Helping Nurses Decide Which One They Want To Be

Posts by Rich Willliams

My Fifteen Minutes Of Fame Was With Russell Crowe


 Written by Rich Willliams

In 1991 I was flatting with the actor Steve Bastoni and he was good friends with Russell Crowe. I had come to live with Steve as I had just separated from my first wife and found the room on offer in the newspaper affordable and close to where I worked. Steve took pity on me and he wanted to help reconnect me to the social scene. Going out on the town with actors (I am a nurse) was an amazing experience.

 

On the occasions that I went out on the town in Sydney with Russell Crowe and Steve Bastoni were certainly memorable and there is no doubt that the more popular celebs don’t have to cue to get into night clubs.

I can see why Russell Crowe has over the years obtained the bad boy label but having the opportunity to get to know him a bit I feel that when you get to know him he is not a bad bloke, it’s just that he has a shorter then average fuse and likes his privacy. This is what makes him who he is so I believe we should embrace Russell for who he is and not ever look to expect him to change into someone more user friendly for the media.

Actors are artists and like many artists have their eccentricities that make them who they are so to try and change him you risk changing the creative genius that has over the years brought us so many outstanding performances in his many movie roles.

 

I remember how the movie “Romper Stomper” was in the pipeline back then and how much preparation and research Russell Crowe put into his role which is now recognized as being the one where Hollywood discovered him. From what I have seen great actors are made and not born and there seems to be a lot of hard work and persistence required and some luck landing the smaller roles that lead onto the bigger ones.

 

Russell Crowe you have come a long way since I knew you in 18 years ago in 1991 and I salute and congratulate you on your career success, marriage and two kids. Russell’s success didn’t just happen overnight he went out and worked hard and never gave up on his dream until it became his reality. Steve Bastoni was a great flat mate and I could tell you some funny stories about Steve but I’ll save that for another time.

 

 

Posted in russell Crowe - Tagged ,

Nursing Career: Don’t Just Drift Along, Choose a Nursing Specialty


 Written by Rich Willliams

I used to change nursing jobs every two years as I used to get bored with each job I had. I was lucky to find a position that I was happy to stay with. While I was fortunate to end up in a position that suits both me and my family life if I had put a little more thought and effort into my nursing career it could have been a shorter journey to end up working in a area that I enjoy.

If you are new to nursing you may want to consider the following tips to help save you working in areas that you don’t enjoy and to help you select a nursing specialty area and then fast track your nursing career path in your chosen area of expertise…

1/ Consider what areas of nursing you enjoy working in (e.g. paediatrics, surgical, maternity). Do you have a ward or department that you seem to have a natural flair for?

2/ Consider specialising in that particular area by talking to the CNS’s, CNC’s and NUM in that field to get tips on a career path you might follow. Have a prepared list of questions and ask them what they like about that speciality. I heard a tip once that said if you don’t aspire to one day take on your bosses’ job, you’re in the wrong job.

3/ Apply for a position in your chosen specialty (if not already working in that area). Find out from the NUM what you can do to enhance your chances of being a successful applicant.

4/ Check what courses are available at University and TAFE. Courses may help boost your chances of attaining CNS status or for getting a go as the acting NUM when the boss goes on holidays. Filling in for someone and walking in their shoes for a while can help you decide if you really do want to take on their role one day.

5/ Set a goal of working in a certain specialty to be achieved by a certain date. You should be working towards achieving goals in your nursing career. E.g. I will be a CNS in Paediatrics by Dec 2009.

6/ Take an active role in the ward. Volunteer to run a quality assurance project for the department. Be interested and enthusiastic about your work and be a role model for your peers.

7/ Become a resource person for your department. Conduct research at home on the internet to see what research, break throughs, technology is being introduced into your specialty area. You don’t have to be the ward geek or walking encyclopaedia but being armed with interesting facts and trivia will show that you are more than interested in your specialty.

8/ Attend conferences and seminars that relate to your area of expertise. Even if you have to pay your own way (you can get a tax break on your out of pocket expenses). Attending these will keep you up to date with the latest and greatest in your area and you will be one of the first to know of the new and exciting directions your chosen specialty is heading in. this will also help to feed your enthusiasm for your area of expertise.

9/ Do one Personal Development course each year so that you are achieving your life AND career goals and such are maintaining a healthy balance.

10/ If it’s not working out for you don’t stress as you can always change specialties. I have found that is one of the biggest benefits of nursing, you can have many jobs in the one nursing career.

Are you just treading water in a nursing job or are you on track in your nursing career? Its worth spending time to sort out the difference. The saying I like is that you in your lifetime you may only get 70 or 80 summers so make them all count. Its the same when it comes to your nursing career,  don’t waste years in a nursing “job” when you should be moving towards your nursing career end goal.

Posted in Career Nurse - Tagged , ,

Career Nurse vs Being a Parent: Which Is The More Important Job?


 Written by Rich Willliams

I am a proud Dad of 2 boys aged 13 and 9. I am not here to bore you with all that I find great about being a parent (DAD) but just to say that I love being a Dad. I treat it as a privilege and in my opinion it’s the biggest responsibility I have ever been given. I would rather be remembered as a great Dad then a great career nurse.

Hey you don’t have to take my word for it… I am reading a book called “The Biology of Belief” by Bruce Lipton PhD and it says…”Frontier science is confirming what mothers and enlightened fathers have known forever, that parents do matter, despite best-selling books that try and convince them otherwise. To quote Dr Thomas Verny, a pioneer in the field of prenatal and perinatal psychiatry:”Findings in the peer-reviewed literature over the course of decades establish, beyond any doubt, that parents have an overwhelming influence on the mental and physical attributes of the children they raise.” (Verny and Kelly 1981)”

 

While a career nurse we may not all be parents but we can still however try to make the kids in our care feel like they are special and that they are important. Never under-estimate the positive influence you can make in a child’s day, even just a simple smile and a friendly hello.

 

While my late Dad and I have fairly different ideals on parenting, the principles underpinning them are basically the same, let your kids know and feel that they are loved. My Dad was very much old school where kids were seen and not heard and hugs were few and far between. Probably not surprising as his father was a headmaster of a boys school.

 

I will never forget the day I was feeling at my absolute lowest when I got my Higher School Certificate results and opened the envelope (no internet back then) to discover that I had failed. My Dad came home after work and instead of being angry or disappointed he just let me know that he loved me and that I would get through it. I got to know and appreciate my Dad on a whole new level that day and hey, I did get through it.

 

Have there been times in your life when your Dad has come through for you when you really needed it? How has your Dad shaped you? Do you currently have a conflict between being a career nurse vs being a parent to your kid/s?

 

Posted in Career Nurse - Tagged , , ,

Nursing Tips: When a Patient Is Admitted be the Master of First Impressions


 Written by Rich Willliams

When a patient is admitted to your ward, department, service or nursing home you and your workplace will be making a first impression on your new admission. Like it or not you will either make a good one or a not so good one. Remember when it has been made your first impression will be set in concrete.

After twelve years in Patient Transport I have personally witnessed hundreds of new admissions to both hospitals and nursing homes and due to the hectic workloads we now face I have observed a big range in what my patient’s have experienced when first being admitted, from not being made feel welcome at all to feeling like they are returning home to family.

I have 4 quick nursing tips on what can help to make the first few minutes of the admission process run smoothly for your patients and they only take minutes to implement.

 1/ Smile: Even if you are frantic and you have no-where to put the unexpected admission that has just arrived…remember it’s not the patients fault, so making them feel at ease by offering a friendly smile will go a long way towards a making a good first impression.

2/ Be Friendly: While offering your smile be friendly by saying “hello and welcome”  or “how was your trip?” will definitely help your patient to feel at ease and give the impression that you care about them as a person. As the first person they met on your ward you are in fact representing your whole ward and the patient in those precious first few minutes will be forming their opinion about your whole ward based on what you do and say.

3/ Make them comfortable: Any small comfort measures can make a big impression. Make them feel warm by offering a blanket from the blanket warmer. Offer a cup of tea, often a real favourite with the seniors. Many patients are transported over meal times so they miss their meal at both ends so offering a sandwich or snack can also be well received. Some patients may also require pain relief upon arrival.  Note: Some patients may be fasting or on dietary restrictions.

4/ Tell the patient and relatives your first name (a couple of times): This is what you would do for any guest visiting your home so why not extend the same courtesy to all your new admissions. Wearing a badge with your first name in big print can also act as a reminder as your new patient will no doubt be meeting many new faces with many names to remember.

You may be reading this and be thinking that I am trying to teach you how to suck eggs…well if you feel that way that is great as it probably means that you are already doing way more than my basic tips and are in fact treating all your new admissions to your personal VIP treatment. When doing your nursing admission to your ward, what would it hurt to roll out the red carpet for your patients? Hope you found the nursing tips helpful.

Posted in Nursing Tips - Tagged , , ,

Steven Essa Interview


 Written by Rich Willliams
steven essa 300x240 Steven Essa Interview

Steven Essa Interview

1. Steven Essa, In true microblogging fashion,
can you please describe yourself in 140 characters or less?

I am a retired panel beater, manager, telesales, property investing rockstar
musician who is now living the life of his dreams waking up when I want walking
over to my wireless laptop and minding my own business.

2. How and why did you get in to your chosen profession?

One word… LEVERAGE. I have a DREAM lol… seriously. I wasn’t ever happy in a
routine 9 to 5 or 10 to 6pm job. So I knew I needed a way of generating income
that didn’t require me to be present. That’s simply why I chose the internet. I
started researching making money online in 2008 while I was working in real
estate and quit my job in Oct 2008 to start my internet marketing business from
home.

3. Steven Essa who is your biggest inspiration in life?

I would have to say I have had many inspirations in my life… God is the biggest. Yes
and we’ve been through a lot together lol. He knows me and my flaws better than
anyone. And he’s never left me yet. But he’s a spirit really so you would like
a human right? ummmm… Brett McFall has coached me on public speaking and
really helped to launch a full time career so he would be up there. Also Robert
Kiyosaki from Rich Dad Poor Dad, I love his integrity and style of teaching. He
loves to help everyday people become more educated and so do I.

4. Steven Essa what is the best advice you’ve ever received?

Invest in yourself, education about what your interests are. Be it financial, spiritual,
physical. Pay yourself first in every way possible (easier said than done)

5. If you can give one advice to someone just starting out in the same
profession as you, what advice would you give?

Get educated first… know your outcome, what do you want out of it? financially,
spiritually and mentally? Seek out someone who has gone the distance and done
what you want to do. Do a background check on them and make sure you never ever
trust a developer LOL and learn how to invest your own money. Control your
cashflow and you will control your destiny.

6. Steven Essa can you please tell us what else are you interested in? Any hobbies/passions outside of your work?

Music, I love it! I played in a Thrash/Death Metal band for 13 years and toured the
US. UK, South Africa and Europe. I have just been getting into it again as I
have a house converted to a recording studio. Football, golf, relaxing with
friends and talking about investing and internet business.

7. What’s (or where’s) the best holiday you’ve ever had?

My recent work/holiday trip to London. It was amazing. On the 2nd last day I went to
Harrods and had to spend 1000 pounds in 2 hrs. It was memorable, (so were the
prices phew)

8. What do you think of online social networking? Are you part of Twitter,
Facebook, etc? Why or why not?

I think its good and bad. I believe that for business and networking and communicating
with loved ones etc it’s great. It has MASSIVE benefits. However it can make
people to much of a recluse and not enjoy a balance of mingling in public… I
think people can tend to answer differently online than in real life.

9. Do you have a favorite toy/gadget? What is it and why do you like it?

My iphone is my favorite right now. It allows me to monitor my online sales and business
from anywhere in the world and it’s the total package in your pocket. Music,
contacts, email, sms, pics, twitter, facebook, gps and on and on and on and on.
(damn wished I invested in Apple stock way back when) hehe

10. Anything else you’d like to share Steven?

Yes…Don’t let anyone or anything stand between you and your vision for what you
want from your life. Be realistic though and plan for a miracle. Take Action,
most people sit around waiting for perfection and it’s like me waiting for the
perfect woman (it’s just not gonna happen : ) haha just kidding ladies, I
needed a metaphor there. But in your business and relationships, just do it..
what are you waiting for. You’ll discover more by having a go and failing than
you will planning for a year and then failing anyway. Trial and error baby,
trial and error. And God Bless You… The Reader. I wish you all the success
and happiness in the World. C U in the Winners Circle! Steven Essa

–

Posted in Interet Marketing Articles - Tagged ,

Do Male Nurses get a fair go in their media portrayal?


 Written by Rich Willliams

As you may have guessed from my name I am a male nurse. Over the years there have been many representations of male nurses on TV and in the movies.

My earliest memory is of a male nurse on TV was probably Michael on “A Country Practice” who from what I can remember of the show seemed to do a decent job in representing male nurses as it was back in the eighties (or was it the seventies)?

No offence to the fans that keep this show on air but I personally dislike immensely the Aussie show “All Saints” as it has metamorphosed so much I don’t recognise it anymore…so as I don’t watch it I can’t comment on its cast of male nurses. Maybe you can bring me up to speed if you think they are accurately represented or not?

My 11 year old son loves the TV show “Scrubs” but they seem to have only done one episode that I could find that covered the stereo-types of male nurses. In that episode some of the doctor characters mock the male nurse’s character as doing “women’s work” but fortunately the episodes overall representation of the character playing a male nurse is that he is smart, witty, secure, and fearless.

I did laugh when I saw “Meet the Parents” where Ben Stiller plays “Gaylord Focker” and how his Father-in-Law played by Robert DeNiro whose character plays a retired CIA agent who struggles with the perceived lack of masculinity in his Son-In-Laws chosen profession of nursing.

I am sure there are many female and male nurses who have been shocked or disappointed with how they have been portrayed over the years in the movies and on TV. I suppose for me personally I don’t take the TV shows and movie portrayals too seriously, after all it’s only a TV show or a movie its not real life.

The good news is that if by chance you do take offence at how a nurse’s role has been portrayed there is always the internet where you now have a voice and can jump onto a blog like ours and start a thread to check how other nurses felt about the same portrayal.  If there was a growing groundswell of negative feedback coming out of a blog the media would take note as this is often how mainstream stories in the media start and such how our opinions can be heard.

So to finish with a laugh, check this out…get your kids (or colleagues) a “Male Nurse Action Figure” today! I love the synopsis of this “action figure” I found on the web… http://www.epartyunlimited.com/male-nurse-action-figure.html

“Armed with a stethoscope and a clipboard holding an X-ray, this 5-1/4″ (13.3 cm) tall, hard vinyl Male Nurse Action Figure is ready to treat your symptoms and fix what ails you.

Male nurses make up six percent of the nurses in the United States and only slightly more in Australia and the UK, but this number is growing. These men are blazing the trail as role models and mentors for generations to come. Thank a male nurse today!”

What do you think, do the actors and script writers that have been representing us nurses been doing a good job on the big and small screen? What is the best and worst example you have seen?

Rich

Posted in Everyday Nursing - Tagged , , ,

Want To Become An Online Nurse?


 Written by Rich Willliams

If you are a nurse and have wanted to become an “online nurse” then I may be able to help you achieve that goal. I have been building blogs and websites for friends and family and I am about to provide my services (for a fee) to other nurses who have a desire to have an online presence.

Ever wanted to have your own blog to journal your specialist expertice or experiences or website to promote a cause close to your heart or event? It doesnt have to cost a fortune to have what you need. So what are the basic ingredients you need? You will need a domain name (the web address that people type into the address bar to find your site) and it is generally best to use a .com or a .org for search engine rankings. They generally cost between $10 to $20/year. Choosing a domian name that contains one or two of the key words or prases that describe what your website is about, for example workingasanurseinaustralia.com or practicenurses.com.au. You can check the popularity of the terms you are looking to use at https://adwords.google.com. If you are looking to attract a large following or audience it is preferable to have upwards of 50,000 searches per month.

You will need a company to host your domain name. That means that they have a computer that holds the data and content of your website or blog. I use Hostgator as they are one of the biggest, have fantastic 24/7 tech support, and are one of the cheapest (basic plan is a bit less than $5/month).

If you are interested in getting yourself online with an affordable blog or a website please send me a comment below and I can then quote you on your requirements.

Thanks Rich

Posted in Online Nurse - Tagged , , , ,

A Day in the Life of a Transport Nurse


 Written by Rich Willliams
Rich on Stretcher 300x168 A Day in the Life of a Transport Nurse

Patient Transport Nurses Rich Williams & Margie Arrow

I have been fortunate for the past ten years to be a RN for the Patient Transport Unit based in regional NSW. We transport stable patients between hospitals and for diagnostic tests and procedures.

My workday hours are fairly flexible but I usually start at 8.30am and finish at 5pm and I work Monday to Friday which is great for my family life. I work with a fulltime Driver Steve and two EEN’s who job share. The first thing we do of a morning is to collect our mobile phones and the keys to our 2 vehicles; a Hyundai Imax van and a Ford station wagon.

In the car we can transport sitting patients that for their mobility require only one person to provide standby assistance and those patients that can’t stand or that need to lie down we take them on the stretcher in the van. I obtain a brief hand over from the nurse caring for the patient and take the necessary paperwork with me.

For the stretcher patients we generally get them to lie down on their bed and we use a pat-slide to safely and easily move them onto our stretcher. We then put the seat belt harness on and take any luggage (within reason) with us.
We are advised of our jobs from the central dispatch office located in Dubbo via the mobile phone and I go and check that the requested mode of transport is appropriate (sometimes the car is booked but the patient requires the stretcher) and confirm when the patient will be ready to depart.

I regularly check the stock levels in the van and this includes some basic medications. Pain, nausea and vomiting are the most common side effects of transporting a patient on bumpy roads that I contend with daily. If I anticipate that analgesia or anti-emetics may be required for the trip I tend to ask the ward nurses to give these before we depart the ward.

I generally transport one patient at a time and sometimes a relative will accompany a patient going for a diagnostic test. I enjoy being able to have a chat with my patients and I am constantly amazed by the interesting and often challenging lives that many of my patients have led. Today a patient was telling me about his experiences as a younger man when he (and his family) spent six years in New Guinea while he built a road in the highlands and the other day there was an elderly chap who was a second generation gold prospector.

Some patients confuse our Patient Transport service with the Ambulance service and assume that I am an ambulance officer. The most common question I get asked by my patients is “where do you travel to?” I do travel over a fair distance (the van averages 8,000kms/month): our crew is based in Bathurst and I mostly go to Orange, Blayney, Oberon, and Rylstone and occasionally to the Sydney hospitals.

I like that every day is different and that even after ten years there are still daily challenges that come along…like yesterday I had to keep a patients bladder irrigation going for a 50 min trip in the van. I have also escorted patients in aeroplanes which for me was certainly out of the ordinary. I would welcome any comments or stories from other nurses that have also ventured away from the mainstream work that nurses do.
Rich

Posted in Everyday Nursing - Tagged , , ,

NSW Nurses Get The Ratio Right


 Written by Rich Willliams

NSW Nurses are to vote on the 1 Nurse to 4 Patient ratio and 9% pay rise over two years.

Its great to see its fianally been negotiated but for me its not enough to keep me in nursing as I feel my future lays in creating an income online. My current interest lays in creating phone apps. Did you know that there has been 10 billion apps downloaded from the Apple app shop? That is more apps downloaded than cans of coke that have been consumed! If you have a problem maybe you can invent an app to help solve it.

App development is a new and exciting industry to get into. I am currently working on a few app ideas so stay tuned.

Cheers Rich

Posted in Uncategorized - Tagged , ,

Nursing: Ready To Leave Nursing?


 Leave a Comment Written by Rich Willliams

I have been ready to leave nursing for a few years now…not because I don’t like my current nursing job but my ambition has never been to be a career nurse but rather to simply be financially independent working part time from home so I can spend more time with my family.

I have been nursing for twent 22 years now and I probably have the best nursing job I know of. I have been a full time Registered Nurse for Patient Transport for eleven years.  As I said I really enjoy my patient transport job and get to enjoy a nurse to patient ratio of (averaging 1 to 1) that many nurses would be envious of and we in NSW are hoping to soon see a one nurse to four patient ratio introduced by the State Govt. I work Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm have my fleidays and holidays when i want them so as you can see I am on a great wicket and evry day I am out and about. I estimate that I would have travelled in excess of 500,000kms in my transport role.

A few years ago I attended the World Internet Summit in Sydney and learnt that there is a alternative way to earn an income and that I could stop trading my time for money as I currently do in my job. So far I have only made a few grand on line so I can’t quit my day job just yet. I have enjoyed learning about a new industry “internet marketing”. Its exciting as its evolving and expanding with new avenues like applications or “apps” for smart phones and ipads opening the size of the market by more than double the size when it was just people online on PC’s.

I imagine that like me there are many of my nursing colleages that are either ready to leave nursing and try a different career path or just retire as they are tired of hoping for a better deal and fed up with less than fantastic working conditions. If you would like to learn more about the amazing world of the internet and how you might be able to earn a pssive income online then please consider starting like I did by attending one of the upcoming World Internet Summits in either Australia or New Zealand please click on this link to find out more http://www.worldinternetoffice.com/app/?af=1303397

Take a minute to check it out you (like me) might be glad you did.

Bye for now…

Rich

Posted in Hate Nursing?, Interet Marketing Articles - Tagged , , ,
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