You are not a Superhero

Dear Nurses,

You are not a superhero. You are not immune to the hardships of this profession. While it is a calling and a privilege to care for those who are ill and dying, it isn't easy. Oftentimes you deal with horrifically tragic cases. Sometimes young lives are destroyed in a senseless crime. Sometimes health is taken in an instant because of a split second decision that resulted in an accident. Sometimes patient's are frustratingly complex because of multiple comorbidities. Sometimes a patient who is quite ill is desperately afraid of dying, even when you know it's pending.

But you don't have to be the superhero. You do the job the best you can. You lovingly and sacrificially care for your patients. You carry the weight of their hardship on your shoulders with a full bladder and an empty stomach. You listen to the wailing of family members when you have to bear bad news. You hug them and console them while wondering if there was anymore you could have done.

We deal with unique experiences depending on our speciality, but we all know each facet of nursing is difficult in its own way. And yet, we often aren't kind to one another. There's a culture of "that's the job; suck it up." But we've all been there. We've all been cussed at and yelled at by people we are earnestly trying to help. We've had the confused patient spit on us or attempt to hit us. We've had the ventilator tubing pop off and sputum fly in our face. We've been peed on, pooped on, bled on. Not too long ago I cleaned stool off a patient and when I was done she looked me in the eye and called me a "f----ing bitch." And I see my fellow nurses smirking, thinking, "Yep, I've been there."

As someone who has "been there," let me say this right now: It's okay to say you're exhausted, emotionally and physically. It's okay to say you feel gross after cleaning up someone else's body fluids. It's okay to say you're worried about what germs you may bring home to your family. You cannot be anyone's superhero. You are human. Sometimes the job just plain sucks. It does not mean it's not your calling, or you aren't cut out for the work. It means that you are human. You have enough weight on your shoulders; you don't need to also bear the burden of a cape. Leave the cape for those with superpowers, and humbly put on your scrubs to go and do a hard job well.

Love,
A fellow nurse