“To serve those who truly are in need.” ~ Myrna D. Santos, MSN, RN

                         87-02 188 St. Hollis, NY 11423 USA

In my efforts to take care of nurses, I know by this time that I can do it, as I’m committed to this cause, however, I know as well that I need you all to stand by me…..

January,2023

On a personal note...

Suddenly, The Nursing Office is a full blown teen-ager, sixteen (17) years old and counting. Time flew; however, I will never forget how it started with the question among my classmates in graduate school, “What shall we do after we finish our masters?”A lot of discussion went on for days and a lot longer, it stayed in the back of my mind. That’s right, “what shall I do?” At that time, the stress of sleepless nights and paper chase is sinking into me. Little did I know that I will be capitalizing on it in my future career in nursing. My stress strengthened me in my desire to influence nursing and make a difference to take care of nurses.

While taking care of nurses is a major role and that I am very ambitious, I started in my own shy ways to find my target audience. I have to find nurses, mingle with them, network with leaders and study their culture. I have to cross states to find nursing communities and find out what they are doing. The challenges were real; however, I was determined and was having fun in the process.

I produced the first Nurses Show Live in 2007 as a stress reduction program. I followed up with the publication of the Filipino Nurse Magazine which was later changed to Modern Nightingale to make it through the mainstream. The ideas were grand: shows, magazines and websites. The question was “Will nurses accept and buy me?”

Today, I have no doubt that I will one day realize the mission and vision I have set for nurses. Resistant to change as I am, you have given me a chance to serve you. I thank you very much for believing that I can.

I dedicate this mission to all of you who have inspired me. To my family, friends and my patients who made me who I am, a professional nurse. To the most beautiful people in the world, with the hands that care, NURSES.

IN THIS ISSUE

• Redefining a Website
• Is Healthcare a Civil Right?
• A Nurse's Story: Share your Wisdom
• A Mother's Day Double Treat for My Children
• Ethical Practice, Quality Care
• How one nurse responds to IOM
• Creating a culture of civility and regard
• In Memoriam: Adrienne Barnes, RN
• The Power of Asian Women
• Reaching for the White House
• The Passage    Senen Cabalfin: Finding the Path to Special Care Services
• The SHIFT
• Nursing is a booming career #1
• Redefining Politics in Business
• Arts & Culture: The Pow Wow from the Roots
• The Nursing Office Presents a Theatrical Production
• A New Key to the Art of Living: Braintecnes
• The Filipino Nars

• Evidently Clear: Nurses spur Healthcare Changes

• Are you okay?

• Moving Up: The Nursing Office collaborates with NYU Applied Project

• We are the 99%

• Telenursing/Distance nursing: The art of caring in the 21^st century

• In the Company of Wise Men
• How Hospitals Celebrate Nurses
• I am guilty, are you?
• March for Women
• How to set SMART Goals?
• How do you lead?
• The Book Worms
• Retirement: Where do we go from here?

A Press Release

A nurse in search of the role of ancestral arts and culture in healing

We Speak the Nursing Language

OPEN: 24/7

Many years ago I worked as a trauma nurse at a local hospital and had a 3 year old patient named Marie who was suffering from a rare life threatening disease. Her only hope was a blood transfusion from her 5 year old brother, Eric. When the doctor asked him if he was willing to give his blood to his sister, Eric paused for a few seconds, and then said in a soft voice, "I'll do it if it will save her." Later that day I helped to oversee the transfusion and sat in the treatment room with their mother during the process. "Marie already looks better! You're doing great, Eric" I said. He gave me a big smile before tears suddenly filled his eyes. Just then, the doctor returned to see how they were doing, and Eric asked, "How much longer until I die? It took us all by surprise, and then my own eyes turned with tears. I realized that sweet little boy thought he had to give all his blood to his sister-- and was willing to do it, without question."

~Gwen Hernandez, Latina Nurse



Learning as a Lifelong Process

We all learn at different levels and we learn different specialties in our lifetime. We “graduate” with different titles and careers. But learning continues past this graduation. It is a continuous process of achieving the ultimate lesson in life.  It is indeed a lifelong process, but like any other human nature, it has an end.

It doesn’t matter how long it will take us to learn, but what matters is that we reach that point of realizations, when we can truthfully and wisely say that “I understand, I accept and agree that there is a Higher Being with us “, and that we are no longer looking at what is material and human but of something beyond and spiritual.~MDS

The garbage man

As a good interpersonal practice in the workplace, I always treated the housekeepers as a part of my nursing team. I know my garbage man for the past twenty years. He does his job so well that I have no complaints.

When lay-offs predominated the past recession era, he tells me in the most enjoyable way “I love garbage, give me all your garbage! He explains further that he loves them, because it has been his livelihood for a long time and what happens if there is no more garbage, and then he will lose his job as well.

I got the message, simple and true why he loves garbage. Talking to him further, that at home, he doesn’t even care to look at his garbage.

Same in nursing, we should love our patients because our trade depends on them. ~MDS

Golden Nuggets are Food for Thought

Apostles in the making

It’s a bitter cold day of winter. As I was parking my car in the church’s lot, I saw the familiar faces of the young boys directing traffic every Sunday. As it was extremely cold, when I passed by them and saw that they have no gloves and head caps, with their noses as red as apples, I said, “Please come inside the church, it’s too cold out here”. The boys were so brave and determined and proud, when they replied to me, “We have work to do, it’s okay”.~MDS

 Egg with an Attitude

 What about this for fun?

 My friend Chad is always busy.

Yesterday, we had a community reception in the church after the traditional Midnight Mass (Simbang Gabi). It was dinner, (supposed to be) and yet I found some hardboiled eggs with stickers on it, like those Easter eggs. Anyway, I took one; first I thought it’s healthy, secondly, it’s convenient. I’ll just put it in my pocket. When I was about to eat it, another friend said, “Oh where did you get those eggs?” And then somebody said, “Oh that is the egg with an attitude! Chad made that.”

I found out that Chad’s idea is to make simple things special. As she does not have time to cook, she thought of those stickers on the egg to give them  a statement, a signature, if not an attitude.~MDS

 It’s time for new ideas!

We are traditionalists. Change and new ideas do not excite us. We have no room for them. We have enough things going already and we don’t want anything more. We are doing well. We are in our best comfort zones. But are we in our best shape and state of nursing practice?

In this age of evidence-based practice, (EBP) we need our open mind not to resist the new wave of proven facts to guide a safe nursing practice and culture. Let us open the windows and let the fresh air come in. Let us give chance to new ideas. Let us listen, think and accept them as they may be the answer to a better, safer, and easier practice after all.~MDS

Not just violating a law!

Like any other rush hour morning commute, as I squeeze myself in a tight subway train, I tried to sneak a bite on my bagel. I haven’t swallowed, when I heard a tiny voice who said ,“There’s no eating on the train allowed”. I looked at him, a 7-year old boy, holding his bottle of juice. I scrambled for an answer and it has to be right. I said, “That’s right, I just violated a law. Don’t you follow me, okay?”The little boy smiled at me, I could see the feeling of heroism in him as he acknowledged that he caught a “violator” in the act. A minute later, I saw him opened his juice and took a sip.

As he enjoyed his drink, I felt my first blunder of the day as well as a lesson learned for life: I am a role model as a person, as a professional. If I break anything, no matter how slight it is, that will have an impact to somebody. In this case, I’m not just violating a law, but failed to give a good example, especially to this young child who looks at the adults as their role models.~MDS

You 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

One Flushing Director, John Choe with a little help from The Nursing Office Chief Nurse, Myrna D. Santos  at the completion of the community mural by the Long Island Railroad Station in Main Street, Flushing, NY (Sept, 21, 2013)

“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit."

 ~Harry Truman,

33rd U.S. President