This is a scripture I've always based my working ethic on. In college, I spent my summers working at a country club in town. I learned then, that no matter how rude people could be, my service was not for them...it was for the Lord. I believe that principle even more today in the nursing field. I believe that especially as a nurse, that people come across my path for a purpose. Some for me to teach...and some to teach me. Today was one of those days I had to remind myself of this. Today was a particularly difficult day on the floor, not just for myself, but also for my fellow nurse friends. It was just one of those chaotic fly by the seat of your pants kind of day.

   Now that I am no longer a full time nurse at the hospital, I always feel that I am directed to work the days I do work. I look forward to the day because if God did not will it to happen...then neither my patient nor I would be there.  It makes the unusually (or not so unusual in most cases) patients easier to bear. Today I had a special patient that would normally drive me nuts. She was a sweet as could be and kept telling me that she didn't want me to leave and asked if I would return tomorrow. For many reasons, these comments are very special to me. They are the biggest compliments anyone can give a nurse. We see these patients in some of their weakest moments and when  they can look at me and smile and tell me how much they appreciate me it reminds me why I do what I do. I am not saying I'm a great nurse and I'm not saying that a patient needs to praise me every time I bring them a pill, it is just a bonus in the midst of a hectic no lunch kind of day. This particular patient today had many things going on and had been through several in the recent past and had every reason to be down. Instead she was quite positive and always upbeat when I went into the room. It's these patients that remind me that life outside of work isn't so bad and that I have more to be thankful than I give God credit for.I believe that us nurses (me personally), benefit as much from the patients as they do us. This is why I truly believe that our steps are guided by the Lord as it says in the scriptures. With His guidance, it makes a crazy day purposeful. 

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