By Wendy J. Meyeroff
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
What do the following have in common: forensic science, law, architecture, computer science, and home care? Answer: These are just a few of the areas in which nurses now practice their skills.
“I have worked in intensive care, pediatrics, community health, and with an architectural firm to create better healing environments for both patients and personnel,” says Jaynelle Stichler, D.N.Sc., R.N., associate professor of nursing at San Diego State University. “In my career, I have been a clinician, an executive, an educator, and a consultant.”
“I have been nursing for 34 years and the changes have been dramatic. We have gone from being seen as someone who was ancillary to the doctor to being important collaborators with physicians,” says Kathleen Stone, A.P.N., a nurse practitioner working at Cedar Crest, a New Jersey community built and managed by Erickson.
“I would like the American public to understand the depth and scope of what nurses do and the importance of nursing in American health care.”
‘Hub of the health carewheel’
Stone describes nurses as the “hub of the health care wheel, the epicenter.”
“When you are in the hospital, the doctor is there for about 15 minutes. The nurses are there 24/7,” says Jerry Lucas, R.N., emergency room supervisor at Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s Health Care in Kentucky. He also publishes the online magazine, www.MaleNurseMagazine.com.
“Nurses are the coordinator of your total care. The nurse is the only person who interacts with everyone—the doctor, the pharmacy, your family. Your nurse coordinates all your tests, and is responsible for planning your discharge,” Stichler adds.
Nurses in home care
Before coming to Cedar Crest, part of Stone’s career involved home care, an increasingly important area of nursing. “You have to remember when working in someone’s home you are a privileged guest,” she says.