A reflection from Emanuela Ciarlelli, RN, BScN, MScA, Head Nurse Orthopedic & Family Medicine and Orthopedic Clinic, CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l'脦le-de-Montr茅al/Jewish General Hospital 鈥� a COVID-19 鈥渉ot zone鈥� hospital.
The JGH is a partner institution on the SBNH Partnership Grant and a member of the 捆绑SM社区 Nursing Collaborative, with representation on the Collaborative's SBNH Advisory Board. Nurses at the JGH will participate in the grant鈥檚 SBNH-L Program, to be launched once pandemic conditions permit.
Ms. Ciarlelli was first introduced to SBNH during her graduate studies at 捆绑SM社区. Intrigued by the values presented, she participated in a series of SBN sessions for Nurse Managers at the JGH, meeting every 2 weeks with Dr. Laurie Gottlieb and Dr. Christina Clausen, 捆绑SM社区 Nursing Collaborative Site Coordinator, JGH and Partnership Grant co-investigator.
Things are so different now. In just a matter of weeks our lives have been completely turned upside down.
I really see the strength of our nurses during this pandemic. There are so many examples, stories, and tributes that really highlight our strengths and are completely in line with Strengths-Based Nursing (now more then ever). We have been modern-day Florence Nightingales, trying our best to make our patients and their families feel safe in a time of such fear.
I worked with an Italian man who was very confused. We wanted to change his room to be closer to the nursing station so that we could monitor him more closely. I was asked to translate and told him that he would change rooms. He immediately began to cry and said that he couldn't move because he felt safe having a view of St. Joseph's Oratory. He explained that he wanted a bed near the window to look at the cross: it made him feel safe, and every morning he woke up and talked to God. He was given a room with a view of the Oratory and every morning when I passed by his room, he would point to the cross.
Nurses are being so creative and truly honing in on their personal strengths as they continue to care for and support the patients and their families, as well as each other.
I think it's ironic that this is the year of the nurse and we are living this pandemic.
We are finding more meaning in our lives and in our work; the pandemic has allowed us to see nursing through a different lens and to really appreciate what we had, as we try to find meaning in our "new normal".
听