You’ve all no doubt heard by now of the Washington state senator who claimed nurses sit and play cards all day. At first I was outraged like everyone else. But then I thought about it. Now, I don’t know about the sitting part, but nurses do play cards every day. Each day they come in and are dealt a new hand, never knowing what it’s going to contain, and they do their absolute best with whatever cards they get. Moreover, you can never tell whether they got dealt a straight flush or a nine-high – they keep the same steady, compassionate, determined, get-it-done look regardless. It may just be a metaphor, but nurses are the best darn card players I know.
On a more serious note, in my 30+ years in pediatric health care, I have had the opportunity to work with thousands of nurses, and my respect and appreciation for them and what they do grows every year. For those of you who are nurses, you have my utmost gratitude. I hope you have a happy Nurses Week.
Starting With Curious 