It’s Sunday of Christmas week; seven more days and we will be into the last week of 2021. It has been a long two years to be a nurse. As you traverse the “happiest” time of the year do you feel weary as you look at the start of a year of unknowns within yourself and the medical system?

I have a story to tell you my fellow nurse: I have been feeling burned out in my nursing; perhaps suffering from “compassion fatigue.” Sound familiar? A few weeks ago I was taking care of a truly difficult patient and just an all around horrible person. While taking care of this person I noticed that every nurse that interacted with her was kind to her. They treated her with compassion, even when it was very hard. Her stay with us ended in a code and we ended up doing CPR on this individual. The course of medical care is not that out of the ordinary; that isn’t why it stood out to me. It stood out to me because of the nurses. We cared about this patient as much as we do for every other one. We showed her kindness and took care of her even when it was less than fun. We put ourselves in harms way multiple times by just being in her room. And at the end of the day we went to life-saving measures on someone who had not earned our respect but was a recipient of it regardless. We had compassion.

I tell this story because I know so many of you are feeling like your “give a damn” is busted and quite frankly you can’t even find it in the closet anymore. But, my nurse friend, you still care. I know you do. It may be worn and tired; it may need shined up a bit, but it is still there.

I’m proud of us. I’m proud of the way nurses have rallied around each other to bring awareness to the current state of health care. I am proud of the care we give even when we are wondering if we want to keep doing this job.

Weary traveler, on this journey they call life, you deserve a rest. My hope for you is that 2022 is a better year. It just has to be.

Merry Christmas!!