In 1972 we used glass thermometers that contained mercury.

Mercury expands when its heated, so if a thermometer was

washed in hot water it could shoot out and contaminate God
only knows what. I wonder how many people were poisoned
because a kid or untrained person unknowingly dropped, or
worse still, washed a thermometer in hot water! When taking
temperatures for 7-10 patients, each patients thermometer had
to be shaken down sharply to get the mercury down below the
97 degree mark. Shaking your wrist sharply to get all of those
thermometers down is hard. Now we use electronic
thermometers with little plastic covers and the thermometer
resets after each use

Intravenous Medications Have Changed

To calculate the rate the infusion in the earlier days of nursing,
we had to count the drops per minute. We held our watches
beside the drip chambers and increased or decreased the drip
rate repeatedly until the drips were at the proper rate. Now we
have computers that deliver the medicine or fluid at the correct
set rate

Nursing Uniforms
Nurses once wore their glory, another name for their school
caps. Bobby pins held them in place and had to be readjusted
during the day when knocked around by IV tubings or patients.
White uniforms, stockings (or socks if wearing pant suit
uniforms) and white clinic tie-up shoes were the ONLY uniforms
allowed.

I never understood why white was chosen in such a potentially

messy profession. These days, no one wears a nurses cap. Now
whatever color your unit or hospital chooses is fine for your
uniform. Your uniform is now a styled top with matching solid
colored pants. Clogs, good quality walking/running shoes with
socks are allowed now instead of the clunky clinic shoes.

Patient Advocacy
Patients looked to us to be their advocates to the doctors. Now
the doctors and the patients depend more on us to communicate
for them to each other.

Patient Attitude about Hospital Admission

Many older patients thought of the hospital as the place where
their older family members went to die. Now, hopefully, most
people think of the hospital as a place of healing and care.

tresses of Nursing
The stress of nursing comes down to patient loads, lack of help,
and increasing demand to learn new things. Now, nurses have
many of the same stresses but also have computerized charting
and drug distribution.

There are also constantly new medicines to learn about, and new
policies to go to class for or be responsible for. There are more
treatments, tests, orders, procedures, known diseases, symptoms,
and complications to be aware of and a greater potential for
lawsuits. More emotional and physical stress comes from under-
staffing and patient loads, less time to take breaks or even go to
the bathroom sometimes
Bedside Nursing Skills
Sick and suffering people need not only our technical training,
but our compassion and support. Today we have these same
challenges but we have more understanding of emotional stress
and its effects on our patients, how they deal with it and its
effects on us. We have learned to be patient with the demanding
patient, the angry family, the overloaded co-worker, and
ourselves when we are stressed out.

Unchanged Facets of Nursing

Many technical changes have taken place over my career in
nursing began. But there are many things that have not changed.
Seeing a suffering patient relax, smile, and nod off to sleep after
receiving their pain medicine has always been rewarding.
Decreasing a patients fears by promising to stay with them until
they go to sleep has always been rewarding.

Watching a paralyzed patient progress from depression and

frustration to enthusiasm and independence again has always
been a pleasure beyond words! Comforting a dying patient after
a long illness, though sad, gives relief to the patient and their
families. It gives nurses feelings of pride that we can provide
some support for them.

People Have the Same Basic Needs

Over the years I have also found that people from different
cultures or beliefs all have basic needs, fears and emotions; all of
them love someone and most are loved by someone. They all
need our patience, understanding, education, and emotional
support.

Nurses Have the Same Basic Caring Attitudes

Nurses have not changed that much in their innate compassion,
responses to the pain or suffering of others. They still weep with
families. They still spend time with patients when they really
dont have the time to. They still give a good night hug to a child
or elderly patient or even a kiss on the cheek to someone
lonesome. I have found the emotional and physical strength of
nurses to be amazing.

Nurses are Healers

Nurses touch, help, teach, support, heal and comfort in death.
Our very presence, knowledge, compassion, and action is vital to
our patients care. We are with them all day and see changes
when they happen, get lab results and notify the doctors, admit
patients, share their concerns. We forge relationships quickly
with total strangers and gain their trust, which is a miraculous
feat in itself both then and now.

There have been many changes in nursing over 38 years.

Nursing has grown and changed in some ways. But the basic
people skills we have may be the most important unchanged
healing offering we have to give.