A word to my critics

Lately I have been having a hard time at work. The culture there is oppressive, discourages initiative and loves micromanagement. Some of the senior staff seem to have targeted me as a trouble maker and are intent on seeing me fail. This is discouraging. Because of this pressure and constant scrutiny I find that I am making the very 'mistakes' they claim to be trying to help me with. I become nervous and the over-thinking and looking over my shoulder is burning me out on a ward I didn't ask to be posted to in the first place, but I digress. 

Today a pt reported that they have severe pain that was not there yesterday. They had informed nurses on the previous two shifts - nothing had been done about it other than pain relief. I on the other hand inspected the site, determined that the area was swollen, warm and painful to touch. I then informed the doctor directly (which is frowned on in this ward... You should tell the coordinator—who already knew—more stifling of initiative). The doctor said it was the first they had heard about it, ordered an X-ray which subsequently showed that the metalwork holding a broken bone together had snapped. This is what a good nurse does: they listen, they observe and they act. Anyone who thinks I can't do my job can ask this patient - they'll tell you what's the score. 

In closing I thought I'd post a brilliant quote that I used to encourage a friend today and in doing so reminded myself what's important: to stay in the fight and see it through. 

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

I know who I am
Christopher