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Transcript

An Informal Interview with Michelle Whittaker

Who is Michelle?

What was the most inspirational moment of your career?

What is the best advice that you could give a novice nurse?

Has there ever been a time that you reconsidered your choice to become a nurse?

  • Director of Perioperative care, St. Luke's Medical Center, Columbus NC
  • MSN, BSN, BA Business
  • Veteran Nurse of 30+ years

How do you think this impacts you in your work?

"I think that it would have to be the same as the more difficult aspect of my job; the fact that my staff come to me for their problems. I love the fact that they are comfortable enough to talk with me about their personal lives and whatever they're going through. But it can be completely exhausting, to be honest."

"Do you want the pc answer or the real answer?

There will come a point in your nursing career that you ask yourself 'why the .... am I a nurse'? If this life was meant for you, your next patient will usually reaffirm your answer. I don't think that we become nurses for ourselves; we become nurses for our patients."

"I think that it makes me want to continue to be that boss. I like that I am that understanding and compassionate. I have personally worked for supervisors who didn't have an 'open-door' policy and I think that has made it that much more important that I have one."

"Don't let anyone be mean to you. It's kind of like a country club; there will be some snobs that will want you to prove that you're a good nurse. They're going to put you through your paces because they want to know that they can count on you in a crisis. Don't let it bother you. Use all of your resources. Never be afraid to ask questions. Ask for help when you need it. Give help when you can. Know that you will never know everything. "

Final Thoughts

Why did you become a nurse?

What is the best way to deal with "that one Doctor"?

What is the hardest part of what you do?

"It's actually a personal story. I went through one of the worst situations of my life. I was originally studying a degree in engineering when this happened. All through the experience, a nurse was there. She held my hand from start to finish. It could have been the worst moment of my life (and it was very close to it), but because of her compassion and understanding, she changed my life. I wanted to be that person for others. I wanted to become a nurse like her."

"Make sure that you know your stuff. You have to anticipate his questions and have answers readily available. Ask only pertinent questions. Be succinct. If you're unsure of how do deal with this Doctor, always ask a veteran nurse. Odds are, they'll have all the answers because they've been putting up with doctors like this for years."

What are some of the more difficult decisions that you make?

"As a nursing director, I am faced with difficult decisions every day. It's not the medical decisions that I worry about, but rather the interpersonal ones. I govern several different departments, all of whom have different nursing staff. I have always been the type of boss who has believed in an open door policy. All of my staff come to me for help in their professional and personal lives. Those have been some of my hardest decisions: delegating a fair, yet compassionate environment for my staff."

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