As a clinician, you’re accustomed to fielding patients’ questions and managing skepticism over various treatments. In some cases, a patient’s hunger for information is a positive sign that they’re invested in their health and will be dedicated to their prescribed care plan. But, when patients have the wrong information, it can lead to noncompliance or full-on refusal of care.
For much of modern history, cultures have used handshakes as a greeting and a symbolic gesture to close business transactions. But, since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, handshakes have almost entirely disappeared in favor of elbow bumps and socially distanced waves. Now, even as more people become vaccinated and are once again connecting in person, many of us are still a little leery of touching each others’ hands.
Working as a nurse is one of the most rewarding yet demanding and often overwhelming career paths in the professional world. In many cases, nurses rely on peers and external support systems for encouragement and advice — but some questions and challenges require more experienced insight. And that’s where a nurse mentor can be most beneficial.
For nineteen years, Americans have ranked nursing as the No. 1 most honest and ethical profession, according to an annual Gallup poll. Nurses outrank physicians, teachers, pharmacists, judges and even members of the clergy.
The integrity of nursing is also one of the few things Americans across the political spectrum agree upon, with democrat and republican respondents choosing nurses as No. 1 in near-equal measure.
The bottom line is people from all walks of life trust nurses with their lives. But what is it about nurses that foster such a deep sense of faith and confidence? In honor of nurses’ week, we’re delving into a few reasons people consistently rank nursing as the most trusted profession in the country.
The past year has been one of the bleakest, most harrowing, and emotionally exhausting periods in recent history — particularly for our nation’s frontline healthcare workers. But, despite several months of unspeakable challenges and an uncertain future, these professionals have continued showing up, often risking their own wellbeing to care for those in need.
From providing palliative care to patients with severe cases of COVID-19 to assisting women giving birth and helping treat all manner of conditions amidst the deadly pandemic, these healthcare heroes have given a new meaning to the term patient experience.
