Stories of Florence Nightingale’s compassion, bravery, and leadership have shaped modern nursing and influenced and inspired millions. As we celebrate the 200th anniversary of her birth, we are honored to shine a light on today’s #NurseHeroes on the front lines by sharing some of their stories.
This is Jessica’s story.
“I feel most accomplished when I am able to successfully help an employee, a student, or my patient learn something new.”
Describe why you chose to become a nurse
Honestly, I don’t remember what led me down that path. As soon as I attended my first nursing class though, I knew I had made the right decision. Nursing is a passion that has grown for me with every class, every patient, and every experience. I remember wanting to be a teacher as a child, it seemed right to spend 10 years of my career working as an adjunct clinical instructor. I cannot imagine choosing any other profession.
Describe your most rewarding day on the job
My most rewarding day comes from my passion for teaching. I feel most accomplished when I am able to successfully help an employee, a student, or my patient learn something new. I feel really great when they have that “click” or “A-Ha!” moment and truly understand.
Describe your most challenging day on job
My most challenging day on the job is when we have a death, even an expected one. While I find these moments very rewarding to care for a dying patient and their family, it is definitely a challenge to keep emotions in check. I enjoy spending time with these patients and their families, sometimes that’s hard when you have other patients depending on your care.
Do you have any nurse hacks or lessons learned in the field you would like to share with others?
Not so much a hack, just some advice… you don’t know everything. You can’t judge your patients unless you’ve walked in their shoes. Be humble when someone corrects you when you are wrong. Learn from your mistakes. I used to tell my students at the end of each clinical day, “If you didn’t learn something, you didn’t try hard enough.”
What’s a favorite quote of yours?
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
Anything else you’d like to share?
2020 is the year of the nurse! Keep going, stay strong and stay safe! Encourage each other and make a positive impact on the health and well-being of others!
For those looking for a way to help others, is there a charity you suggest?
Nebraska Methodist College Student Fund. I attended this private institution and found that the education they provide is excellent. They provided an experience and the support needed to thrive and find my passion. Right now they are working hard to support students who are without income due to COVID-19.
Thank you for all you do, Jessica!
Jessica’s Nomination
Jessica Kane was promoted almost a year ago into her position and since then she has developed an amazing team. Her ability to keep adapting to any situation is a key to her success. Jessica always has a willingness to help and support staff. I appreciate Jessica’s concern and compassion for the patient and her co-workers.
– Tyler Hill MSN, RN
Clarinda Regional Health Center
Thank you for helping us honor Jessica and the profession of nursing, Tyler. We salute you!
Do you have a story to share?
While our team at ShiftWizard believes all nurses are heroes, we’d like to hear who you feel has gone above and beyond. Help us honor a fellow nurse or nurse leader whose actions have inspired others in these unprecedented times, and let’s celebrate nursing together!
Did you know that ShiftWizard significantly lowers staffing costs for healthcare organizations?
These are incredibly challenging times for nurses as well as the organizations they serve, and there’s no better time to learn how ShiftWizard can deliver significant cost savings and best prepare your team for success. One client saved over two million dollars in overtime costs within the first eight months with ShiftWizard.
Our industry-leading workforce management solution is quick to implement and was developed by nurses— it is built specifically for healthcare and solves the complexities of scheduling staff for any department within a hospital. And, especially for times like these, our powerful communication center excels at getting messages (text, email, and automated calls) to staff securely and quickly, maximizing accountability and teamwork.
We are honored to support our frontline teams and we are here to help you meet your challenges head on.
Send your nurse story to us at info@shiftwizard.com or let us know how we can help you.
