Influencing the Future of Nursing

Join Nursing Organizations: PNA-NY

Performance Improvement in the Workplace

  • Promote a culture of civility and regard
  • Promote Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)
  • Promote Safety-Oriented Practice
  • Safe Patient Handling
  • Promote collaboration & partnership with Patient & Families ( Their roles, responsibilities, end-of-life)
  • Promote Mentorship, Coaching & Leadership
  • Promote Budget-Oriented, cost effective practice
  • Promote “ Green Practice” for the environment



The Nurse Advocates

Ayal Lindeman, LPN on Genetic Myopathy

Benilda Berguido, RN on Domestic Violence

Beatriz Delvo, RN on Lead Poisoning

Catherine Bovelle, RN on Raynauds Disease 

Chad Gatchalian, RN on Nursing Chaplaincy & Ministry

Laura Fives, RN on Kindness to Animal 

Shini Joseph, RN on Domestic Violence

Tess Dunuan, RN on RN Financials

Verona Baker, RN on Ataxia

 

A Nurse's Story: No Greater Love

This is the story of a mother and son's unconditional love for each other, in sickness and in health. Mother and son belong to each other, connected from the beginning. Verona is a multi-talented nurse, from bedside nursing to community involvement and research. She retired from nursing at the Veterans Hospital in Brooklyn and has relocated in Florida, when her son Rodney got sick and deteriorated from Ataxia, a dreaded debilitating disease. They had a good life for a while, coping with their own limitations dining out and watching movies every Friday. Rodney dances in the wheelchair with his mom and they were each other’s healthcare proxy and taking care of each other’s ADL needs when necessary. He motivated and gave support to her to go on with her life while he has the life-threatening diagnosis, which ended up with him in a nursing home. The disease ate him from every aspect of life, his breathing, talking, mobility and all that make man human. He became a vegetable with a mind. He succumbed to death and this photo can only show the pain of a mother to bury her own son. Is there a greater love than this?

 

A little more than a month later, her second son, Sean who has been struggling with Ataxia as well, succumbed to death, leaving Verona in unfathomable pain, but with a great relief for a nurse who is sick and struggling for her own health as well. To all of these, her resiliency and strength of spirit is unequalled. Who can take all and move on life, a gift so preciously mysterious, in a world so beautiful?

~MDS 7/09/20

 Friends of John Liu

The Nursing Office core group attended the Fundraising Event last May 1, 2012 and was very promising. Thanks to Pauline Santos, our Social and Political Activist. We have an invitation by the Chief of Staff from Councilman Leroy Comrie (Queens, NY) about The Nursing Office and its role in the community. With the team is HR Director, Rose Campos and The Nursing Annex Director, Dr. Evelyn Badlon.



One Nurse's Lamentations

Being a male, it is not easy, in this women-dominated arena: I became the “muscle” and physical strength for the unit until I got hurt that I could feel the wear and tear within me. The “women talk” made me excluded and the relationship farther away from a culture of inclusion. I felt that I no longer belong, they refused to help me, they leave my patient unattended when I go for my break, they give me heavy assignments, etc. These dissatisfactions have built over time, until this past incident when I needed to speak up so badly or I could have lost my temper.

 

I am aware of what I am doing, my goal is to end the bullying and discrimination against me and let them know how I feel. Yes, I may have raised my voice, it may have disrupted the workplace, but it is not my intension. I only wanted to Speak Up and be heard, that something may be done by my supervisor and my co-workers if they are supposed to be responsive to it all to maintain a culture of safety, inclusion and order in the workplace.

 

Today, I only request for an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to resolve this incident in the most professional way through the assistance of the EEO, to ensure that there is no biased condition exist against me, my gender and my age.

 

MDS, RN

12/2016

 

Never be a Fool Again

April 1 comes every year as “Fool’s Day” since the 14th century, inspired by Canterbury Tales. (If you remember your literature). Why “fools” because probably you were innocent or ignorant that you lack awareness or knowledge of something that when they pop on you, you believe so quick without judgment. You fall prey to someone’s joke and foolishness on you.

 Well, never again be fooled. April has become a Stress Awareness month, Autism Awareness Month, STD Awareness month, Financial Literacy month, and most probably a lot more. Let us get the information, awareness and literacy available and just a click away from our fingertips.

 

While there are so many things to learn, lighten up as nature has its way of balancing our environment. As we enter this much awaited spring, let us feel the beauty around us: the morning mist that forms in the twigs of trees, the rain that falls to bring the leaves to sprout and the flowers to bloom, let the sun shine in ourselves again, regain our colors and perk up the winter’s mood that has depressed us somewhat and enjoy the company of friends and families for a cookie, ice cream or a coffee break, or a stroll in the park.

 

Let me see you there!

 

 

 

Cunningham Park, Queens, NYC

Nurses State of Mind

Nursing is not a bed of roses; it is indeed a very stressful profession, if not a difficult one. We all have developed a special bond with nursing no matter what specialty we are in. Whether we have a positive or negative feeling about nursing, we know what is out there; we can talk of it in both ways for the sake of truth. Nobody can talk about nursing and its issues more than we do.

While we can say something about our negative issues, we make it a point that we are heard. These could be taken into something to influence nursing in a positive way. While this may not be the case all the time, we can only say it and wish, after all, I’m a nurse for over thirty years and I know what it’s like.

We all know about how the shortage affects the community and more importantly our practice. Let us all be the ambassadors of nursing. Let us become advocates of this special profession and vocation.

I took the challenge that recruitment is one of our greatest contributions to nursing; talking good about ourselves as nurses, the personal fulfillment of its vocation, the professional practice of its science, the financial rewards and the legacy of a modern nightingale.

How to Set SMART Goals

To be truly successful, you need to set and pursue SMART goals. Write them down, and then check them to make sure they are:

·         Specific (detailed not general)

·         Measurable (can be tracked and inspected)

·         Achievable (realistic even if challenging)

·         Relevant (lead to important, suitable results and contributions)

·         Time-Sensitive (deadline driven)

 

Today's tip comes from Passport: Reach Your Goals: Accomplish Your Objectives with Intent, Planning & Determination
by Linda Byars Swindling

 

Nurses Need to KISS

As nurses and professionals, we are always challenged by deep thoughts and critical thinking. We are trained to be always correct and to make good decisions. There is nothing wrong with that. However, when we are trapped into so many issues, and it comes to a point when we are almost sorry for thinking “I could have…., I should have…”, we should let go and forget about it. “The past is history, the future is a mystery. All you must truly be concerned with is the present. No matter what has gone before, you have the option to make changes, to make new choices, right now.” This is an excerpt from  Keep it Simple and Sane, by Barb Rogers

Tips for Keeping it Simple and Sane

·         Thoughts can accumulate like old, dusty house clutter, and provide you with an excuse not to move forward with your life, but to dwell in the familiar.

·         Quit thinking about what you “should” have done. If you could have done it differently, you would have.

·         You must first be mentally balanced to achieve a total healthy balance in your life.

·         Consider words that you believe define you, words that you have heard others use to describe you, words that come from past memories, and old words that might once have been used to describe you. Are there words you are holding on to that caused you to sacrifice other, more positive words? You have the power to change those words, but it’s a choice you have to make for yourself.

·         Engage in every aspect of life that you can, and enjoy the ride. Accept the helping hands of travelers who have gone before you, and when you become a traveler; be ready to offer your own hand to those that need guidance in their own rides.

 Excerpted from Keep it Simple and Sane, by Barb Rogers

Exwww.Walkthetalk.comcerpted from Keep It Simple & Sane
by Barb Rogers Excerpted from Keep Roger

MERLITA’S PEARLS

Antonio B. Jayoma, MSPHN, MBA, CCRN, RN-BC

Immediate Past President, Philippine Nurses Association of Texas – Cameron County, Inc

Contributing Writer

 

“Ate” Merlita Velasquez, as we fondly call her, has proven once and for all that dedication, respect, hardworking and persistence are the most valuable traits that a leader can use in propelling an organization’s vision to some new and greater heights. She believes that these are the inner traits or “pearls” that she developed within herself that allow her to solidify the camaraderie and teamwork of the local chapter Presidents and members of the South Central Region (SCR) of the Philippine Nurses Association of America’s (PNAA), its second largest region next to Eastern Region (ER). These came on to her after decades of practicing as a professional nurse at the bedside, a nurse educator, a nurse entrepreneur and a nurse leader. Though her term is going to expire in the upcoming PNAA convention in Miami, FL on the third weekend of June 2010, she already stamped her legacy in the minds of her constituents that will be missed for long period of time or never be forgotten.

 

Sandy Lalata, BSN, RN, the President of the Philippine Nurses Association of Texas – Cameron County, Inc. (PNAT-CC, Inc.), a local chapter of PNAA at the SCR, stated that she is like the “mother hen” that takes care of all her chicks, the local chapter Presidents, while putting them all together showering them with warm love.

               

As we all know, developing these pearls necessitates have the right combination of ingredients, materials and years of coating with enough juice just like the oysters do in the ocean floor, coral reefs and seabeds. In “Ate” Merlita’s case, she got them from a combination of a great educational background and past experiences as a practicing professional nurse and a nurse leader. She did receive her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from the pontifical University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila, Philippines decades ago and came to the land of opportunity, the United States of America (USA), to work as an exchange visitor nurse in order to pursue her “vision” of giving a better future for her children. Her decision to seek for a greener pasture came after gaining enough experience as a nurse educator in various institutions in Pangasinan and Manila, Philippines. After serving her duties as a nurse supervisor and nurse administrator in Metropolitan Houston, TX area for years in the 1980’s, she decided to devote most of her time in creating several successful corporations related to home care nursing thereafter.

               

These “priceless pearls” that she wears on her sleeves have been complemented by the remarkable awards that she received in entrepreneurial nursing. She attributes these achievements to her persistent search for windows of opportunity and to develop something good or positive out of them for herself, for her family and for the communities she serves.

               

As the Vice-President (VP) of the South-Central Region, she believes that the current PNAA is now at its best and has achieved a great global recognition due to the excellent performances of its officers and members. She advises all Filipino and Filipino-American nurses in the US to continue on joining and actively participate in various professional nursing and community organizations as they learn something new that would help them achieve professional successes.

               

And as a nurse leader who wears “inner” pearls on her sleeves as well as the natural saltwater and cultured pearls on her neck, her advocacy is to empower the Filipino nurses to shine with their God-given gifts of wisdom, skills and great past experiences, and be able to share them with others in the fulfillment of their mission in life. She also defines success as simply “achieving the mission and vision of your existence” and truly believes that she has achieved that already. ~AJ      

Nurses on Call: How May I help you?

If you have any issues or questions that you want answers or opinions, you may ask our Nurses on Call to help you. We will try to get answers as factual as possible or refer you to our resources.

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