For over five years, I worked as a pediatric nurse at two of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals.
Rewarding? Absolutely. Heartbreaking? Often.
There is one case I’ll always remember. Even though I was a pediatric nurse, I preferred working with the teenage patients. And one, in particular, will always have a special place in my heart.
She was waiting for a liver transplant and had been on the waiting list for some time. During her stay, I did everything I could to keep her spirits up. I took her to activities in the lobby, like crafts and bingo, and we spent time painting her nails and decorating her room. We tried to make the best of the situation.
That year, I was scheduled to work on Christmas. When I came in for my shift Christmas Eve night, I found out she had passed away. She didn’t get her transplant in time. I was devastated.
Experiences like that can weigh on even the most dedicated among us.
Nursing is the nation’s largest healthcare profession. And even with more than 5 million registered nurses nationwide, more are urgently needed every year. But with a shrinking nurse-to-patient ratio, extensive protocols, and understaffing, the fact that nursing is overwhelming is no secret to anyone.
According to a Nurse.com report, 59% of nurses have experienced burnout in the past two years. That percentage will only continue to grow unless we find ways to improve the patient care and nursing experience.
The good news is this: Technology can help. I’ve seen it. From basic capabilities like instant access to electronic medical records and drug databases, to priority access on the network that ensures these communications go through when it matters most, technology has immense potential for giving nurses more time and less stress.
But reliable connectivity that can mean the difference between life or death is essential.
And that’s where FirstNet, Built with AT&T comes in.The only nationwide platform dedicated to first responders, FirstNet is made for all public safety, including essential services like nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Whether they are in the emergency department or caring for patients remotely, FirstNet solves longstanding communications challenges nurses face by giving us the reliability, capability, and accountability we need to carry out our mission.
Imagine an ambulance racing toward a busy emergency room. FirstNet gives paramedics the ability to communicate and transmit critical patient data like EKG results to emergency room nurses. This enables life-saving equipment to be already prepped when the patient arrives, saving critical time.
While that is a dramatic example, the technology used by FirstNet and Nurse.com is also helping us in practical ways every day. Something as simple as data sharing can save time and eliminate mistakes — two things nurses can all relate to.
And remember that statistic about burnout? Fortunately, there’s a tech-related resource to help with that, too.
Nurse.com empowers nurses to manage their stress and thrive in their roles at every step of their career. It’s built on education, providing career resources and a vibrant community to help nurses connect with peers and deliver exceptional care.
No one understands nursing like other nurses. No matter how much your partner, best friend, or mom loves you, they will never truly understand the experiences you have inside the four walls of the hospital.
It can be difficult at times to even explain certain situations because the average person isn’t as close to the fast-paced, intricate world of healthcare as nurses are. This is why finding a community of nurses who understand the hardship, struggles, and joys of nursing isn’t optional — it’s a necessity.
It’s what I love about being a part of the Nurse.com community — you’re surrounded by other nurses who get what you’re going through.
Whether you want to celebrate a win or cry about a loss, you’ll be met with love and support. Since we take care of people in their most vulnerable states, we often don’t feel appreciated or even know the final outcome of many of our patients.
Feeling celebrated by organizations like Nurse.com is the fuel we need to keep going.
Technology and solutions like these make nurses’ jobs and lives easier. And take it from someone who’s been there: We have to keep innovating. We owe it to ourselves and to the patients we care for every day.
