Why Having a Mentor is Good for You

  In my life, I have had many mentors in different areas of my life.  Their contribution to who I am today cannot be measured.  The significance of our interactions, lessons learned, and wisdom they have imparted on me have helped in my development as a nurse and a healer.

   I can remember my first mentor in high school.  Mrs. Kelly was an older woman who taught a nursing class in our school as well as the drama club coordinator.  She was in one of the first graduating classes from Boston College School of Nursing.  Her quick wit, passion for nursing, and her friendly nature drew me to her.   I took her classes all 4 years of high school.  In my senior year of high school, I was her "Nursing Extern" where my role was to help teach the previous years classes and to act as a mentor to the younger aspiring nurses in the class.   She trusted and believed in me.  I knew from her guidance that I would become an excellent nurse one day.   Her influence was so great, that I chose to attend the same nursing school that she attended.

    As a new graduate ICU nurse, I had older nurses that I looked up to for guidance.  It was important to me to have easy-going experienced nurses I could ask questions to and not feel threatened or god-forbid, stupid.  Even after being a nurse for 11 years, I still feel the need to have a nurse mentor.  The world of medicine is always changing so no matter how much I think I know, there is always more to learn.
 
   As I began taking courses in Healing Touch, I easily identified two amazing nurses and Certified Healing Touch Practitioners that I looked up to as mentors.  When my apprenticeship began after taking Level 4, I chose the first person I thought of who had helped in my development as a healer for the previous 6 months.  Donna is a beautiful soul whose smile radiates love and kindness.  She led a monthly support group where those who have taken Healing Touch classes can come to practice the techniques they've learned, discuss our experiences, and be around like-minded individuals.  It was at these groups that I developed a close friendship with Donna.  When Donna pinned me at my pinning ceremony, I knew that I had chosen a mentor who I not only looked up to, but also loved dearly.  Although I am now myself a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner, I still consider Donna my mentor as someone I can go to with concerns, questions, or to share my experiences.

   My second lovely honorary Healing Touch mentor is my compassionate friend Trish.  I was blessed with working with Trish for a year in the same hospital during my apprenticeship year.  We would frequently discuss Healing Touch, my struggles with working in a stressful work environment, and how to keep doing the work by staying centered and grounded.  I began helping in her Level 1 Healing Touch classes so that I could learn from one of the best.  Each time I am in her class, I learn more about Healing Touch, myself, and how to be a more compassionate ICU nurse.  Our friendship has grown over the past few years that I even consider her a surrogate mother for me.

   I've also found mentors in practitioners that I see to maintain my own health and wellness.   My acupuncturist Justin has become a mentor in so many different ways.  Although we do not practice the same technique, both are energy therapies and complement each other
well.  I look up to him in how he interacts with his clients, how he manages a patient case-load, and how he runs his practice.  I strive in many ways to have a practice just like him where the patient feels comfortable, well-cared for, and in a partnership with their practitioner.  I look forward to our conversations that center around how to better take care of ourselves first so that we can then be there for our patients.  I also learn an incredible amount about Chinese medicine, Qi movement, and nutrition.

   Having mentors in your life is so important to help in your development.  This is true for everyone.  For new mothers, they tend to look toward their mothers, grandmothers, and friends who have already had a baby to guide a young mother on raising a child.  In the business world, a higher up in the company might mentor a young executive on how to achieve success in business.

  When choosing someone as a mentor, it's important to find someone who you trust, feel comfortable going to with questions, and have a strong rapport.   They should be someone you admire.  Their contributions to your personal and professional life will last a lifetime, so make sure their values match closely with your own.

   We are always growing and evolving.  Often times, we need the guidance of those who have been where we are to help us continue to grow in our chosen paths or professions.   By having mentors in our life, we benefit from their support, wisdom, and experiences.  The most surprising benefit from the relationship will most likely be what your mentor receives from you.  As a mentorship is a two-way street, the mentor is blessed with learning from you.  We are all unique with beautiful talents and ideas to share.    I have been asked by a dear friend to be her mentor in Healing Touch.  I am so blessed to be able to share my knowledge and guidance with her as she embarks on her own journey.  I believe with all of the amazing mentors in my life, they have molded me to be exactly who she will need as a mentor.

Have you thought about the inspirational people in your life who have mentored you?  Share your stories below.
 

 

The first time I saw Healing Touch used on my patient

   In 2011, I was working a typical night shift in the ICU where your patient rolls in the door from a procedure right at change of shift. My patient just had an arterial clot removed from his right lower leg during an Interventional Radiology procedure. He was a big guy, weighing close to 300 pounds.

   His right foot was reacting to the sudden rush of new blood returning to his foot and began to spasm uncontrollably.  This condition is called a reperfusion spasm.  He was screaming at the top of his lungs and his foot was starting to turn blue. I rushed back and forth to our Pyxis (medication administration unit) multiple times for pain medications. I had given him 10mg of morphine and 10mg of dilaudid. It was as if I had never even given them to him. 

   After informing the doctor of his condition, we tried ativan for his anxiety and valium for his spasms. Again, no relief. At this point, I had no idea what to do. His wife and sister watched as he writhed in agony and I stood there helpless with no idea how to help him. I decided to go for reinforcements and grab my charge nurse for her opinion.

   Sierra Baker was the charge nurse that night and was always quick to help in any situation. When I told her how much medication I had given him, we both knew that no matter how much we gave, he would not respond. Suddenly she placed her hands over his right lower leg and started to brush her hands around his leg, without actually touching it. My first reaction was "What the hell are you doing??" Within a minute or so of her brushing the air above his leg, his foot started to slowly relax and the spasm disappeared. His coloring returned to his foot! He let out a huge sigh of relief and blurted out "Ahhhh, thank you!"

   His wife, sister, and I looked at each other wild-eyed and shocked. None of us could believe what we just saw. My patient was finally resting comfortably and pain free. Sierra and I left the room to allow him time to spend with his family. I asked her "What on earth were you doing". She told me she had just taken a Level 1 Healing Touch Class a few weeks ago and this technique helps to take away pain. 

   We went back in the room to ask him what he had experienced. He told us that he knew she was moving his energy and could feel the pain releasing. He had received Reiki in the past and knew she was doing energy work similar to Reiki. It dawned on me that I had seen my grandmother do this on many occasions whenever someone had a headache. She would lovingly brush her hands around someone's head and the headache would magically disappear. I had no idea she was doing Energy work.

   Listening to his experience, watching his pain disappear, and realizing I could use this technique in an instant intrigued me. I wanted to learn more. I knew I would take this class. It took another 7 months and a Traumatic Brain Injury to get me there, but I finally took my first Level 1 Healing Touch class. This time, it was my own pain that was floating away.  Read about my dramatic transformation of How a Traumatic Brain Injury turned me into an Energy Healer.

To learn more about Healing Touch, click here

Your Past Does NOT Define You

   Whenever I tell people the story of how I grew up, their response is always, "How are you so normal??"  I grew up in a dysfunctional home.  I was raised primarily by my father while my mother spent the majority of my life in a mental hospital.  She suffered from bipolar disorder with psychotic episodes, alcoholism, and drug addiction.  She was also incredibly violent, which required numerous restraining orders. Visits from the police and frequent suicide attempts became familiar scenes for our family.  Up until the age of 18 however, she was still part of our family, wreaking havoc and tormenting our family under our roof.

   My mother enjoyed her attempts at sabotaging my schooling, repeatedly telling me I "was going to be nothing and be fat and ugly just like her", and attacking me while I slept.  The teenage years that were already difficult enough with getting bullied in high school were ten times more challenging when your home life was chaotic and downright scary.

   As I watched her failures in life, my aspirations to succeed only grew stronger.  When she told me I was going to be "fat and ugly", I joined a gym and learned how to care for my physical body.  When she told me I wouldn't amount to anything, I strived harder in school to get great grades and was granted multiple scholarships to attend Boston College.  I focused so much on my education, I became the Valedictorian of Boston College's School of Nursing.    I never believed the lies that she told me.  I knew I was a smart, beautiful, talented woman who was destined for great things.  Thank god, many wonderful people were in my life to tell me those positive things.

   I never looked at the circumstances of my childhood as a crutch or an excuse as to why I couldn't accomplish my dreams, live a healthy, happy life,  or love another unconditionally.  I don't feel tainted or gipped of a childhood.  Despite the dysfunction, I still felt I had a great childhood with lots of wonderful memories with my 3 siblings.  I refused to let my life be defined by my mothers mental illness and the adversity I faced.

   Often times, young people in this type of situation create dysfunction in their own lives because that is all they know.  They don't know another way to live.  They succumb to drugs, alcohol, depression, criminal activity, and a lack of motivation to succeed in life.    

   So how am I normal?  Easy.  I never let my past define me.  I believed enough in myself to know that I could be and do whatever it was my beautiful heart desired.  I am my own person, creating my own future.  Most importantly, I have the capacity to forgive.  I forgive my mother for being who she was, as I'm sure her behavior and disease stemmed from her own childhood traumas.  She did only what she knew, how to live a dysfunctional life.  The cycle of dysfunction stops here with me.  I strive to be the best person I can be.

   My mother will always be my mother, but I choose not to have her in my life because it is not what is healthiest for me.  As an adult, I can make that decision without guilt or regret.  I choose to have happy, healthy, positive people in my life that help me to be a better person.  I wish her happiness in wherever her life takes her.

   Everyone has a past.  Many people deal with trauma, tragedy, and adversity.  It's how you grow from these events, learn from them, and move forward in your life with a healthy attitude, perspective, and determination.  There is strength in acknowledging the past, and especially acknowledging the lessons learned from your past.  But never let the events of your past hinder your future or prevent you from your dreams.  Your past does not define who you are today.  YOU define who you are today by being the best version of yourself right NOW.

15 Nursing Tips and Tricks

   For the past 11 years, I have been an Intensive Care Unit Nurse in 7 different hospitals around the country. Along the way, I've picked up some life-saving tips and tricks in my nursing practice. And by life-saving, I mostly mean smell-saving, back-saving, and sanity-saving tips and tricks.

   Whenever I impart my wisdom on a newer nurse, I realize that everyone should have a list like this that teaches them what they will not learn in nursing school. If you are a non- nurse, I advise you to put away the food you are eating and prepare yourself for some really gross information. For all you nurses out there, proceed eating....because that's what we do.  Here are the top 15 Nursing Tips and Tricks they didn't teach you in Nursing School.

                                              Code Brown Tips 

Your patient's room smells god awful and you know you have to clean up a LOT of liquid stool.

1. The Toothpaste trick

Place a face mask on a table and squeeze toothpaste along the outer portion of the mask at the brim of the nose. Place another mask on top of that to seal the toothpaste in the middle. A minty fresh smell right at your nose will cover up a good portion of the smell.

2. Suck it all up

The liquid stool is filling up the bed, running down to the feet, and there is at least 500cc of pure liquid. Use your suction cannister and a yankeur and vacuum it all up so you have less stool to clean up. It's all contained in the cannister, which means it has less of a chance of ending up on you!

3. No more cleaning bedpans

The patient asks for a bedpan to finish having his bowel movement. Line the bedpan with a absorbent pad that you can throw away and not have to clean the bedpan. It's ready to go for the next time you need it.

4. Clean commode

That same patient can actually make it to a commode. Put a garbage bag in the commode and there's one less pot you have to clean when they are done.

5. Coffee grounds odor absorber

The stool is actually melena, which smells a thousand times worse than the non-bloody variety. Might as well pour some coffee grounds into a few emesis basins to absorb the smell and take the edge off the raunchiness. Place them around the room on the countertops. Coffee grounds have an awesome odor absorbing ability!

6. Deodorize your tubing

At long last, it's flexi-seal time! Sadly, that tubing still allows the smell to ooze out and into your nostrils. Take a deodorizer/ odor eliminator spray and remove the cap. Pour a small amount of the liquid into the brand new flexi-seal before you use it. Work it through all of the tubing and let it go into the bag. This will definetly help in minimizing the amount of odor that seeps through.

7. Bucket O'Goodness 

Now its time to clean up your smelly patient. Grab a pink bucket and fill it with everything! Soap, Shaving Cream, mouthwash, and shampoo should do the trick. The key here is the shaving cream....it works like a charm.

                                      The patient's who test your patience!

Tonight at work, you have a wild, crazy, confused patient and you need every last trick in your book to maintain your sanity for the night.

8. The Cigarette trick

Your patient is so confused he continues to try and "smoke" his pulse oximeter or screams for a cigarette for hours on end. Cut a straw in half, use a red marker to color the end red, and let him puff away. I'll even rip an alcohol wipe in half to "light" it for them....it kind of sounds like a match being lit. But that fake cigarette will keep them occupied long enough for you to get some charting done!

9. Mask your patient

Well, now your patient starts spitting at you. They are restrained, you are wearing a gown, and standing as far away as you can. What else can you do? Put a mask on your patient so everytime they spit, it sits right there on their own mouth and nose. Talk about teaching them a lesson!

10. The Back Saver

Your patient needs a boost and no one is around to help you. Place their feet directly on the foot rest. Turn the bed upside down and start to shorten the foot of the bed. Hold their knees so they don't bend as the bed shortens. This will push them up to the top of the bed and the most energy you used was pressing the little button to shorten the bed.

11. The Taco

Your little wiggle worm ends up at the bottom of the bed every 15 minutes. Place a pillow under their thighs to start. Then, raise the legs as high as they will go, trendelenburg the bed, and place the head at 30 degrees. They will soon be in the shape of a taco and have less chance of scooting down when their backside is wedged in the curve of the bed.

12. The Burrito

Somehow your patient flipped their body so their head is at the bottom of the bed. They are probably screaming, fighting you, and can't breathe so getting their head up (or intubating them) is a high priority. Take the fitted sheets off the corner of the bed, wrap the patient up like a burrito, and with the help of 5 or 6 of your awesome co-workers lift the patient up off the bed and rotate them back to the right direction. Way easier and faster than trying to grab their kicking limbs and torso.

13. Washcloth trick

Your confused little old lady won't stop picking at everything in her sight. Hand her a stack of washcloths to fold. That will keep her hands busy and away from your lines and tubes. If you are really creative, you can configure the wash cloths to look like a doll with some elastic bands and ask them to look after your doll for you. There's something about laundry that always does the trick with little old ladies.

14. Lullaby sleep

If you have a computer in your patients room, find a relaxing, soundscapes channel on either Youtube or Pandora. Soothing, relaxing music will lull a patient off to sleep if you give it enough time. It helps decrease their anxiety and agitation. Plus, it's a much better sound to listen to than monitors beeping and suction sounds.

15. Healing Touch

You've given the maximum amount of pain medication, the doctor refuses to increase the dosage, and your patient continues to ask for more. If you have taken a Healing Touch class and know how to decrease someone's pain by balancing their energy field, you are in luck! Get to it.  Relaxation techniques like Healing Touch stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to release feel good chemicals like oxytocin and endorphins that help to block pain receptors.  With the use of your hands, you can take away someone's pain!

Of course, some of these tips and tricks are last ditch efforts and used only under specific circumstances.  Always keep your patient's safety, skin, and dignity as a top priority.

What are your best tips and tricks that you want to share with your nursing community?? Share your comments below!

My Patients Become My Family

   As a night shift nurse, I always felt that my presence with my patient's during their difficult ICU stay was most beneficial at night. It is at this time that their families go home to get their much needed rest and they are left in a scary, unfamiliar environment.

   There are tubes, catheters, wires, alarms going off, blood pressure cuffs squeezing their arm frequently, bright lights, and an uncomfortable bed. This is not their home, this is their biggest fear. They want their family, their bed, and to feel better.

   I am their night shift nurse, and I am going to be their family for the night. I tell them this right away. I also make sure that my actions, my care, my words, and especially my touch, reflects this statement.

  I listen to their concerns. I let them tell me their story. Sometimes those stories are about meeting their spouse of 50 years. Other times, the stories remind me of those my Grandfather, a proud Air Force veteran, would share. Occasionally, my patient is my age and has never been sick a day in their life. 

  The one thing that all of my patient's have in common is that I become their surrogate family member for the night. I take care of them as if they were my own blood. I show them the same love and compassion my family receives.

   I become a healing presence in whatever way they need. Healing Touch is my way of helping them to relax, sleep more peacefully, relieve anxiety, and diminish their pain levels. My hands transmit that essence of love, family, and healing energy. I have been blessed for the past 11 years as an ICU nurse of having added so many different, unique, special people to my surrogate family by being their night shift nurse.