VOICES BEYOND THE BEDSIDE

Category: Nursing Practice

  • The Power of a Pause: What Nursing Taught Me About Burnout and Gratitude

    You do not have to finish every task before you allow yourself a moment of peace.

    For a long time, I lived as though rest had to be earned. There was always another task at work, another bill to pay, another person who needed me, or something at home that could not wait. Even when I sat down, my mind kept moving. I was planning tomorrow instead of living today.

    I am learning to slow down. Sometimes that means stepping outside to tend my garden and water my plants. Sometimes it means watching a movie without mentally going through my to-do list or listening to music without fear and worry taking over the moment. I want to feel safe enough to simply enjoy where I am.

    Nursing has taught me how much can change in a person’s life when an ordinary ability becomes difficult. I have cared for people who wished they could take one step without pain, lift an arm, reach an itch, swallow a meal safely, or sleep through the night.

    Those experiences stay with me. They remind me to notice what I can do today. I can wake up and see the daylight. I can hear a familiar voice, taste my food, drink clean water, and feed myself. I can turn on a hot shower. I can read, write, study, learn, and make choices for myself. I have a place to rest and a job to go to.

    I do not always remember to be thankful for these things. Most days, I simply do them and move on. That is why taking a moment to reflect matters to me.

    Gratitude also needs to make room for honesty. I can be thankful for my work and still be exhausted by a shift. I can appreciate my home while worrying about a bill. I can enjoy a quiet moment and still have problems waiting for me when it ends. Gratitude does not require me to deny any of that.

    And when someone is living with pain, illness, or disability, they should never have to hear that they simply need to be more grateful. The people I have cared for have taught me to pay attention, to listen, and to recognize how much effort an ordinary task may take.

    A pause cannot fix every source of stress or burnout. But it can help me ask myself a question I often forget: How am I doing, and what do I need right now? Maybe I need sleep. Maybe I need help. Maybe I need to sit in my garden for ten minutes and let myself breathe.

    Today, I am grateful for the small things I can do and the moments of peace I can find. I am giving myself permission to enjoy them before every task is finished.

    What is one ordinary thing you are grateful for today?

    #TheNursingLens #Gratitude #Nursing #Wellbeing

  • Beyond the Report Sheet: Why Bedside Handoff Matters

    By Lesline Rostick, RN, BSN

    A report sheet tells us what has happened during a shift. It cannot always show us what is happening with the patient at the moment care changes hands.

    That is why bedside handoff matters.

    Earlier in my nursing career, I sometimes thought giving report away from the bedside was quicker. Shift change is busy, and nurses have a great deal of information to share. A clear verbal report remains essential. But I have come to value the few minutes when the outgoing and incoming nurses see the patient together.

    What we might miss

    When we skip the bedside, we lose a chance to compare the verbal report with the patient’s current condition. We may also miss a near miss: a concern noticed in time to clarify or address it before care is delayed.

    Some concerns can be seen or heard at the bedside. A patient may seem newly confused, unusually quiet, restless, or less responsive than described. Their breathing may look different. Their skin may appear cool or clammy. Oxygen delivery, an IV site, an infusion pump, or a collection bag may need a closer look. A patient or family member may have a concern they have been waiting to share.

    Other concerns require us to connect that bedside picture with the chart and the outgoing nurse’s report. Have vital signs or oxygen needs changed over time? Are important laboratory results pending? Is a medication or infusion due? Is there an unfinished task that needs a clear owner?

    High-alert infusions deserve particular attention at handoff. Nurses can verify that the medication, concentration, and rate programmed on the pump match the current order and medication administration record. They can also clarify whether required monitoring has been completed, whether a result is pending, and who will follow up. A mismatch or overdue monitoring test is a concern to address promptly under the organization’s protocol.

    Bedside handoff is not a substitute for reviewing trends, orders, and results. It is an opportunity to bring those sources of information together and ask, “Does what we see match what we have been told?”

    Trust your clinical judgment

    Sometimes a nurse senses that something is wrong before the concern fits neatly into one number. That feeling deserves a closer assessment. Pause, review what you know, and ask another nurse or clinician to look at the patient with you.

    Seeking a second set of eyes is a strength. It can help us recognize a change, challenge an assumption, or decide what needs to happen next.

    Be a staunch advocate for your patient. If your concern remains, communicate it clearly and escalate it. Use your organization’s Medical Emergency Team or rapid response process when a patient’s condition warrants it. Where nurses can activate the team directly, they do not need to wait for a physician or resident to give permission to request urgent help.

    Minutes can matter when a patient is deteriorating. Nurses should feel supported in raising a genuine concern early.

    Accountability without blame

    Accountability during handoff means making responsibility clear. The outgoing nurse can identify changes, outstanding care, and concerns that need follow-up. The incoming nurse can verify essential information, ask questions, and clarify the immediate plan.

    Without that exchange, an important task can fall between two shifts. Both nurses may believe someone else is addressing it. A shared check gives them a chance to agree on what needs to happen and who will do it.

    That conversation should be professional and free of blame. Nurses are more likely to speak up when their concerns are taken seriously.

    The work continues

    Not every shift ends with every task complete. A medication may still be due, a laboratory result may still be pending, or a patient may need follow-up care. That is the reality of nursing. The important thing is that unfinished care is communicated clearly, with both nurses understanding what needs to happen next.

    Bedside handoff gives us a moment to see the patient together, clarify those responsibilities, and raise concerns before one nurse leaves and the other takes over. It is not about expecting a perfect shift or placing blame. It is about making sure the patient’s care continues safely.

    The report sheet tells part of the story. The bedside helps us understand what matters now. And when the shift changes, the work goes on.