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Hemera | Thinkstock
This trait applies to every nurse from any and all walks of life. Whether you are an aspiring soon-to-be nursing student, or the seasoned veteran. It rings true for every facet of the nursing profession from the nurse working in an office, education, out-patient clinic, home-health, or at the bedside. Whether your area of expertise is oncology, general medical-surgical, telemetry, or critical care, this trait is for you.
I’ve been blessed to have worked in many environments, each bringing its own unique set of challenges. Everything from efficient time-management skills, sharp critical-thinking skills, to a kind and compassionate ear ‘make’ a nurse.
But one thing stood out for me. I’ve seen it everywhere (no I’m not exaggerating). Each time I’ve seen this trait I have had to stand back in awe and say to myself — ‘I want to be like that”! It lifts up those around them, it comforts the patient when they need it most, and ultimately it gets the job done – every time.
The #1 trait for every nurse?
(In my best ‘Confucius’ voice)”Be like marble” or “Be the marble” : When things get rough (and they most certainly will), be like the marble and just roll with it. Yes, I’m literally and figuratively talking about the spherically shape marble.
It’s so simple, so easy, and so ‘matter of fact’ that we all miss out on the message. The ‘you know what’ is going to hit the fan. This is probably the only guaranteed thing we have in nursing. It comes in the form of short staffing, overwhelming admissions, difficult assignments, over-worked, under-paid, missed deadlines, etc. We all know the ‘feeling’. It’s when the world seems to be stepping on your neck and it’s taking everything you got just to breathe!
Just roll with it. “This too shall pass”. Some of my most fondest memories are when a fellow colleague doesn’t get frazzled no matter what is thrown at them, by them, or near them. They go with the flow. They adjust. They overcome and adapt. All while never losing control, losing their temper, losing their ‘edge’ and continue to contribute to the ‘solution’ not the problem.
Be like the marble and roll with it folks.
