• Megaphone with flowers held in one hand on blue backdrop.
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    I have the privilege of being both a pediatric nurse and a mom. With 11 years of hospital bedside experience in the pediatric intensive unit, I encounter a range of patients and families. Each meeting is unique and special in its own way. Something new I learn every shift, is how to foster resilience in ...
  • Girl with pencil in hand and green book open, making a choice.
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    Little ones seek independence. This desire is met with making decisions for themselves. Allowing children to choose instills a sense of control over their life and body. This is important inside the home as well as inside the hospital. The key is to determine what their choices can be. Choices at home At home, asking ...
  • Two people in hospital room. One in bed. The other sitting next to the bed. Flowers out of focus in front.
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    Obtaining quality sleep is a challenge. Factor in alarms, excessive noise, artificial illumination, and people waking you up, the idea of getting any shut-eye sounds impossible. Bodies need rest and an opportunity to reset. In the hospital, it is paramount to recovery. Hindrances Hospitals hinder relaxation due to functioning as a 24-hour workforce. Patients are ...
  • Woman in black dress sleeping on stairs.
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    When does a grown-up learn to express themselves in a manner acceptable to society? Imagine me, a 33-year-old, enters a coffee shop, and screams, “I WANT COFFEE.” I continue to shout, “I WANT COFFEE” for 15 minutes. Fellow coffee drinkers scoot further away from me, in case I am mentally insane. Others stare, mouth agape, ...
  • Girl is blue dress sleeping on coach surrounded by stuff animals.
    167
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    The photo above is of my daughter sleeping. Yes, she is half on the couch, half standing, and fully snoozing. I have several pictures of my little ones in surprising slumber stations. When they are in bed and I check in on them later in the night, I giggle because kids can doze like contortionists. ...
  • Purple, blue, yellow flowers with some blurry and some not all combined together.
    171
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    Hospitals are not always a fun place to be. Visitors liven the place up and make a sterile room more welcoming. As a bedside nurse with 10 years of experience, I witness a plethora of gifts for patients and see how presents elevate the spirit of the sick. Flowers are among the top choice for ...
  • notepad and clock on colorful background with various numbers splatters across.
    154
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    “Five more minutes, kids,” I tell my four and six-year-old at the playground. “Aw, can we have an extra ten minutes?” asks the older sibling, Potato. “Sure,” I answer. “Ten is a lot of time,” Boobers, the younger one, exclaims excitedly. I let them continue to play for a while. Minutes tick away, and we ...
  • Red brick wall with large square hole. Bricks piled on ground.
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    It is a challenge for patients in the hospital to connect with loved ones outside. When there is a sibling at home, the challenge is twofold. As a nurse with ten years of experience in the pediatric intensive care unit, I often see parents wanting to bring siblings to visit. Sometimes visits are feasible, other ...
  • daffodils
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    The old man has always been there. There was never a time in my life when he didn’t show up. True, it was always according to his schedule. Time meant nothing to him. He would show up when he wanted to and leave when he jolly well pleased. No glances at the wall to check ...
  • Spring bird
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    There once was a free bird,Who loved to sing. There once was a happy bird,That loved to fly. There once was a content bird,Who loved to eat and drink of life. But a hunter came by,Who loved the bird’s beauty. He thought to himself,“I could only be happy with a bird like that”. So he ...