Ridiculous and Just Plain Funny...

        Some nursing blogs are just plain funny. They tell their own funny misadventures in nursing and host a spot for others to air their tales. Now I think most nurses would agree that getting through a twelve plus hour shift without engaging in a little irreverent humor occasionally would be hard. As the old saying goes we laugh so we don't cry. Is this revelant? You bet! We all need a smile every now and again!

Please feel free to visit Tex at Weird Nursing Tales

http://www.weirdnursingtales.blogspot.com

Rampage ~ Gripe ~ Diatribe

      

        I almost hesitate to probe into this next topic. Most all blogs are guilty of this at times, some more than others. After all a blog is personal territory. Consequently, it stands to reason that one's personal delimmas and angst will creep into the nursing dialog. Rampaging against long hours, inconsiderate co-workers, poor leadership and ridiculous patients and situations contribute to the diatribe. Is it any wonder that an occasional nursing conversation would consist of a gripe session?

       How does this contribute to our profession? Is it revelant? I say yes. If a nurse doesn't want to participate or feels uncomfortable with the conversation she can always visit elsewhere. However, for many it can be equated to the team spirit gained through sports participation. Although most nurses would probably argue it is more akin to the comraderie gained from the battlefield. Either way, commiserating can be healthy.

As I stated before most blogs contribute to this dialog at some time or other but today's featured blog is :
                                            Jo @ Head Nurse http://head-nurse.blogspot.com

Revolutionary Recruits ~ In union there is strength. ~ Aesop

       Some nursing blogs read much like lunch with a friend. Yes, this is a compliment. Reading these blogs and the comments that follow is like listening to the hum of collegues conversing. This blogging chitchat covers the trials of nursing school, jobs, and home life. The excitement, the trials, the insecurities, the holidays, paychecks, and long hours are lamented. The struggles innate in the profession are exposed, discussed and understood. The result is voices of encouragement.

       How revelant is this conversation? Is this sharing of ideas contributing to the profession? Yes, indeed, "in union there is strength." Commiserating together is human nature. Everyone likes to have friends support and encourage them, even online. Blogs which hold these conversations on life are below.

                                  Nursapalooza @ http://Nursapalooza.blogspot.com

       Savor the discussion... The photograph above is by otisarchives3 at Flickr's Creative Commons. It pictures US Army nurses, 1st Reserve Hospital, Manila in the Spanish-American War. How exciting. What brave, young women.

Restore, Remember, Mend, Cure ~ The healing art of beauty....

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, 

places to play in and pray in, 

where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.  ~John Muir

        Many nursing blogs are simply beautiful. Though they may occasionally refer to their life and work, poetry, photography, and humor are featured most often. Spiritual encouragement may also be present. These blogs are often visually alluring and quite comforting.

       The nurse may muse over daily life, children, or hobbies; his or her work as a nurse is not the full focus of the blog. When nursing stories do emerge in these blogs, they often take on reflective, meditative, prayerful qualities. The details of the cases remain broad and elusive, while the nurses try to make sense of the drama played out before their eyes.

Isn't it just like a nursing blog to attempt to restore and mend broken hearts and lives with beauty?


Examples of blogs which offer this type of respite include:

A Tidings of Magpies
@   http://tidingsofmagpies.blogspot.com

Mops and Pops Place
@  http://mopsandpopsplace.blogspot.com

       Even online...a nurse's work is never done.

Reality ~ "Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"

 

       Some bloggers simply tell the truth. They write what is. This can be comforting to the experienced and disconcerting to the novice. I remember a time I wished to see no evil, hear no evil, and certainly speak no evil, even if it were true.

       I mean, what the heck...these nurses are so jaded. When in actuality they are merely relaying the day's experiences. Often the veteran nurse has accumulated numerous experiences and truths which can be just plain hard to hear and accept. To the young idealistic nurse, older nurses sound, well, mean!

       These blogs exist with their hippa statements and tales to offer camaraderie and solace to the veteran nurses who journey their way. As hard as nursing is there needs to be a place to pick you up and comfort you when the bubble of idealism bursts.

       Nursing is a wonderful profession. It takes a special person. It is a hard job. People will abuse you, take advantage of you, lie to you...You will see life begin, end, and all that is in between. You can not remain untouched. It is nice to read that someone, somewhere, at some time, has also been this way, felt this way, and most importantly, survived to stay the course!

Blogs which employ this hard dose of reality therapy include the following:

Maha at Call Bells Make Me Nervous @

http://pakazoid.blogspot.com

Braden @ 20 Out of 10

http://20outof10.blogspot.com/

Take off those rose colored glasses and get to work youngster! We need you!

Reflection ~ "If I don't write to empty my mind, I go mad." ~ Lord Byron

        There are several nurses who blog about stories from work. At these sites the nurses are anonymous and they change patient's names so that privacy is maintained. Often these stories involve encouraging, sad, or stressful, encounters which are  posted almost in an effort at self therapy.

       Nurses work crazy hours. Often the last thing they want to do is talk about problems at work. Blogging is akin to having a silent friend that absorbs the situation like a sponge, without the further energy drain of having to speak. Nurses are able to hash out the details and relive the event in the safety and comfort of home. This is very akin to the art of reflection which we are studying in our professional development class right now.

       So it appears sometimes a nurse's blog is a professional reflection on cases and clients.

Examples of blogs which reflect on work are listed below.

One Nurse @ Heartbeats of Faith
@ http://heartbeatsoffaith.blogspot.com

Julie @ Wife.Mom.Nurse
@ http://wifemomnurse.blogspot.com

       If you go to these sites be prepared to be inspired and shed a tear or two. Please note that tissues are optional. Also, I love the photograph pictured above. This one is supplied by Tony the Misfit at Flickr's Creative Commons. It is photograph of the nurse's memorial located in Arlington National Cemetary. It makes me proud of the heroic sacrifices that our fellow nurse's have made through the years.