Nursing Uncharted Ep 110 - Finding Your "Why" and Celebrating Nurses Month with Jess and Sam

Welcome to Episode 110 of Nursing Uncharted! Happy Nurses Month to all the incredible nurses out there. In this uplifting episode, Ann sits down with two exceptional pediatric ER travel nurses, Jess and Sam, to reflect on a foundation for all of us: our "Why." We all strive to feel capable and equipped to take on daily bedside challenges. Jess and Sam share their heartwarming personal journeys, reminding us how we can take control of our mindset and positively impact our patients' lives. We also dive into the history of Nurses Month, share some hilarious gift memories, and discuss how to support each other on the floor. 

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Key Topics Discussed

• Finding and holding onto your core "Why" in the nursing profession.
• The unique challenges and immense emotional rewards of pediatric emergency nursing.
• A brief look back at the history and evolution of Nurses Month and Nurses Week.
• Hilarious and heartwarming memories of hospital appreciation efforts, from expired skincare baskets to unit spirit weeks.
• The profound importance of mental health breaks, massage chairs, and unit camaraderie to keep our cups full. 

Chapters: 

• [00:00] Welcome to Episode 110 & Happy Nurses Month!
• [01:06] Meet Jess and Sam: Pediatric ER Travel Nurses
• [03:57] Jess's Why: Being a Glimpse of Light on the Worst Days
• [07:27] Sam's Why: Nurturing Spirits and Healing with Little Things
• [11:19] A Brief History of Nurses Week and Nurses Month
• [12:42] The Good, the Bad, and the Expired: Nurses Week Memories
• [16:05] Fostering Joy: Spirit Weeks, Costumes, and Camaraderie
• [20:07] Focusing on Mental Health and Relaxation at Work
• [24:44] AMN Healthcare Month Giveaways and Wrap-up 

Resources Mentioned 

• Learn more about AMN Healthcare and find your next travel assignment: AMN Healthcare 

• Follow along for giveaways, prizes, and community updates on Instagram: @amnnurse (DM the code "AMN Cares" for special prizes!) 

Transcript

00:00:00:09 - 00:00:18:01
Ann
Hey guys. Welcome back to another episode of Nursing Uncharted. Happy nurses month. I'm so excited to be here. And as you can tell, we're back in the Dallas studio. I have two very special nurses with me today. I can't wait to dive into their story. We have a little special treat. You all have to stay tuned for that.

00:00:18:01 - 00:00:42:20
Ann
But today we're really going to focus on our why, why we are nurses and why we continue to do what we do. Before I introduce my two guests, I'll share my personal story as to why I'm a nurse and what keeps me doing what I do. So I became a nurse because I like to help others. My cup is full when I fill other's cups, and it just is something that I keep in the back of my head to remember.

00:00:42:20 - 00:01:06:02
Ann
When I'm having those tough days, when I'm questioning why I'm here. I go back to my original why, and it is to fill my cup with providing care and helping other people. So now I can introduce my two very special guests. I have Justin Sam with me today, so if you wouldn't mind just introducing who you are. And then what you how long you've been a nurse and what specialty you're in.

00:01:06:04 - 00:01:20:10
Jess
Hi. I'm Jess. I've been a pediatric emergency room nurse for. I think we just hit our three year mark. He graduated in December of 2022 and jumped right into pediatric emergency nursing. Oh, wow.

00:01:20:12 - 00:01:21:14
Ann
Right into the air.

00:01:21:15 - 00:01:22:16
Jess
Right into the air.

00:01:22:17 - 00:01:26:08
Ann
That's a that's a great way to just jump start your career.

00:01:26:10 - 00:01:35:20
Sam
Yeah, yeah. New grad residency finished. And decided that's what we loved most. And we want to stay with it and not branch out anywhere else.

00:01:36:00 - 00:01:38:14
Ann
Nice. Yeah. Well, officially introduce yourself.

00:01:38:15 - 00:01:50:20
Sam
My name's Sam. Same thing as herb since nursing school. Two and a half years. Three now, pediatric E.R. nurse. And I want to choose any other specialty I love. But I love it. Yeah.

00:01:50:21 - 00:01:55:23
Ann
Did you guys know that's what you wanted to do right off the bat? Or is it something that you developed through nursing school.

00:01:56:02 - 00:02:14:08
Sam
Towards the last semester of our schools? When I changed my mind. I want to be a nick nurse. Really? Like die hard. Die hard. Nicky nurse. Yes. And then I decided I was like, well, where could we both, like, work together? Because we want to live together and work at the same hospital, but also branch out into different fields.

00:02:14:08 - 00:02:28:18
Sam
So I was like, okay, pediatric E.R. like, we'll get some Nicky babies. We'll get it all. If I really don't like, I'll just switch to Nick you. But then, like, I fell in love with it and I was like, yeah, I will say it because we still get the Nicky babies. But yeah, I mean, I just love the yeah, the adrenaline.

00:02:28:18 - 00:02:29:00
Ann
Yeah.

00:02:29:01 - 00:02:32:06
Sam
The different age ranges, like, you never know what's going to happen.

00:02:32:11 - 00:02:54:10
Ann
And if you can't tell, these two have known each other for a while and they've been traveling and actually doing nursing from the beginning. And we have decided after our initial conversation on that we have a little special treat. So you'll have to stay tuned, but we're going to actually dive a little deeper into their story and how they both ended up here with me today, which I'm very excited for.

00:02:54:10 - 00:03:15:15
Ann
But before we jump into that, this this month for Nurses Month or this year for Nurses Month Am, and is really focused on the why and, you know, nursing has gone through its ups and downs over the last several years. And you guys actually were in school during the dreaded Covid. And, you know, I always hate to go back and blame things on that.

00:03:15:15 - 00:03:40:00
Ann
But, you know, healthcare changed a lot. And, you know, I think that a lot of nurses are leaving the bedside or questioning, leaving the bedside. And I think it is important to focus on why we continue to stay here and why we continue to give ourselves and do what we do every year. So I'm happy that Aman chose this to focus on, and I think it would be good for everyone to hear what our why is and why we stay here.

00:03:40:00 - 00:03:57:12
Ann
Because there are tough days, right? You know, and we have to really dig back and remember why we got into this in the first place. So I know that one of you had a very and I'm going to be full disclosure, I keep getting their names mixed up. And I wasn't going to talk about this, but it is real.

00:03:57:12 - 00:04:08:00
Ann
And this is what this podcast is. I was calling them both the wrong name. And this seems to be a pattern with you guys as well. Everyone gets you, gets you confused. So I apologize in advance.

00:04:08:00 - 00:04:11:09
Jess
It's okay. We probably wouldn't have even corrected it.

00:04:11:11 - 00:04:19:10
Ann
So Jeff, I really liked your why. So if you feel comfortable, I'd love for you to tell. Tell everyone. Like why you got into nursing and why this is so special for you.

00:04:19:15 - 00:04:39:07
Jess
Yes. So I actually come from a full family of law enforcement. My mom and dad growing up both did a lot of stuff with kids. Before my mom was even in law enforcement, she did a lot of stuff with youth like that. Yeah, weren't growing up in the best environments, and I was just always around that with them.

00:04:39:09 - 00:04:58:09
Jess
As I got a little bit older, I knew I wanted to continue what they did with helping others and kids especially obviously everyone. But I was really drawn to like the kids that they helped because the kids never had a choice and the cards they were dealt and like the life that they were living. So that was really like motivating for me to want to try and help out, help out with.

00:04:58:14 - 00:05:15:22
Jess
But there was just no world where I was going to be in law enforcement like no one is. I'm coming after you. Like I'm like, take my stuff. Yeah, I'm good. So when I finally figured out, like, health care was a way I could get into helping people, but not having to do all of the legal stuff. Yes.

00:05:15:22 - 00:05:41:13
Jess
And yeah, anything that requires like muscles, guns, all that stuff. Yeah. I was like, yeah, this is what I want to do. Being able to, gain the trust of families and be like a glimpse of light to them in their worst days, especially in the PGR. A lot of times those families like it's the worst day of their entire life that we're dealing with every single shift.

00:05:41:13 - 00:05:55:08
Jess
For us, it's another day. Yeah, but to those parents, like, they're gonna remember that day forever. So being able to have that small of an impact, everyone's always like, I don't know how you guys do that job. Like, well, someone has to do it, and we're lucky enough to be able to do that.

00:05:55:10 - 00:06:20:03
Ann
I love, I love that. I mean, when we first talked, you didn't get that deep into it. And that really I mean that really thank you for sharing that because it's a really personal connection you have with why you are a nurse. And, you know, I, I think about when you said that is their worst day. And when it comes to kids, we all are in that, you know, in that field is, you know, my I always say my, my job, having a baby is the best in your life.

00:06:20:08 - 00:06:40:13
Ann
And I ruined it for you when you see my face, I ruined that most exciting moment for you. And it's the same being in a pediatric E.R. that is the most terrifying moment for parents and for the kids. Like with me. Thankfully, the babies, they don't talk, you know, but your kids talk to you and it's scary. So thank you for what you both do.

00:06:40:13 - 00:07:04:12
Ann
I mean, that's a that's a job that I always thought I couldn't do. Emergency medicine always has made me excited. And like I'm like, oh, I wish I would've went into the E.R., but PDR is really a a special niche to have. And I'm proud of both of you guys are, you know, in my eyes, like baby nurses, you know, but, you know, to just go into that guns blazing, you know, and just, you know, do what you do is really is really amazing.

00:07:04:12 - 00:07:08:04
Ann
And that story is really touching and really powerful I love that.

00:07:08:06 - 00:07:09:16
Jess
Thank you.

00:07:09:18 - 00:07:24:20
Ann
And see, I'm not to like, put you on. I was like, I should I should have started with you because that's a that's a hard story to follow. But, you know, this is what's important is we all have our different. Why mine's simple. It fills my cup. I like helping other people. It's as simple as that. But, you know, it all matters.

00:07:24:20 - 00:07:27:20
Ann
So, you know, why did you decide to become a nurse?

00:07:27:20 - 00:07:46:02
Sam
I think mine's very similar to you. Like, I've always had a big, nurturing spirit, and I've always want to take care of others around me, especially kids. I used to do a lot of babysitting gigs growing up, nannying. Anything that I could like be with, like a baby is like my dream come true. And like people being like, oh, you're going to make such a great mom one day.

00:07:46:02 - 00:08:04:15
Sam
I'm like, oh, I'm sure. But like, I'm just a kid. And like, I just love your kid because probably because it's not mine yet, but I'm getting to take care of kids and be a nurse at the same time. So I'm helping them no matter what. And it's just I just love children like you're there. Like a parent should never have to, like, outlive their child.

00:08:04:15 - 00:08:29:12
Sam
I think that's horrible. But you're there on their worst day. Yeah, and like with the kid, it's as simple as, like, if you're an adult nurse, like, I'm sure it's it's. I think it's harder than children because you're getting a lot more critical people because you get like gunshot wounds and stuff. But like little kids, it's as simple as, like, blowing bubbles for them like that just makes a 180 like you could blow bubbles for an adult, but it's not the same thing.

00:08:29:12 - 00:08:34:08
Ann
I never looked at it that, you know. Yeah. I mean, the little things can really make a difference.

00:08:34:12 - 00:08:53:12
Sam
Just a little thing. Or giving them an iPad or Play-Doh. It's like, yeah, I just like, put a smile on their face. Even though I walk in the room and they're screaming, crying as soon as they see me because they associate me now with, yeah, like something bad is going to happen to them. Either they're getting a blood draw or medicine that they know they don't like the taste of, but but like, makes my day like, okay, bubbles look so fun.

00:08:53:12 - 00:09:08:15
Sam
Like, you get to blow bubbles. For a kid I was like, your job. Like, it's like 10% of the job. 5%. But it's like it's a little part of it is like, yeah, okay, this is I'm. I can come back tomorrow because I'll see, like a baby that will hopefully have a smile on their face when they later.

00:09:08:20 - 00:09:09:10
Sam
Yeah. You know.

00:09:09:16 - 00:09:24:08
Ann
Well and I think too with the, with the air it's a lot different than working in a inpatient. It's still inpatient. Sorry. You know more of like an ambulatory service like. Yeah. So you're and I think there's there's positives but there are some negatives that come along with that because you don't maybe see what.

00:09:24:10 - 00:09:25:18
Sam
The outcome, the outcome is.

00:09:25:18 - 00:09:44:09
Ann
So I think that that would be hard because I know for NICU, these babies are with us in terms for a year. And you see the outcome. And there's follow up. And, you know, I got a text the other day, you know, for Easter from a family member being like, look, you know, they're a year old, you know, and I showed my I showed my brother and he's like, that's so special that you get those updates.

00:09:44:11 - 00:09:48:22
Ann
But your job, you're just constantly seeing maybe like that.

00:09:48:22 - 00:09:50:07
Sam
It's like a revolving door.

00:09:50:07 - 00:10:04:14
Jess
Yeah. I think you kind of just have to have the mindset of like, once the kid gets admitted or they go home, it's like, okay, they're going to be they got better. That's your end. And yeah, it's like, yeah, I don't follow up. If I don't hear anything, it's a good thing. Yeah. Because I mean they got in.

00:10:04:14 - 00:10:05:16
Jess
That is a good.

00:10:05:16 - 00:10:23:18
Ann
Well that's a good way of, of looking at it. And something that I thought of while you were talking is, you know, the air going back to your why. You know, the air is a place that kids end up after something bad happens. And it's not always that there's something wrong with them. It's to be evaluated after a trauma.

00:10:23:18 - 00:10:30:10
Ann
So you are kind of doing what your parents do, but in a different, a different way.

00:10:30:10 - 00:10:36:03
Jess
The closest type of first responder I think is the emergency nursing. Yeah. Yeah.

00:10:36:05 - 00:10:53:23
Ann
Well, thank you for sharing your wise. I think this is really special because it reminds you even like with me, some of the things that you guys are saying, it's like, no, that's part of my why too. I think we can have more than one why? But just, you know, having that foundation and that, you know, solid ground that keeps us what we're doing is really, really important.

00:10:53:23 - 00:11:19:12
Ann
So let's celebrate Nurses Month a little bit. Let's lighten the mood because I got a little hobby, so I did I did a little deep dive into Nurses Week and Nurses Month. So I think a lot of times we talk about Nurses Week, but actually it is an entire month. But it didn't start out that way. So I don't want to get my dates wrong, but I believe 1974 was the first first time we recognized Nurses Week.

00:11:19:13 - 00:11:40:10
Ann
That's when it first came about, which I thought was kind of kind of interesting. And then it actually wasn't really set in stone until 1993. And that's Nurses Week. And then since 1993, slowly it has now progressed into a month. And that month is May. So when you're listening to this episode, we are in the month of May and we are in Nurses Month.

00:11:40:12 - 00:12:07:08
Ann
So I thought it would be fun to maybe talk about some memories, some positive, some good, some funny things that we that hospitals do. Or you know what even Aman Healthcare has done because I've been traveling now for almost seven years, almost exclusively with Aman. So I see what Aman has done for the nurses over the years. But I think back to what hospitals do for us over, Nurses Week.

00:12:07:08 - 00:12:28:20
Ann
You know, that is something we they do. And maybe you can correct me, but Nurses Month isn't as recognized as much as Nurses Week, which I believe I'm gonna I'm going to refer to my notes because I don't want to say the wrong, the wrong time, but it is May 6th through the 12th is Nurses Week. I think that those are the days that hospitals like set for us.

00:12:28:20 - 00:12:42:10
Ann
Yeah. So is there something I know we talked about this a little bit, but is there something like what is the most memorable good bad whatever Nurses Week memory you guys have in your in your career.

00:12:42:12 - 00:13:02:03
Jess
Oh we we were talking about this before. We were trying to think of because we get like a little gift basket. Yeah. And two years ago before we were travelers were still staff I remember she was super excited because they were giving us a bunch of like skincare which is awesome. We were both super into it. I go into her room, we're roommates, by the way.

00:13:02:08 - 00:13:17:00
Jess
I'll go into her room and like most nights of the week, face mask and I might think jumpscare, but face mask? She loves her skincare. So like, oh my gosh, we got a skincare basket, pulls it out everything. At least two years expired but.

00:13:17:00 - 00:13:28:05
Sam
The and like it was there you went. I wish like we couldn't make this up like that for was there. Everyone got their own little personalized goodie bags. Like it was like oh I got this in mine, but you got this like, let's swap it out. Or like, oh.

00:13:28:05 - 00:13:28:22
Ann
Yeah, that's fine.

00:13:28:23 - 00:13:40:00
Sam
But yeah, it's like presents, you know. Yeah. And then I'm like, oh, well now I know why there's so many and why they're being so generous because it's all expired.

00:13:40:02 - 00:13:43:20
Ann
Like just skincare expire. I mean, I guess an SPF can.

00:13:43:20 - 00:13:44:06
Sam
Yeah.

00:13:44:09 - 00:13:49:05
Ann
But does it I mean, I don't know much about skincare. I'm very basic. I only really care about my hair.

00:13:49:05 - 00:14:02:12
Sam
So I think it was it was like a skin tint. So SPF and so makeup in it. So that would expire. I don't know about like the moisturizer, hand lotions. There's probably a time limit on those, but you can there was like an actual right an expert I'm sure like.

00:14:02:12 - 00:14:07:10
Jess
They I'm assuming they weren't opened. So maybe that would make the ten.

00:14:07:12 - 00:14:08:16
Sam
Years I would have.

00:14:08:19 - 00:14:11:23
Jess
Been younger. I mean.

00:14:12:01 - 00:14:22:03
Ann
I mean, it was a nice thought. Yeah. You know, that it is. It is, gosh, you know, we always say Nurses Week. How do we feel appreciated. It's usually with a pizza party, right? Yeah.

00:14:22:03 - 00:14:23:11
Sam
Yeah. I say nude any day.

00:14:23:11 - 00:14:30:06
Ann
It's the joke of nurses, you know. How do they how do they make us feel appreciated. And it's always a pizza party.

00:14:30:07 - 00:14:38:09
Jess
Well, I've seen the joke. Even better. It's like, how do you feel? Appreciated. The day shift nurses at the pizza party in the night shift is the leftovers there? I mean, he says.

00:14:38:11 - 00:14:50:16
Ann
I know it's like, not fair that we that it's like that and it is like night shift nurses. I'm sorry for your night shift nurses. You do get not forgotten about, but you're made to feel that you're forgotten about a little bit.

00:14:50:16 - 00:14:53:16
Jess
When we got the least expired stuff and they had to pick through, like.

00:14:53:16 - 00:14:54:18
Sam
There was nothing like.

00:14:54:20 - 00:14:56:17
Jess
The sense that no one wanted. Yeah.

00:14:56:18 - 00:15:00:13
Ann
Oh, no. Was this a hospital wide or was this a unit specific?

00:15:00:15 - 00:15:01:20
Sam
I think it was a hospital.

00:15:01:20 - 00:15:08:13
Jess
Yeah. Yeah. Because they had. Yeah. One of the floors that hospital had was like an outdoor area. Or we could go in like there's a station.

00:15:08:15 - 00:15:09:14
Sam
There's stations to.

00:15:09:14 - 00:15:11:08
Jess
Get stuff up. Yeah. So we went, oh the.

00:15:11:08 - 00:15:26:23
Sam
Nurses I know they do like you week. They do air week, which is like emergency week to one more day. So I know each one. But this was like the whole hospital because there was like like the doctors and nurses, everyone was showing up to the like outdoor thing. Night. So I don't think it was just E.R. nurses.

00:15:26:23 - 00:15:34:10
Ann
Yeah, well, I'm sorry it was expired. That is a really like I mean, probably half of my products are expiring.

00:15:34:10 - 00:15:36:07
Jess
So how you lotions for like.

00:15:36:07 - 00:15:42:07
Sam
I still have the hand lotion in my work bag. Yeah. Well they expired, so. Yeah I think. Yeah.

00:15:42:07 - 00:16:05:19
Ann
Is there, is there like is there a positive one even if it wasn't like a gift. But is there something that like a, like a hospital or even your, even your colleagues do for you. I mean I think that's something to highlight is as nurses we want to help each other and make each other feel appreciated. So is there something that you you've experienced through Nurses Month, Nurses Week that someone really has made you feel appreciated?

00:16:05:21 - 00:16:25:01
Jess
Well, I know, I mean, I guess I wasn't like a specific person, but our like hospital unit, like the unit council. Yeah. They had us do a spirit week and you got to dress up especially being in pediatrics. It was really cute because like it was a Disney day, there's like a twin day. So of course we went all out.

00:16:25:04 - 00:16:25:16
Jess
Oh gosh.

00:16:25:17 - 00:16:27:05
Ann
You guys were the best twins ever.

00:16:27:05 - 00:16:28:17
Jess
Right? Yeah. All of a sudden.

00:16:28:19 - 00:16:31:06
Sam
Like, we had socks that they connect.

00:16:31:07 - 00:16:32:10
Jess
Like the hands are like.

00:16:32:15 - 00:16:33:22
Sam
There's like metal and. Yeah.

00:16:34:04 - 00:16:43:17
Ann
Oh my gosh. And you know that just I mean it feels it fills your cap hearing on my my why my cup. But it also helps the kids. Yeah. Right. Like that's that's a lovely that's.

00:16:43:17 - 00:16:48:11
Jess
Another thing like in our every single holiday like yesterday was Easter.

00:16:48:13 - 00:16:51:21
Sam
She brought I brought a bunch of bunny ears for everyone to wear.

00:16:51:23 - 00:16:54:06
Jess
Like everyone in the unit. Oh I love yeah.

00:16:54:07 - 00:17:21:21
Ann
I like we're very similar because I like I'm the same way when stuff. Yeah. Like when it's Christmas or whatever, Halloween, whatever holiday. I will find a reason to wear a headband because it's something. As nurses, we can't always dress up, especially in the NICU or if we're doing a sterile procedure or something. You can't have, you know, all these elaborate costumes, but those little things you can do that just bring a smile to even your coworkers face, you know, the yeah, yeah, like that's really special.

00:17:21:21 - 00:17:25:07
Ann
But did I feel like I may have cut you off when you were saying no?

00:17:25:07 - 00:17:31:17
Jess
So yeah, they're just spirit week. They have. I appreciated how they did that for us. There was really fun things that week. I think we had like a sports day.

00:17:31:17 - 00:17:41:15
Sam
Sports day. I've had her. We did one where she painted my face like a deer and she was a mouse, so I had deer antlers and deer makeup. We are not a team.

00:17:41:15 - 00:17:43:09
Jess
I know. Oh, he's a deer for Halloween.

00:17:43:10 - 00:17:44:13
Ann
I'm like.

00:17:44:15 - 00:17:52:22
Sam
Very similar. Like, that's why I like I love pediatrics because I'm like as an adult, if I showed up like that to like an adult yard, they'd be like, well, you need to check yourself, you.

00:17:52:22 - 00:17:59:00
Jess
Know, are you imagine an adult like, you go into an adult room when they're in a bad mood, and you walk in and your nurse is like a reindeer. They're gonna like.

00:17:59:06 - 00:18:11:16
Sam
They were like, snap your head into that. I mean, but the kids, like, the parents are like, wow. Like we had a great nurse. Like she dressed like a deer. And, you know, my kid wasn't that scared because it's exactly like a horse costume party or so. Yeah.

00:18:11:16 - 00:18:12:19
Jess
So much. You know what?

00:18:12:19 - 00:18:13:19
Sam
Forget your at the hospital.

00:18:13:19 - 00:18:35:17
Ann
It made it makes like it makes it real. Like, you know, one of my very favorite episodes that I did, my first year of hosting this podcast is I had a family come on over Christmas, and I actually got in trouble. I don't know if you guys listened to this episode or not, but I got I actually got in trouble because I was singing a Christmas song into an elf microphone, and it offended somebody like a colleague.

00:18:35:18 - 00:18:56:09
Ann
I ended up being a personal issue more than anything, but this family member on the on the podcast, on the recording, they said that was what got them through. This is a baby born at like 24 weeks, and it was on Christmas. And they came into the unit and they saw me with jingle bells singing into a microphone, and they were like, okay, this isn't scary.

00:18:56:11 - 00:19:19:02
Ann
This isn't as scary as I thought it was going to be. So it brings even though, like, we have to be professional, we have to make sure that we're not doing things too outlandish, but it really it keeps it keeps things real and it brings people down from this really high, heightened, emotional, scary moment and makes it a little less scary.

00:19:19:04 - 00:19:39:17
Ann
And, you know, I think especially in the world, it's so it's so important. So I'm glad that you work somewhere that recognizes that and can allow you, you know, celebrate you and you know, and have those abilities to dress up and make things less, less scary and like where I'm from. So as a traveler, it's kind of hard because I'm not always working.

00:19:39:17 - 00:20:07:01
Ann
Yeah, during nurse's month or nurse's week, because we do have those little breaks between assignments, as you guys know. But back at my home hospital, we did we had a chaplain who was really involved with a unit specific chaplain just for NICU, and she would go above and beyond with our march of Dimes coordinator and really make us feel special, like she was a Reiki, instructor or I don't practitioner.

00:20:07:01 - 00:20:24:19
Ann
I'm not sure of the correct. Sorry. I'm not sure the correct way to say that, but she would do Reiki on the nurses and we had like this small room. Like our conference room was set up as a spa room, and they really focused on relaxation and the mental health for us. You know, it's great to get a gift, right.

00:20:24:19 - 00:20:48:23
Ann
So if we're going to talk about my favorite memory, it was that unit and those two individuals that really went above and beyond to make us feel emotionally happy and emotionally safe. And I think that that's something that I always look forward to in Nurses Month and Nurses Week is focusing on, like what we do and ways to help us get through those hard days.

00:20:48:23 - 00:21:11:09
Ann
You know, you guys see bad all the time. You know, it's it's an air. So no one's coming through those doors. Like, this was the best day of my life. You know, it's always just. This is scary. This is sad. This is, you know, the unknown. So it's nice to really have the ability to take take a step back and focus on your, your well-being.

00:21:11:11 - 00:21:19:12
Ann
So hopefully that's something that can happen for you guys. You know I don't know. Has anything ever is anyone done anything like that or have you experienced anything like that.

00:21:19:14 - 00:21:22:00
Jess
We've had break rooms decorated.

00:21:22:01 - 00:21:36:15
Sam
Yeah. Oh we my favorite memory from like our old hospital where we were staff at, they had massage chairs in like, it was like the, the, an occupational health area. So like during our lunch break, we would go eat our lunch and the massage chairs and on.

00:21:36:15 - 00:21:45:07
Jess
Yeah, on days where it was like we were having a where we could. Yeah, we had our lunches at the same time. We'd be like, mic time and massage chair.

00:21:45:07 - 00:21:52:22
Sam
And it's usually on a day where we were like, it was a rough day. And we're like, If I'm texting you, mic, that means like and massage like that.

00:21:52:23 - 00:21:56:16
Jess
It was like a mental break, like, go there, no phones, just massage. And it just.

00:21:56:16 - 00:21:57:14
Ann
Was like all all.

00:21:57:14 - 00:22:00:00
Sam
Year, all year. It was always just for that. But like but.

00:22:00:00 - 00:22:05:03
Jess
Like even like how they do those type of mental health stuff. Yeah. Like to help the nurses.

00:22:05:03 - 00:22:16:23
Ann
Well not to think it can be something that even comes into play during nurse's week. You know that gift I one travel assignment I was on, they got like a foot massager and you would put the booties on. So it wasn't it was sanitary.

00:22:16:23 - 00:22:17:22
Sam
You still have to practice.

00:22:17:22 - 00:22:38:11
Ann
You put the booties on, you know, to keep it sanitary cause everyone's putting their feet in these massagers. But, you know, it's something that stayed beyond nurse's week. You know, those like, little moments. You can just decompress, step away and have the ability to just have a zen, a Zen moment. So I love that. I'm glad. I'm glad that, you know, we talk about the funny things like the do we feel appreciated.

00:22:38:11 - 00:23:00:16
Ann
But, you know, there are there are little things, there are little things. And I think that the doctors really make an effort to make us feel appreciated during that time, too, which is is a nice reminder because sometimes there's that, you know, nurse physician relationship. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's nice to, you know, see that kind of go away for a little bit because I think at the end of the day, the doctors do really appreciate what, what we do.

00:23:00:16 - 00:23:08:00
Ann
Yeah. Yeah I agree. So is there anything you're looking forward to this year for Nurses Week. What would you love to see.

00:23:08:02 - 00:23:10:12
Sam
Oh gosh. Well this year.

00:23:10:14 - 00:23:23:10
Jess
Is tough because we're going to be in between contracts. Yes. But I just love seeing like all the campaign stuff online. Yeah. Like the Nurses Week videos that people put out. I like seeing all the different spirit weeks that people.

00:23:23:12 - 00:23:31:08
Sam
Also will be our first nurses week in month, not out of staff hospital. Oh yeah. So are you interested to see like if we are.

00:23:31:11 - 00:23:32:13
Jess
Like if we are starting a new.

00:23:32:13 - 00:23:37:14
Sam
Contract, like how they'll incorporate incorporate travelers into that. Yeah.

00:23:37:17 - 00:23:54:01
Ann
That's right. You haven't you haven't seen them. No. Well I can tell you from my experience, most units even going in as a traveler, you feel like part of the staff. It's not really separated. And I've always gotten the nurses Nurses Week gift. Usually there's a gift from the manager. You know, she'll do a little something special for everyone.

00:23:54:01 - 00:24:21:13
Ann
And I, thankfully have always been included. But it's a good point, you know? But I think speaking to what you were just saying about the campaigns online, you know, even in between assignments and we're doing this podcast, we're highlighting why we're highlighting the nurses and, and nurse. Instagram really focuses year round on making us feel appreciated and making us feel like we are needed.

00:24:21:15 - 00:24:44:12
Ann
And that all this hard work, stress between assignments, it's all worth it. And having a good travel agency to stay with you even during those gaps is also really important. So thank you guys so much for being here today and sharing your personal why. I know that it touched me and everyone listening will definitely take something from this.

00:24:44:13 - 00:25:10:19
Ann
So on behalf of all of us here, Happy Nurses Month everybody! Be sure to tune in to Amman Nurse on Instagram for some very special giveaways, prizes and discounts all month long for a very special prize. The first two people to DM at Amman Nurse on Instagram with the code Amman Cares will win two very special prizes. Thank you girls so much for being here with me today.

00:25:10:19 - 00:25:13:00
Sam
Thank you. Thank you for having us.

00:25:13:01 - 00:25:22:17
Ann
Of course, and everyone listening. Happy Nurses Month.

00:25:22:19 - 00:25:45:05
Ann
Thank you for tuning into Nursing Uncharted. You can learn more about this episode and our show on our website at AMN. Health care.com. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend and subscribe to our show on your favorite podcast platform. You can also find show updates and nursing opportunities on our Instagram at AMN nurse. Special thanks to Aman Healthcare for making this show possible.