Celebrating story

There is immense power in the sharing of stories and nursing is a profession that thrives on stories. We talk all day and sometimes all night to people and their families, sharing stories of lives well lived, people well loved and hopes for the future. 

It is important that we share these tales to find out what makes people tick and how we can best help them. Talking things through also helps some to share the burden of caring. It is possible to hear amazing stories, there is something in everyone's life that is special or unusual or amazing.

Some stories involve travel...

Lived patient experience tells us what we are actually achieving compared to what we hope to achieve. Books such as Michael Rosen's Many different kinds of love shines a light on what we do and how it looks from the other side. One of the bits that stopped me in my tracks was when he says about 'whatever it is they do when they look at you for half a minute then write something down'. (Respiratory rate by the way should always be done over a full 60 seconds but that is another story). The story we tell ourselves about nursing may look very different to those observing us. We often talk about perception and how what we are doing may look completely different to an onlooker. You know that you are looking up medication in the BNF and being quizzed by your supervisor, but from the outside it is two nurses stood together looking at a mobile phone. The story is not always right.

...some stories are about choices...

As nurses, we become part of peoples stories, for good or for bad. We become entangled in the story of their life even if only fleetingly. Maybe a tiny footnote in a giant chapter. 

There are so many stories of those who have gone before us. Historical novels such as Lillian Harry's A girl called Thursday about the work of the Voluntary Aid Detachment, Rick Jolly's Red and green life machine about caring in the hostile conditions of the Falkland Islands at war and biographies such as Edith Cavell by Diana Souhami give us a glimpse of other peoples lives.

...and some stories are daring tales of adventure

Wherever your story takes you make sure that you share it with others and listen to other people. You never know what you will find out.

~ Thanks for reading ~