I was a new graduate with less than a year of nursing experience when I was asked if I'd like to work in the psychiatric unit. I said yes. Before I began working there, I received another call asking if I'd be willing to split my time between the psyche unit and the alcohol treatment center. The sum total of my knowledge of alcoholism was the fact that it is considered a disease. Since I'm usually willing to try something new, I said yes. The two units used very different approaches in working with patients. The psyche unit used a lot of behavior modification, and exploring with the patients the "reasons why" of their behavior. Progress was generally slow with frequent re-admissions.
The alcohol treatment center was a more informal setting. The disease aspect was stressed, and the focus was on what' rather than why.' What you needed to do differently to avoid returning to drinking.
Sharon was very professional and pleasant, and very thorough in providing orientation for her new employee. My first experience with how she dealt with a problem came not too long after I began working there. The alcohol treatment center was a building separate from the main hospital. The detoxing phase of treatment was done at the main hospital for safety reasons, the patient transferring to our building once they were considered physically stable. The medical director wasn't entirely happy with this, and would have preferred the detoxing also be done in our building. As a result he occasionally would transfer a patient when it would have been wiser to wait another day or two.
I was working a 3-11 shift when a newly transferred patient became agitated and was shaking badly. I placed a call the medical director, and was told to give valium IV. The other nurse on duty with me was young, and didn't want to try to start the IV. My IV skills left a lot to be desired, mostly from lack of experience. Fortunately he had veins similar to a garden hose, and I was able to start the IV without any problem. I then realized the doctor hadn't given me directions as to how fast the IV drip should run, and I called him back. He exploded, and wanted to know why I'd started an IV. He had assumed I would know to give the valium directly into the vein without going through an IV tube, not an entirely unrealistic assumption. Sharon spoke with me in private the next day, explaining that in the early alcohol withdrawal phase the body retains fluid. Adding IV fluid creates a danger of fluid overload, putting undue stress on the body. Her manner of giving me this information was one of providing information, not criticism. She seemed more upset with the other nurse who had been working with me. Sharon seemed to feel Marge had worked there long enough she should have known that, and intervened before I started the IV drip. This didn't make me feel any better. I felt terrible that I had not known this. Never mind that I was extremely nervous about the condition of my patient at the time, or the fact that the only information given about alcoholism while I was in school was simply that it was considered a disease.
I began reading anything I could find about alcoholism, and listening closely to my co workers. I seldom asked any questions. I didn't want my co workers to think I was ignorant about something I should' know. It would have been better had I remembered the sign my husband had posted in his office. "It's better to ask a stupid question than to make a stupid mistake."
Sharon was a great teacher, and would have welcomed any questions, stupid or otherwise. I was always impressed with her level of knowledge, not just about alcoholism, but about many areas of physical disease. It sometimes seemed she might have a photographic memory. She also made it clear she expected her staff to be knowledgeable about many diseases. Many of our patients also had problems other than alcoholism. These included, but were not limited to; heart problems, high blood pressure, or diabetes. Each patient was assigned to one of the nurses as their primary nurse, and we were expected to do in depth teaching with them on any physical problem they had.
By the time my first yearly evaluation at the hospital was due, I was working full time at the alcohol treatment center. It's not uncommon for a supervisor to simply hand you the evaluation form they had filled out, and ask you to sign it. Not Sharon . She sat down with you and reviewed each item on the form. This included giving you specific examples of what she had observed, not only in areas where some improvement was needed, but also in the areas of your strengths. She then worked with you to formulate a plan for improving the areas of weakness. If this involved something major, she would meet with you every three months to review your progress. Any criticism that was needed was always given constructively, and never left you feeling demeaned. Her approach to giving your evaluation made it obvious that she was very aware of your day to day performance. However, I never felt she was looking over my shoulder' when on duty, or that she periodically reviewed notes I made in the patient's chart.
Sharon 's caring, professional manner was a huge factor in both my professional and personal growth.
Joyce has been writing for her own enjoyment for many years, and only in the past few years has gained the courage to "go public" with her writing. She has had two books published, and is involved with the Fine Lines magazine as a special editor. Her writing primarily reflects her own experiences, or the life experiences she has observed in others. She has her own blog, Joyce's Ramblings at http//joyce-wwwnewbyblogger.com.blogspot.com Joyce would like to add that she always welcomes constructive criticism comments.
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