Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1187856
November 18, 2019–January 13, 2020 November 18, 2019–January 13, 2020 "Don't take life for granted. Things can and do change in an instant." Don Fowble, RN Pre/Post-Anesthesia ADVENTIST SIMI VALLEY "The patient said they did not want to die, but were tired of fighting their disease." Samuel Gracia, RN, BSN Intensive Care Unit CASA COLINA HOSPITAL AND CENTERS FOR HEALTHCARE What do you particularly love about your specialty? Going under anesthesia and having surgery makes most people nervous. I love having the opportunity to put my patients at ease. In my experience, it's the simplest things that help the most: I listen, try to be lighthearted and explain what they will be experiencing. A nice warm blanket also does wonders to help someone feel comfortable. Please share the funniest or most moving thing that's happened to you as a nurse (bearing HIPAA in mind). Back when I worked in the ICU, I cared for a can- cer patient and got to know his family quite well. Unfortunately, his condition kept deteriorating and was not going to get better. His wife made the tough decision to extubate him and put him on comfort measures. While we were preparing everything, his chil- dren, wife and other family members were all around him, praying. Having lost my own father the previous year, I knew how hard it was going to be on them. Everyone was crying and I defi- nitely was affected too. As the family left, they each thanked me for not only taking care of their loved one, but also helping to take care of them. It was one of the most humbling experiences I've ever had. What has being a nurse taught you? As clichéd as it may sound, to not take life for granted. Things can and do change in an instant. Seeing this on a daily basis has made me truly appreciate the opportunity I have been given to live life and make the most of it. What do you particularly love about your specialty? The intensive care setting is where I've wanted to work since nursing school. The intensity of the situations draws me to the ICU. There is a seriousness that comes with critical care, and I love giving emotional support to families in their times of need. Compassion is a hallmark trait of nursing, and families appreciate it. Please share the funniest or most moving thing that's happened to you as a nurse (bearing HIPAA in mind). While working in a skilled nursing facility earlier in my career, I had a patient who was being treated for serious exacerba- tion of congestive heart failure. There was little to be done, so they were placed on palliative care and set to be discharged home. The patient continued to tell me that they did not want to die, but they were tired of fighting with their disease. When I walked them and their family out, I felt so helpless as a nurse. I pursued a job in the ICU so I could develop the skills to help the sickest patients. The memory of that patient has stuck with me, driving me to learn as much as I can. What has being a nurse taught you? To open up and have a better outlook on life. Even in dark times, there is still light. There is so much we take for granted. Being a nurse has taught me to stop from time to time to smell the roses. I also believe it has made me more easygoing in my personal life. MEN IN NURSING 2019 24 Working Nurse l WorkingNurse.com