommy is sleepy. Whereís Daddy?î most of them by the time the drizzle turns to rain. I bundle Singing has always been a tonic for me, a way of releasing and tie the whips with jute rope. When I stand up, my head my feelings. Suddenly, Iím aware of how much Iíve missed it. Maybe I should join a church with black gospel singers. Iíd love to let loose like that every week. The church ladies stood in a circle around Linda St. John, a 29-year-old woman who sustained a broken femur and spins. Kneeling, I wait for the feeling to pass. After a shower, while waiting for my tea water to boil, my head starts to spin again. I forgo the tea and drift off on the couch with a wool blanket stretched over me. When I awaken, itís dark outside. Whereís Brian? It would Wait a minute! I didnít tell them that I loved them this morning when they floor sticky with juice and spilled pancake syrup. When Clearly, Dusty didnít have young kids. ìBye, honey,î he says, ìIíve got to get in early for a conference call. See you tonight.î Heels click down the stairs. ìHey, Laur. Itís only eight oíclock. Whatís up?î Brian drops his backpack and takes off his leather jacket. ìIím just beat. Could you pop the kids in the tub and put them to bed?î I hear exasperationóheís been watching the kids all dayóbut I canít force myself out of bed. ìMommy, whereís the gold marker?î demands Corianne. I will myself up, roust the kids, make breakfast, pack lunches, drop the kids off and collapse back into bed. Get up and call work. Antoinette, my officemate, asks whatís wrong. Before I can answer, my lungs spasm. ìYou need to see a doctor,î she says in her military voice. ìToday.î I just want to sleep. But I know sheís right. I call. Yes, I can be there in an hour. I drive, knowing I shouldnít. The X-ray confirms the diagnosis. ìYouíve got pneumonia. Go home and rest.î I leave a message on Brianís voicemail asking him if he can pick up the kids and my prescription. Then I curl up under the covers. multiple contusions when she was hit by a truck that jumped be like Brian not to call. During the workweek, he rarely calls the curb, where she was waiting for the bus with her seven- during the day. He is so focused the thought just doesnít year-old daughter. The little girl was thrown into the air. She occur to him, even when the kids are sick. I make a cup of died in the ambulance. tea and carry it over to the piano, where I play one of the few I kill the lights and slide back under the covers, coughing songs I know from memory, ìLike a Lover,î barely hitting the through the early morning hours before finally falling into a youngest, bursts out crying when he sees me. I apologize high E flats I used to make with ease. dead sleep. for being late, for being sick, for making them worry. Once The church ladiesí hands were clasped together. Their eyes were closed; their soft voices melded into a lullaby. Rummaging through my Laura Nyro songbook, I turn to ìI NEED it for my Victorian house project.î The door opens, then closes. I try to answer, but something triggers a coughing fit. ìIn the telephone drawer,î I sputter. Brianís heels click on the hardwood floor. The phone rings. The house is dark. ìMommy, arenít you going to pick us up?î Moving through disorientation, I pull on my sweats and arrive at school two minutes after closing time. Benny, my weíre all home, I remember that Brian never called back. I What a friend we have in Jesus ìBillyís Blues.î When I sing, ìBillyís down, he was born, he All our sins and grief to bear was bound to lose,î Will Averyís face appears in my mindís ìSorry, honey. I was in a What a privilege to carry eye. Will, who told me he had killed two women by the time deposition all day. Even if Iíd Everything to God in prayer. he was fouróhis mother in childbirth and his aunt in a car gotten your message, I wouldnít accident he had inadvertently causedóspent his entire life have been able to get away. Not avoiding people. After barely surviving six weeks in the ICU with the trial coming up.î ìMy baby,î she said, ìmy babyís been taken from me. Why did God take my baby from me?î How will Linda get through the day? How would I get through the day if it were my daughter? with necrotizing pancreatitis and with $1,500 to his name, no one who cared and no hope for a job, he turned his face to the wall and died. Before I finish the last note, emotion call his office. Who will take care of the caregivers? Brian comes home after the I understand nothing about losing a child. rises up in my throat. This time I give in. No oneís here. No kids and I are already in bed. ìWe were just standing on the corner waiting for the bus. one to upset but myself. Then, before any of us gets up She was telling me about a boy in her class who could Oh, Will. If only someone had told you that four-year-old the next morning, heís gone. wiggle his ears. I said, ëI bet you could wiggle your ears if children cannot be held responsible for killing people, you Usually, I understand. But this you really put your mind to it,í and she shut her eyes to might have forgiven yourself and found some happiness. morning, I feel abandoned. I suck concentrate, when all of a sudden I see a truck jump the I am full out crying now, so this must be the mother lode. it up and get the kids ready for sidewalk in front of us. Oh my Lord Jesus, heís hit my baby! I mix myself a vodka tonic and take two ibuprofens for my school. Later, I pick up my My baby. Help me, Jesus. But I know sheís gone. I know my throbbing head. prescription myself. baby girl is dead.î I do not want to cry in front of a patient. Sometimes I can distract myself, but in front of Linda St. John, tears stream down my face like Yosemite Falls in 28 scrubsmag.comï S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 Itís after six. They left before ten this morning. Why arenít they home? By seven oíclock, Iím pacing and wondering if I should call the emergency rooms. The kids do their best to comfort me. After I pick them up from school, Corianne makes me tea with honey, Danny draws me 29 [special self-care section] a picture of a beautiful day, and Benny climbs on me as I lie What would happen if I took off my pack? on the couch. Corianne reads to the boys at bedtime so that I If I am not a nurse, who am I? can turn in early. Hours later, I feel Brian slip into bed. ìAfter midnight,î he says. ìWe had a filing. Did you get Aladdin. Judging from the scene I saw as I walked past, I have 12 or 13 luxurious ìYeah, but it takes a while to work.î minutes in which to shower. After scrubbing, shampooing ìIím so tired,î says Brian. He turns over and goes to sleep. and conditioning, I stand with my back to the downpour In the darkness, I cry. Something in me has changed. I am while wet heat pummels my muscles and opens my lungs, not the person I thought I wasóself-reliant, independent, filling me with a new sense of purpose and possibility. strong, a person who takes care of others but needs no A rumbling erupts in my chest. It pushes upward until it caretaking in return. The fact is I need my family. They uncorks streams of uncontrollable laughter. I ride the waves ground me. They soothe me. It shocks me that Iíve come to of giddiness until they dissipate and deliver me to an island depend on them as much as they depend on me. of calm. Then I hear the pounding on the bathroom door. talking about a nurse who was recently diagnosed with cancer. That makes four nurses and a social worker with breast cancer, one nurse with liver cancer and one with brain cancer. Several weeks ago, a substance abuse counselor committed suicide. Who will take care of the caregivers? For 22 years, Iíve listened deeply to stories of men who violated children and mothers who pretended it wasnít happening; of pimps who enslave girls, husbands who beat wives, young men who shoot at people as though they were cans for target practice; of grown-up children with fractured souls ìMommy!î yells Benny. I FEEL RAVAGED BY OVEREXPOSURE TO HUMAN CRUELTY AND SUFFERING…. IF I WERE MY OWN NURSE, I WOULD ADVISE DOING WHAT FEELS GOOD: TAKE THE KIDS TO THE PARK, DIG IN THE GARDEN, MAKE LOVE, COOK GOOD MEALS, SPEND TIME WITH FRIENDS. because of parents who tried to ìbeat some ìMaaaaaahmeeeeeeee!î Benny eyes me suspiciously. ìItís over, Mommy. The movie is over.î When I tell my boss and colleagues that I am leaving, most are not surprised. Though they assume itís to spend more time with my three kids, and thatís to break the bank. Even something as small as a that I need to leave to take care walk in the park or a new lipstick can do the trick. of myself before I become a do yourself a favor basket case. If I were my own nurse, I would advise doing what feels good: Take the kids to the park, dig in the they bled or heard voices telling them they deserved to die. I and try new thingsómeditation, exercise and yoga. I feel feel ravaged by overexposure to human cruelty and suffering. guilty for having the option to leave when others donít, but PUT ORDER IN YO U R CO U R T The Zenlike calm you get from cleaning out your makeup bag, paring down the clothes in your closet or getting those giveaway toys to Goodwill is, frankly, priceless. we caregivers must find ways to take care of ourselves so we can continue doing our work. Like the roots of a rose, mine will continue to support me stage when I dream. If there is a way of listening to othersí through a period of dormancy, until I am ready to bloom feelings without being touched in return, I cannot imagine it. again. I will always be a nurse. ● It feels like Iíve come to the end of a 22-year backpacking trip. My shoulders ache. I need to drop my backpack, sit LAURIE BARKIN, RN, MS, is a psychiatric nurse consultant to on a high peak, and gaze at where Iíve come from and the University of California, San Francisco. She is the author what lies ahead. of The Comfort Garden: Tales from the Trauma Unit. scrubsmag.comï S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 Throwing a little attention your way doesn’t have partially true, the real reason is with friends and choose movies from the comedy section; standing in the wings when I am awake and moving to center 20 GUILT-FREE PLEASURES (for $20 or less!) I smile at my future. ìSo it is.î garden, make love, cook good meals, write, sing, spend time Perhaps I am, by nature, vulnerable to other peopleís By H I L L A R Y Q U I N N in a towel and open the door. bodies or refused to eat, people who scrubbed their hands until pain. Images of trauma become lodged in my psyche, YOURSELF I shut off the water, wrap myself senseî into them. Iíve worked with people who mutilated their 30 TURNING THE FOCUS INWARD MAY FEEL UNNATURAL TO NURSES, BUT IT’S TIME TO PUT A LITTLE ENERGY INTO YOU! SWEATERS: © OCEAN/CORBIS A for my next shift, everyone is to nurture W family room, the boys are still riveted to your medicine?î s soon as I arrive at the hospital 50+ WAYS hen I enter the kitchen and peek inside the ìWhat time is it?î GET A (SOCIAL) LIFE Go to work. Come home. Eat dinner. Watch TV. Go to sleep. Repeat. It’s easy to slip into a routine that leaves little room for fun. Time out with the girls—even if it’s just “Let’s meet for coffee”—breaks up the tedium and lets you relax and reconnect with friends. TA K E A K I TC H E N BREAK Most people give themselves limited options when they don’t feel like cooking—namely, calling in for pizza or pulling out the Chinese takeout menu. Another alternative? Ask a few friends if they want to go in on a meal exchange program: Each person takes turns cooking and delivering a simple dinner in one shot. E N J OY S P E C I A L D E L I V E RY We’re of the mind-set that whatever makes your life easier is always the way to go…whether that means arranging for your milk and meals to be delivered, ordering movies from netflix.com, renewing your favorite magazine subscription or bagging your beauty basics online. One fun package for your doorstep: a subscription service to glossybox.com. You get a monthly bounty of the hottest brands—think Burberry and Ole Henriksen—and the joy of dabbling in serious luxury for about $20 a month. S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 •scrubsmag.com 31 [special self-care section] H O N O R YO U R U N M E N T I O N A B L E S There’s no other way to say this…every girl needs an underwear overhaul on occasion. So go through your “drawers” and toss the torn, the tame and the tired panties, restocking with feminine-yet-comfy styles that you’ll be happy to see each morning. One brand we love: Gilligan & O’Malley (about $5 a pair at target.com). engage your senses G E T O N T H E S C E N T A sterile work environment can leave your senses begging for more…fragrance, that is. That’s why it’s comforting to create olfactory moments at every turn. When you come home from work, light a deliciously scented candle, ply your bed with a lavender pillow and 32 scrubsmag.comï S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 look your best PAY L I P S E RV I C E Put your money where your mouth is by counteracting dry hospital air with soothing balms and glosses that feel great when you apply them. We love derma e Hydrating Lip Repair—it contains super-hydrating hyuralonic acid and comes in a pocketfriendly tube (about $14.50 at natural food stores and at amazon. com). And when it’s time for a bit of color, L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Caresse hits every base: six hours’ of moisture and glossy shine (about $10 at drugstores). Sheer Linen—a rosy beige— and Pink Cashmere are our workday favorite shades. keep a tiny, tote-anywhere fragrance in your car or handbag for a quick pick-me-up. A perfect idea: Crabtree & Evelyn Solid Perfume Compact—you can choose among lavender, rosewater, lily and iris ($13 at crabtree-evelyn.com). S O F T E N U P Counteract the clinical nature of your work life by adding tactile pleasures wherever you can. It’s welcoming to come home to an übercomfy feece blanket on your TV couch or to see luxurious slippers waiting by the front door. Or put your head on a satin pillowcase each night (about $11 to $20 at Target, JCPenney and overstock.com). Bonus: The silky fabric will prolong your ’do and leave your hair—and face!—crease-free each morning. REFRESH WITH G RA P E F R U I T The invigorating scent of this citrus powerhouse is the central ingredient in many beauty products these days. Two we love: Burt’s Bees Refreshing Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit, which contains vitamins C and E ($3 at drugstores); and derma e Pink Grapefruit Hand & Body Moisture Therapy, which is so intoxicating you’ll be snifng your hands every time you hit the handy pump dispenser (about $9.50 at health and vitamin stores). having someone else rub your tired arches. No time? Slather on a workaholic product, like derma e Intensive Therapy Foot Crème—it’s actually stocked with ingredients designed to support healthy circulation (about $19 at drugstore.com). STO P A N D S M E L L T H E R O S E S A fower delivery is fabulous (and now and again, you might actually !nd a deal at your local forist). Or try a spritz of Heritage Products Rose Petals Rosewater ($9 at vitamin and health food stores, and at amazon.com). This lovely facial atomizer smells like a fragrant rose garden and delivers an energizing boost, says celebrity makeup artist Robin Black. Use it on your body, your pillowcase…even in your culinary creations. LOV E T H E S K I N YO U ’ R E I N Plenty of companies have launched “beauty balms,” but L’Oréal Paris Youth Code BB Cream Illuminator is our hands-down favorite ($16.99 at drugstores). In one generous tube, you get broad-spectrum sunscreen, vitamins, moisturizer and just the right amount of coverage. FAMILY: JUPITER IMAGES/BRANDX/GETTY IMAGES B E A N E S C A P E A R T I ST Everyone tires of the relentless demand of phones and BlackBerrys, computers and cars. So make a conscious efort to check out for an entire weekend… by going ofine, screening your calls and turning of anything that buzzes, dings or rings. You’ll feel like you’re on a vacation from life—no travel required. T R E AT YO U R F E E T We don’t have to remind you of the beating your tootsies take from hours on that linoleum foor. Pamper yourself with a pedicure—enjoy the sensuousness of soaking your feet in a warm bath and FOOTBATH: NELL SNAPE/STONE/GETTY IMAGES; PETALS: DAN GOLDBERG/GETTY IMAGES; GRAPEFRUIT: © JEFF OSHIRO/GETTY IMAGES I N S P I R E YO U R S E L F There’s something to be said for dreaming, which is why listening to TED talks, watching a video like wherethehellismatt.com, or poring over beautiful home-design magazines or luscious-looking cookbooks can be motivating pastimes. Another source of inspiration: pinterest.com. Sign up for free, then log in and be prepared to get lost in a virtual photo album that will motivate you on every front—from food to furniture to ftness to fashion. T RY A N E Y E - O P E N E R Looking for that little pop of color? M•A•C Fluidline Eyeliner is your go-to product ($15 at maccosmetics.com). The no-smudge gel formula goes on like a dream and comes in six shades. CoverGirl NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara creates lush lashes that will last through a 12-hour shift without dry, faky clumps (about $9 at drugstores). To frame your eyes, consider a brow wax, often as little as $12 at local nail salons. G I V E YO U R HAIR SOME C A R E Consider a professional blowout for a change—you’ll feel like a million bucks. Though the going rate across the country is about $35, you can whittle the price to $20 through package deals or online discounts. Another afordable way to indulge: eSalon Custom Formulated Haircolor, an online auto-delivery service that ofers the perfect compromise of professional guidance and afordable pricing. For $19.95, they’ll take you through a detailed, interactive hair-color evaluation for the perfect formula, delivered to your doorstep with a 100 percent money-back guarantee (esalon.com). GET A LITTLE GLAM You’ve been wearing Crocs and scrubs and neutral nail polish…so when there’s no shift on the calendar, segue to style that pushes the envelope a bit. Wear a sky-high heel (try gojane.com for afordable, “fun” shoes); pull out your anythingbut-subtle fragrance; grab a bottle of Essie’s Bungle Jungle (a pearlescent hibiscus red) and do your nails up right (about $5 at amazon.com). live in the moment L E A R N TO L AU G H The best kind of ab workout may just be the one you get after a good, unexpected belly laugh. Hit the local comedy club on occasion or just succumb to some silly car dancing with your kids now and then. As they say, laughter is the best medicine. R E V E L I N Y E ST E R DAY ’ S B E ST There’s something comforting about indulging in simple pleasures from times gone by: Dig out your soft, old Levi 501s; drink Coca-Cola from a glass bottle; eat mashed potatoes for dinner; or pick up Dr. Bronner Magic Pure Castile Classic Liquid Soaps ($10) from the grocery store. These all-natural body washes, in scents like peppermint, lavender and almond, have been around for some 60 years and are perhaps the most humble way to turn your tub into a home spa. LET THE S U N S H I N E I N Head outdoors for a 15-minute nature break and soak up some vitamin D. A short walk on the way to work or an afternoon break in a garden will lift your spirits. 33 [special self-care section] ìThatís because each is the perfect balance of protein, healthy fat and fiber-rich carbohydrates,î explains Stephanie Clarke, MS, RD, cofounder of cjnutrition.com. Even better: They keep you away from the unhealthy temptations that beckon from the hospital vending machines. the sweets the savories Edamame: 1 cup of precooked edamame. (Bonus: It takes a while to nibble!) Mini Cheese Plate: Pair a whole-grain fatbread cracker with 4 ounces of cheddar cheese and 2 dried apricot halves. Creamy Cuke Toast: Top half of a whole-grain sandwich thin with 1 tablespoon reduced-fat cream cheese, 4 slices of cucumber, a pinch of black pepper and the remaining half of the thin. Popcorn Mix: Toss 3 cups air-popped popcorn with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon toasted sunfower seeds. Turkey Roll-Up: Spread an 8-inch whole-wheat tortilla with 1 tablespoon hummus and 1 slice of turkey breast, then roll and eat. Tuna and Crackers: Pair 3 ounces of Bumble Bee Sensations® Seasoned Tuna Medley Bowl Sundried Tomato & Basil with 5 Kashi Crackers Original 7 Grain. Eggy Tomato Nosh: Snack on a hard-cooked egg with 1/2 cup sweet cherry tomatoes. 34 Banana Crunch: Roll a medium banana in 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts. Vanilla Almond Apricot Cream: Top a 6-ounce container of Chobani vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt with 3 dried chopped apricots and 1 teaspoon sliced almonds. AB&J: Spread 2 teaspoons almond butter and 1 teaspoon jam on 1 slice of whole-wheat bread. Rainbow Ants on a Log: Top 2 medium celery stalks with 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 2 tablespoons mixed dried fruit. Cranberry-Pecan Trail Mix: Mix 1/3 cup Kashi Heart to Heart Warm Cinnamon Oat or Honey Cereal with 1 tablespoon dried cranberries and 1 tablespoon pecan halves. Clif Kid Zbar: Chocolate Brownie favor—our favorite! Fig-Topped Ricotta: Top 1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese with 2 dried chopped fgs and a dash of cinnamon. Cream Cheese Date Bites: Spread each of 3 Reduced Fat Triscuits with 1 teaspoon reduced-fat cream cheese, then top with 1 dried date and 1 walnut half. It goes without saying that taking a break—not cofee, but the actual vacation kind—can have a positive impact on your emotional health. A recent study conducted by researchers at Erasmus University in the Netherlands found that short, frequent getaways provide an even greater beneft than a single long trip taken once a year… which is good news for anyone whose demanding shift schedule and budget can’t accommodate a big-deal journey. “There are defnitely ways to make trips cost-efcient,” says Emmy award-winning travel expert Rudy Maxa. “You just have to consider some creative options.” A few of his favorite super-savers…. T RA D I N G S PAC E S Consider swapping lives for a few days with someone who lives in an interesting city that’s a relatively inexpensive plane ride away (e.g., Seattle to San Francisco; New Jersey to Miami; Charleston to Nashville). The pros? No hotel fees, inhome dining and a car at your disposal. One good site to try: homeexchange.com. They let you browse gratis, then charge a fee only if you fnd a home you actually want to book. N O R E S E RVAT I O N S Book a hotel room with a kitchenette (also known as a Pullman kitchen) and keep pricey restaurant meals to a minimum— an especially wise rule when traveling with antsy youngsters who can’t sit through long dinners out. “What you’ll save on breakfasts alone will help keep your trip under the $500 tab,” says Maxa. I T ’ S N I C E TO S H A R E . . . …especially with a friend or another family if you’re both interested in the same vacation spot. The elegant condo or beach-home rental that’s out of your $nancial reach could be utterly doable if you’re splitting the fee. One resource: vacationrental.com—they boast more than 35,000 choices (U.S. and international), plus a Deals section that lists special cut-rate ofers. Caribbean villa, anyone? SKI LIFT: KATHY QUIRK-SYVERTSEN/GETTY IMAGES; EXERCISE: © RADIUS IMAGES/CORBIS; FRIENDS: JUPITER IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES These easy-to-grab nibbles are diet-friendly and offer long-lasting energy. 5 GETAWAYS under $500 EDAMAME, FRUIT BITS, TOMATOES AND EGGS: ISTOCKPHOTO 15 HEALTHY SNACKS (150 calories tops!) T RAV E L AG A I N ST T H E G RA I N Consider visiting ski resorts in summer, beach destinations in winter… and enjoy the fact that you won’t be fghting crowds or paying hefty hotel bills. At Whistler, B.C., and Sun Valley, Idaho, you can hike, bike, swim and golf when the snow isn’t falling. Many travel websites—like cheaptickets.com— provide of-season specials as a regular service to their users. CASH IN ON CAMPUS Looking to travel during the summer or over long holiday breaks? Some colleges and universities ofer inexpensive lodging (and even dining) deals in their dorms during non-session periods. And most alumni associations ofer members discounts at local hotels and car rental agencies (check your alma mater online), and even actual lodging if they own their own urban club, à la Harvard. 10 MIX-AND-MATCH MOVES (10 minutes max!) For many nurses who work long hours, a regular class can seem overwhelming and un-doable. These exercises, developed with the help of celebrity fitness pro Jennifer Cohen, founder of No Gym Required, work different parts of your body and can be done anytime, anywhereÖno excuses! P L I É S Q UAT : Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes out, pelvis tucked, back straight. Keeping your knees aligned with your toes, bend into a squat position and hold for several seconds. Slowly return to start position and repeat 15 to 20 times. TRICEP D I P : Sit on the edge of a stable chair, hands gripping the seat; lean slightly forward. Straighten arms and lift hips so your butt clears the chair. Keeping shoulders down, torso straight, lower your hips, bending your elbows. Slowly straighten your arms. Repeat 10 times. C A L F RA I S E S : Holding a railing or wall, place the balls of your feet on the edge of a step, heels down. Slowly raise your heels until you’re on the balls of your feet. Lower slowly. Repeat 20 times. L E G L I F TS : Lie on your back, legs straight, arms at your sides. Keeping the small of your back on the foor, slowly lift your legs six inches of the foor, hold for 15 seconds. Lower and repeat 10 times. PUSH-UPS: Lie on your stomach, legs straight out, arms bent by your sides, palms down. Keeping back level, straighten arms and push body upward. Lower body by bending elbows to shoulder level. Repeat 10 times. raise your heart rate ... and metabolism TA K E A B R I S K WA L K To up the intensity, alternate walking and sprinting. TA K E T H E STA I R S Pump your arms as you power your movement. Or take two at a time. O B L I Q U E T W I STS : Lie on your back, legs straight, hands behind your head. Tighten your abdominals as you curl your torso up and touch your right elbow to your left knee. Slowly lower your torso to the foor. Repeat 10 times each side. J U M P R O P E Keep your knees soft and stay low, jumping about an inch or two of the foor. ● B U T T S C U L P TO R : Lie on your stomach, arms at your sides, legs straight. With hips down, raise one leg six inches of the foor 10 times. Repeat with the other leg. HILLARY QUINN is a frequent contributor to magazines and websites, including The Hufngton Post, Cosmopolitan, Self and Good Housekeeping. Read her blog at hillarythebargainhunter.com. S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 ïscrubsmag.com 35 [all about you] NURSES on NURSING EVERY NURSE HAS A STORY. HERE, IN THEIR OWN WORDS, FIVE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS DESCRIBE WHAT BROUGHT THEM TO THE PROFESSION AND HOW THEIR JOBS ADD MEANING TO THEIR LIVES. Photography and Interviews by C A R O L Y N J O N E S JESSICA GRAEF MSN, RN, CNL CHILDREN’S NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER Washington, D.C. NURSING IS A SECOND career for me. As a kid, I never would have predicted Iíd grow up to be a nurse. I was interested in developing countries and famine relief because my dad did that kind of work. I lived overseas as a child, and after I got married, my husband and I moved to Mexico City, where he was a professor and I worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development. While we were living in Mexico, I got pregnant with twins who were born 10 weeks prematurely and put in the neonatal ICU. We moved back to the U.S. when the kids were about a year old. When I thought about going back to work, I kept finding myself drawn to the health field. My plan was to put my international experience and nursing together to do development work again. But life takes you to funny places. I started on the hematology/oncology unit four years ago as a new RN. I am very happy where I am; nursing is a perfect fit for my interests. I am challenged intellectually by the physiological critical thinking I do on an everyday basis. And I am able to help my patients emotionally. Iíve had some harrowing hospital experiences with my children, and that makes me more comfortable dealing with families and patients. These families are tremendously strong. Iím sure they go through their breakdowns, but they come back with incredible strength and love. They deal with some really hard issues and somehow hold it together. They pull from their inner strength to cope and to help their children. Iíve learned so much about myself from seeing how other people interact, how they deal with things like this and how they are able to come up with compassion in the most horrendous situations. I always try and have a sense of hope, because without that, what do you have? Some people think that pediatric oncology nurses are angels or saints, but I have to say that I have learned and gained from my patients and their families just as much as I have given to them. FROM THE AMERICAN NURSE, PHOTOGRAPHS AND INTERVIEWS BY CAROLYN JONES. WELCOME BOOKS. TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHS 2012 ©CAROLYN JONES. WWW.WELCOMEBOOKS.COM/AMERICANNURSE. 37 [all about you] I GREW UP ON the Lower “I don’t look at their rap sheets... my job is to take care of a human being.” thoughts are in the present. I don’t look at their rap sheets, and I don’t know what the majority of my patients have done to be here. I don’t want to know. I know they’ve done something bad, but my job is to take care of a human being. I don’t treat these patients any differently than I would a patient out on the street. The inmates in hospice care have six months or less to live. What makes this program unique is that we have 26 inmate volunteers, who do this work for no compensation at all. They have their regular jobs, and come here during their of my career has focused on women’s health. Now I work on the Mom & Baby mobile unit, which is fully downtime—either daily, every other day or, if it’s a vigil, then 24/7. For the most TONIA FAUST, CCNM, RN LOUISIANA STATE PENITENTIARY Angola, La. part, the dying inmates have someone with them all the time; no one dies alone. I mean, that is a luxury that most of us outside this prison won’t have. It’s truly exceptional to see these older—sometimes huge—men sitting at the bedside of a dying inmate, reading to them or feeding them ice cream. The guys stay the entire time, and once the patient passes, they bathe and dress them for equipped with an exam the morgue. Sometimes room. We can do obstetrical we even cry together. ultrasounds on the bus. Last year, I think It goes out five days a week we had 15 deaths, and and serves three different the average age was communities, including 51. The majority of our the Ninth Ward. I’ve seen hospice patients die patients who are the from cancer. In terms granddaughters of people of our volunteers, most I’ve known. are lifers, and many Many of our women live of them came here at in pretty secluded areas— a young age, so they some not even accessible know they’ll probably by bus. Others need to wind up here at some change buses three or four times to get to a clinic where the wait time can be two point. A lot of them hours for a 10-minute appointment. We can use time much more efficiently by say that coming here gathering together a group of eight women for a two-hour meeting in a program to help the dying is a for obstetrical patients called Centering Pregnancy. calling. They just felt We do assessments in a private corner; the rest of the time is spent on education and counseling. We talk about immunizations, feedings, what is “I’ve seen patients who are the granddaughters of people I’ve known.” I tell them I’m not here to judge them. When I am working with a patient, my My mother was a nurse since I was a little girl. Most INTERIM LSU PUBLIC HOSPITAL New Orleans, La. want to know how I can take care of men who have committed horrific crimes. Ninth Ward in New Orleans. and I wanted to be a nurse DEBORAH NETTLES, FNP I’M THE HOSPICE COORDINATOR at Louisiana State Penitentiary. A lot of people normal and what isn’t. Our research shows that with Centering Pregnancy the like they needed to contribute something. This job is emotion- outcome is better for both the baby and the mother. About 50 percent of all ally draining, but very pregnancies are unplanned, so we also continue healthcare after delivery. We rewarding. I go home at want to make sure women understand about contraception and that there are night knowing I made ways to plan their pregnancies. I think it’s very important to provide support, an impact on someone’s and I enjoy the opportunity to communicate with these women. life. I feel blessed to be When I grew up, we didn’t go to the doctor very often. As far as women’s in this program. health was concerned, we didn’t discuss it. Something as simple as a menstrual cycle was a mystery. That’s how old I am and how long I’ve been around. I believe the women’s services we provide, and the things we talk about in our program, have been instrumental in saving many lives. 38 scrubsmag.com• S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 39 [all about you] ADVANCE YOUR CAREER FOR THE PAST YEAR , Our flexible, self-paced nursing programs are designed to advance clinical expertise, technological competence, and professional leadership. Our offerings include: t.4/ t3/#4/ t(SBEVBUF/VSTJOH$FSUJåDBUF1SPHSBNT t3/#4/.4/ Iíve been working with Warriors in Transition. My job is taking care of injured soldiers. Any Design Your Education Accelerate degree completion; ask about generous credit transfer and demonstration of college-level knowledge earned outside the classroom. Choose from convenient, state-of-the-art learning opportunities. concern you have just pales in comparison to the challenges these soldiers are facing. My family has a long history of military service. My father was Thomas Edison State College is one of the 12 senior public colleges and universities in New Jersey, and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (267-284-5000). The W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and approved by the New Jersey Board of Nursing. in the Air Force and both my grandfathers were in the Navy. Apply Now! Learn more at www.tesc.edu/nursing, or call 866.540.9378. At 18, my dad gave me a little lecture about going into the service; he didnít think I was ready for school. I was a bit rebellious, and the military Explore the possibilities...Online at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing gave me structure military, I gravitated toward medical care, which I got interested in when I was 14. Online options currently available include: My grandfather had Lou Gehrigís disease. The nurse who took care of him treated me Applied Health Informatics like an adult, taught me all kinds of things and gave me confidence. Forensic Nursing and taught me discipline. When it came time to decide what I wanted to do in the BRIAN MCMILLION RN, MSN, MBA-HCM VA SAN DIEGO HEALTHCARE SYSTEM San Diego, Calif. I was called up for the first Gulf War. It was scary. Sometimes we had to wear a Clinical Nurse Specialist lot of protective gear because of the threat of chemical attack. Luckily we did not experience that. We moved away from the border of Iraq and set up a staging area for Health Systems Management our hospital. It was fascinating to work in an ER where six different languages were Nurse Educator spoken and the beliefs about emergency response activities were completely different. The Johns Hopkins University After being on active duty, I got hired at the VA as a medical-supply technician, “...if I can help one of these guys, I can continue to do this work.” 40 where I got to see the lifestyle of a nurse. So I became an LPN, then an RN with an School of Nursing—A place where associateís degree, and then I got a masterís degree in nursing. exceptional people discover possibilities that forever change their In the end, my experiences in active duty inspired me more than traumatized me. They made me realize how blessed I was just to wake up each morning with all my nursing.jhu.edu/online lives and the world. limbs, without needing painkillers, and without having experienced nightmares all night. I also realized that if I can help one of these guys, I can continue to do this work. Web exclusive: Watch video interviews with these nurses at scrubsmag.com/magazine. 525 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore, MD 21205 410-955-7548 [all about you] “You never know what people are going through. Everyone is special. Everyone has a story.” WEíRE A CRITICAL CARE truckóLifeline Transport. We transport patients between facilities and also within the hospital. We also have a flight team. Thereís nothing outside the scope of nursing that we canít handle. I started out in the ICU, where itís so busy that you canít always spend a lot of time talking to a patient. When youíre sitting in an ambulance with a patient, you can really learn a lot in 15 minutes. I think the essence of being a nurse is being able to adapt to each person and be intuitive and understanding. For example, I was taking care of this woman in neuro ICU; sheíd been diagnosed with a brain tumor and was basically at the point of herniation. She did go brain dead and her husband decided to donate her organs. He was sitting by her bed, and I was trying to be supportive. He told me that exactly a year ago on that very day, he and his wife got a knock on the door at two oíclock in the CARLY TURNER, BSN, RN THE JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL Baltimore, Md. morning. It was the police. It turned out that their daughter had snuck out of the house, gotten into a car accident and been killed. He broke down, saying he didnít think he could get through it without his wife, after already losing his daughter. It gave me chills. There was nothing I could say to take away his pain. I just cried with him. Later he told me that it meant a lot to him to see my emotions. Sometimes just being human and letting go can be helpful to the families. You never know what people are going through. Everyone is special. Everyone has a story. Sometimes you get so wrapped up in how busy it is that you just forget to be a personólike just introducing yourself. You have to stop and think: If it were me, how would I Let us it out for you… want to be treated? I think that sometimes we have to remember that this is a personónot just a diagnosis or a room number. Itís about human interaction, showing compassion and We’re looking for nurses just like you to join the Interim HealthCare® family! With more than 300 offices, we provide the flexible assignments you need to fit your life — and your priorities. As America’s leading provider of home care, hospice and healthcare staffing, chances are we have the right assignments for you — as well as the resources and opportunities to help you grow, including free continuing education. relating to someone. ● Visit www.careersbyweb.com today to apply for a great job! CAROLYN JONES is an internationally recognized photojournalist and award-winning filmmaker. Win a care package! Scrubs and Interim HealthCare polled nurses about their favorite things. See what you can WIN! Visit ScrubsMag.com/WeCare to enter. Learn more about Jones and the American Nurse Project at carolynjones.com. ©2013 Interim HealthCare Inc. Each office is independently owned and operated. Interim is an equal opportunity employer. PENTAGON GROOVES. DRI-LEX ...PORON ... [expressions] A Picture of Balance ® WHETHER BEHIND HER DESK OR BEHIND HER C A M E R A , A N U R S E E A S I LY S W I T C H E S F O C U S F R O M T H E B I G P I C T U R E T O T H E F I N E R D E TA I L S . Carol Majewski, RN, MSN, above, captures the moment. Clockwise from left: Seasons blend together in New England as autumn stubbornly hangs on through a snowstorm; an early frost gives new meaning to frozen fruit; a tree bends to the wind in Patagonia; a squirrel in his element, Glacier National Park; a blue-footed booby takes a walk in the Galapagos, where the exotic is commonplace; and a hometown loon makes a splash. AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR of perioperative services at DartmouthHitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., Carol Majewskiís duties range from long-term strategic planning to on-the-spot problem solving. Running ® REALLY? a department of 300 people means plenty of meetings (about 25 hours a week), emails (about 100 a day) and the occasional ego to smooth (she does work with surgeons). The responsibility is daunting, the pace frenetic, but come the weekend, she winds down by turning her focus to nature photography. With camera in hand, Majewski freeze-frames scenes that would flash by in the blur of a workweek: a baby loon mimicking its mother on the lake behind her house, or light dancing on a snowy landscape. ìIíve found that photography nurtures me in a way I need,î says Majewski. Itís a lesson in self-care she shares with the people she supervises. ìMy nurse managers see the pictures hanging in my office. They know I take time off, and I encourage them to be role models by finding balance.î The displayed photos also serve another purpose: * All styles come in white, black and other popular colors. ìLooking at them is like a mini-break taking me back outdoors to a moment in time.î THE PLATINUM COLLECTION The sophisticated leathers details and styling are easy to admire. But this collection of performance work shoes is built from the inside out. The DRI-LEX® linings are renowned for their moisture management and breathability. The extra thick insoles are padded with PORON®, an advanced shock absorbing material that never loses its shape. And the sole plate’s unique pentagon texture provides increased slip resistance. Shoes can look this good and work this hard. Really. 44 Nurses share their creative expressions at scrubsmag.com/magazine. DickiesMedical.com © 2013 Kao USA Inc. Recommend the cream that relieves and restores even the driest skin. $SFBUFBQPXFSGVMCBSSJFSUIBUMPDLTPVUJSSJUBOUTBOEQSPHSFTTJWFMZ JNQSPWFTTLJOōTBCJMJUZUPTFBMJONPJTUVSFXJUI$VSél®*OUFOTJWF)FBMJOH$SFBN Ŕ3JDIPDDMVTJWFGPSNVMBVTFTXBUFSJOPJMUFDIOPMPHZUPQSPWJEFJNNFEJBUFSFMJFGBOEMPOHMBTUJOHIZESBUJPO Ŕ1SPQSJFUBSZDFSBNJEFGVODUJPOJOHJOHSFEJFOUJODSFBTFTNPJTUVSFSFUBJOJOHDBQBDJUZJOUIFTUSBUVNDPSOFVN Ŕ%FSNBUPMPHJTU3FDPNNFOEFEBOE1FEJBUSJDJBO5FTUFE Ŕ)ZQPBMMFSHFOJDBOEGSBHSBODFGSFF Ŕ"QQSPQSJBUFGPSBUPQJDTLJO Visit www.curel.com/dermatologist for more information. ® See the cure in Curél .