Back to reality

Just returned from Italy – absolutely wonderful holiday… people, culture, food… wonderful!!! Now I’m getting back into the routine of home and work, and I’ve began fascinated about how different this alteration is for those of us who don’t work in a clinical setting. As a clinical editor, I actually have the luxurious of selecting what I would like to compensate for first – reading the newest journal articles, catching up on social media, writing the subsequent e-newsletter, or editing upcoming articles. And so on…

Sure, I would like to prioritize what must be done sooner somewhat than later, but my return to work looks very different now than it did after I was caring for patients. For a clinical nurse, returning to work is just not easy. Tests have to be performed, medications administered, procedures performed, and education and support provided to the patient. This list is long too…

Thinking about this also jogged my memory of one other common occurrence in my experience. When I returned from vacation, I remember being assigned a heavier task, perhaps involving sicker patients or families who needed somewhat more time and TLC. I used to be considered fresh, rested and prepared for motion. Never mind jet lag or any family drama when you’re away!

I admit that these aren’t only memories of my returns from holidays, but additionally of my role in its place nurse when my colleagues returned from holidays. “Sure, Sally can get probably the most out of a patient on the blood pressure machines, which is full code. She just spent per week in Hawaii. Or, “Take Jeff to the ER with fresh GI bleeding. He’s been gone all week.

As I write this, I’m disillusioned in myself and I feel… can this be considered horizontal violence? It was just the way in which it was and nobody ever questioned it, but that shouldn’t excuse the situation. Thinks?