One day late last year, I was helping my mother "sort and pitch" the years of collected "treasures" in her attic. Much to my surprise, I came across a box labeled "Sue's Memories." Just what would be in that box from so long ago? This was one of the many treasures I found, still in its frame, which I had hanging on my wall in my dorm room while I was in nursing school.
WHAT IS A STUDENT NURSE?
Student nurses are found everywhere-underneath, on top of, running around, jumping over, or slithering past patients' beds. Doctors yell at them, head nurses criticize them, residents overlook them, mothers worry about them, and patients love them.
A student nurse is courage under a cap, a smile in snowy white, strength in a starched uniform, and energy that is endless. Just when she is gaining poise and prestige, she drops a glass, breaks a syringe, or steps on a doctor's foot.
A student nurse is a composite. She eats like a team of hungry interns and works like the whole nursing staff put together. She has the speed of a gazelle, the strength of an ox, the quickness of a cat, the endurance of a flagpole sitter, and the capabilities of Florence Nightingale, Linda Richards, and Clara Barton all rolled into one white uniform.
To the head nurse, she has the stability of mush, the fleetness of a snail, the mentality of a mule, and is held together by starch, adhesive tape, and strained nerves. To an alumna, she will never work as hard, carry more trays, make more beds, or scrub for more cases than her predecessors.
A student nurse likes days off, boys of her own age, the operating room, affiliations, certain doctors, pretty clothes, her roommate, mom and dad, and yes her school of nursing. She is not much on days off with class, alarm clocks, getting up for roll call, and corn beef every Tuesday. She is Faith with a hypo in her hand; Hope with a patched uniform; and Love with her hair clipped short.
No one else looks so much to a day off or so little to working 3 to 11. No one else gets so much pleasure from straightening a wrinkled sheet or wetting a pair of parched lips. No one else can cram into one little head the course of disease, the bones comprising the pelvis, what to do for a patient in shock, plus the top 10 tunes on the Hit Parade.
A student nurse is a wonderful creature; you can criticize her but you can't discourage her. You can hurt her feelings but you can't make her quit. Might as well admit it whether you are head nurse, doctor, chaplain, or patient, she is your personal representative of the hospital and your living symbol of faith and sympathetic care.
She may not be glamorous, intriguing, sophisticated, or sly, but with truth in her heart, she is a shining example of the American way. She is hard working, a determined young girl doing her best for her faith, her school, and her hospital.
Whenever she becomes discouraged or the lamp gets too heavy, she should remember that there is a reward waiting for her, because surely some of God's angels wear white caps instead of halos and carry medicine trays instead of harps. And when hours are long, studies are hard, when fatigue and discouragement are on her threshold, she is re-inspired by looking forward to the day when she can proudly say
I'm a Nurse.
Author Unknown
Wow!! What memories flooded back in, the paper yellowed after all these years. I read and reread this with tears misting my vision. My parents so proud of me, who encouraged me to pursue my dream, the trials, and tribulations I experienced until I was able to proudly say, "I am a Nurse." Remembering that I graduated from nursing school on Father's Day; what a gift to my dad, and now my dad is no longer with me.
So, what is the message and why from the president of PSNCB? We should be just as proud to say, "I am a Certified Plastic Surgical Nurse." However, to proudly say these words, we must take the examination and then every 3 years provide the documentation that we have taken courses or attended seminars to demonstrate our continued excellence in the field of plastic surgery nursing. As a CPSN, you are charged with obtaining 30 contact hours specific to plastic surgery nursing. What is plastic surgery nursing-specific content? A few examples are craniofacial, cleft care, burn care, wound care, breast reconstruction, breast augmentation, nonsurgical approaches to facial rejuvenation, to name just a few. Content that is not considered plastic surgery nursing-specific includes breast cancer overview, advanced cardiac life support, basic life support, pain management in post-operative care, patient education. These are considered general nursing content and may be used for the remaining 15 contact hours required to reach the required 45 contact hours. However, if the course is Patient Education for the Patient/Family With a Craniofacial Anomaly, this is a plastic surgery nursing-specific course. The question also comes up regarding attending physician meetings and using Continuing Medical Education. Remember, the content must be Nursing specific. This is a nursing specialty not a medical board specialty.
We are 335 members strong, I encourage those who haven't taken the examination to obtain a core curriculum, and/or the CD-ROM, start studying, and take the examination. For those of you with your CPSN, congratulations, continue to obtain your contact hours, and if you have questions or concerns regarding a course, contact PSNCB at the National Office.
ASPSN Certification Grants
In its continued effort to work collaboratively with physicians and nurses to impact opportunities to promote and acquire knowledge, Allergan Academy will again provide certification grants for the 2008 CPSN examination.
To qualify for an Allergan Certification grant one must be a registered nurse, a member of ASPSN, meet the specific criteria for certification, and complete and submit an application form prior to August 21, 2008. Application grants and Certification Pamphlets are available via the ASPSN Web site http://www.aspsn.org or by contacting ASPSN National office at 800-272-0136 or 850-473-2443.
Allergan Academy certification grants will cover the cost of taking the certification examination (to be held on Friday, October 31, 2008) and will be presented to recipients at the ASPSN National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, at the Awards Ceremony. The certification grant must be used at any time during the year following presentation. If a recipient has taken the certification examination at the 2008 ASPSN National Convention prior to the Awards Ceremony, a reimbursement check will be presented.
ASPSN and PSNCB thank Allergan Academy for once again sponsoring nursing education endeavors.
Sue Kunz, BS, RN, CPSN
President, PSNCB