Takeaway
From my experience as a nurse, I always remember the importance of engaging the whole team. Each team member provides unique insights that can optimize the care of the patient.
Lifelong Learning in Clinical Excellence | January 5, 2022 | 1 min read
By Nina Wagner-Johnston, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Happy National Nurses Week 2025!
“Hi Dr. Lyons, this is Nina. I’m calling about Ms. R in Room 667. Her nausea is poorly controlled and I’m wondering if we can add ondansetron to her regimen.”
“Sure, that sounds fine . . . but I’m confused. Why are you calling me about this?”
“Sorry, I should have been clear. I’m working as a nurse today,” I replied.
Picking up occasional shifts as a floor nurse during medical school threw off the house staff, but the benefits for me far outweighed the conversation with an occasional confused intern.
Like many in healthcare, I entered nursing to help others. At the time, I believed “caring for the whole person,” was what defined a nurse is and not a doctor; I falsely believed physicians were solely disease-focused.
Through my work as a leukemia research nurse, I grew fascinated by the underpinnings of the pathology afflicting my patients, and ultimately decided that I wanted a deeper understanding of their disease biology. My reluctance in pursuing medicine mostly stemmed from concerns as to whether I could still keep my patient-centric approach.
Two pearls of wisdom I took with me from nursing:
1. The importance of engaging the whole team.
Every team member is critical, as each person provides unique insight.
2. Taking the time to deeply understand the patient’s needs and concerns.
It’s important to make every minute I spend one-on-one with a patient count. The computer screen looming between me and the patient, coupled with my pager invariably beeping, are constant distractions, but I try to actively listen and be present as best I can. And when, for example, I feel dismayed that my patient seems overwhelmed and hasn’t grasped the side-effects of a chemotherapy drug after my explanation, I remember that I can reach out to the nurses, and they’ll be there to help.
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This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.