History of Nursing

Generations of nurses

Each from a different decade

Keep on, keepin’ on

Curious only about healing.

“Never say more than is necessary.”

~ Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Attention to Detail - 1

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The monthly Writer's Ink group is on summer hiatus. I have chosen to continue the writing 'assignment' part of the group through the summer as my blog post.

The opening line is taken from writingexercises.co.uk.

Attention to Detail - 1 

Half the names on the list had already been crossed off. It wasn’t a particularly long list but someone had been meticulously going through it. There was a gigantic party planned for an anniversary that was coming up. The guest list, while not long, was made up of couples and their families. Hermione was sure that Sam was only trying to be thorough, making sure that they had invited everyone that their parents would have chosen. Sam wasn’t uninviting anyone, only doing his usual ‘attention to detail’ checking, making sure all the contact numbers were accurate.

They were a small family, but had many aunts and uncles. Their parents were actively involved in many community activities. Despite their popularity they were humble people, childhood sweethearts in fact. They had not been one bit curious about all the phone calls Hermione had been getting. No questions about the whispering between the two of them. She and Sam had planned this 35^th wedding anniversary for a year and now. Seeing their parents surprised and laughing, Hermione and Sam were proud and happy. Everyone on the list had arrived, even their friends from school days. And the party on the wharf began in earnest.

“The truth of the story lies in the details.”

~ Paul Auster, The Brooklyn Follies

The Four W's of Nursing

No time to be curious

Just do the next right thing
Find out:

    who, where, when and why

Beginning of any nurse’s shift
Order and calm is usual.
Other days? 

    Hit the ground running.

Curiosity builds anyway

Each question demands instant answers
Learning the day’s 

    who, where, when and why.

“Panic plays no part in the training of a nurse.”

~ Elizabeth Kenny

Chocolate Beef Stew

I ate the chocolate beef stew!

Beef stew.
Ordinary beef stew.
Carrots, celery, onions and delicious stewing beef.
But then add cocoa and cumin.

Ordinary
Into extraordinary
Curiosity a needed ingredient to any recipe

Taste?
Texture?
What if?

Curiosity
A baby step or a giant step
Outside of what has become normal
Just adding something different to the ordinary.

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.”

~ Jimmy Johnson

Check out ‘Chocolate Beef Stew - Chef Michael Smith on Google!’

Always Qualified for More Knowledge

“You’re overqualified 

    for this job.”
I didn’t know what that meant.
I didn’t agree.

“You’re overqualified 

    for this job.”
Years later, I know.
Today I do agree ~ in a cynical sort of way.

Not curious enough then to question.
Another’s opinion is only that.
Another’s opinion.

Curious enough for occasional reflection
Years later, ‘overqualified for this job’ 
Makes sense? ~ I had higher education about addictions.

Policy and procedure sets limits of time and task.
Today, expanded knowledge outside such a box
Also makes sense

Working well within policies and procedures
Requires artful expression of expanded knowledge
Not an empty box.

“Your mind will never be dull, if you remember 

there is never enough to learn for it to be too full.”

~ Benny Bellamacina, Philosophical Uplifting Quotes vol. 2

Author's note: Edited January 21, 2024

As A Child

Potomac River, Maryland, U.S.A.

As a child ~
Political climate was not a curiousity.
But where Grandmother and Granddad lived?
Road trip to Maryland, U.S.A.
Celebration with cousins, aunts and uncles warm memories
Ancestry is the curiosity.

“All that children need is love, a grown-up to take 

responsibility for them, and a soft place to land.”

~ Deborah Harkness, A Discovery of Witches

Just Another Four Lines

Curiosity ~

A word full of questions

beginning a journey

setting out to find……

“It seemed like all the way to tomorrow and over it to the days beyond.”

~ J.R.R.Tolkien, The Hobbit

Just Four Lines

Curiouser and curiouser
until my head felt topsy turvy.

Answers to my questions why
spun tales that seemed quite nervy.

“There is always the question why 

and there is always life, 

which doesn’t need an answer.”

~ Dejan Stojanovic