Categories
Happy Father’s Day!
Category: Uncategorized
This month I would like to spotlight several African Americans who have made an impact in our world. In the American school system, we are taught about the same historical Black figures from kindergarten through high school. There are several other phenomenal Black people that have made a difference in our world and they deserve to be recognized!
Black history month is in the shortest month of the calendar year! Please make it your duty to educate yourself daily on Black history. When we know better, we do better!
-Love Nurse Neesy
Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season! Take care of yourself and others. Don’t forget to Love and Respect one another. -Love Nurse Neesy
Well y’all I did it! I got my first Covid-19 vaccine! One more to go.
I will admit that the quick development of the vaccine was the main reason why I did not want to get it. However, pandemic anxiety and my children wanting to return to in person class instruction were my determining factors for getting the vaccine.
I have never been a person to get anxious, but ever since the pandemic started I have experienced the worst anxiety ever in my life! I mean, I was terrified to leave the house and be around other people. I am hoping that two weeks after receiving my second dose when I am considered “fully vaccinated” that this will change. We should not live in fear, but we should also be cautious and careful.
I have not experienced any serious side effects after receiving my first vaccine. I only had soreness at the injection site for a day or two. I will keep you all updated on my second 💉 dose. Have you gotten yours? Let me know your experience below.
Love 💕 Nurse Neesy
Categories
Are You Getting Vaccinated?
Does this announcement change your perspective about getting a Covid-19 vaccine? Let me know in the comments.
Happy New Year! I can’t believe that we are at the end of the first month of 2021 already! How many of you have already broken your resolutions by now LOL? Instead of making a New Year’s resolution this year I decided to start a new venture in my nursing career.
For those of you who do not know my story, I started working with patients at the bedside as a teenager. I worked as a patient transporter and a dietary aide in the hospital. I then became a patient care tech and a home health/hospice aide. I love caring for others and truly believe that nursing is my calling!
As a nurse, I am a true advocate for my patients. I stand up for them when they are not able or afraid to do so. I help them access the healthcare resources that they need when they don’t know how. I am their shoulder to cry on, and their available ear to listen when they are lonely.
I have worked in a wide arena of nursing including correctional facilities, assisted living, inpatient and home hospice, OB/GYN and adult medicine medical offices and most recently tele-health due to the pandemic. Through tele-health visits I was able to touch bases with my elderly, immuno-compromised, or chronic condition patients who were instructed not to come into the office unless absolutely necessary.
I was able to coordinate their care from a distance. Let me tell you, getting my patient’s the resources that they needed to withstand this pandemic felt amazing! I fell in love with care coordination so much that I’ve moved into this as my new nursing position. Being able to follow my patients after they have had a doctor’s appointment, hospital or rehab stay and giving them the tools that they need to prevent being readmitted feels so fulfilling! This is where I need to be. Helping my patients take better care of themselves! I am doing what I was born to do!❤️
-Nurse Neesy
Well, it’s finally here, now what? There are currently two COVID-19 vaccines available to us, but will you be getting one? There are people on both sides of the fence. Some people are ecstatic to get the vaccine while others are very skeptical of it. There are currently several conspiracy theories surrounding the vaccine ranging from biblical references to the “mark of the beast” and the government tracking us via microchips in the vaccine.
After speaking with other nurses, physicians, allied health workers, and family members, I have found that there is a major concern about how quickly the vaccine was developed. Recent reports about anaphylactic allergic response and Bell’s Palsy as possible adverse effects of the vaccine have also deterred individuals from wanting to have it administered.
Some people are unsure about which vaccine will be more beneficial and produce fewer side effects. Moderna or Pfizer? Many frontline workers are having conflicted emotions about getting the vaccine altogether. While they want to be brave and show the public that the vaccine is safe and effective, they are also unsure about the short term and long term effects of getting the rapidly developed vaccine.
Next, there is the medical mistrust amongst minority populations due to past malfeasance in healthcare. Unfortunately, there is a strong history of underserved populations being used as guinea pigs or test subjects without their informed consent. The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment and John’s Hopkins use of Henrietta Lacks cancer cells for research are just a few examples of this. How will the medical community regain their trust enough to ensure that they will get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Ultimately, it is your body and your choice! Just remember that getting the vaccine does not give you immediate immunity. So whether you choose to vaccinate or not, please remember to social distance from others, avoid large crowds, quarantine if exposed to COVID-19, wear a mask in public, and wash your hands. If we work together we can end this pandemic!
If you need more information about the available COVID-19 vaccines, please visit the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html
May is mental health awareness month and whether it’s from months of being quarantined, front-line working, homeschooling, or working from home, some of us are under a lot of mental strain, anxiety, or psychological distress!
According to the CDC, experiencing symptoms of stress during an infectious disease outbreak is common. If you are experiencing any of the following changes, you may be experiencing psychological distress due to a crisis:
- Increased intake of drugs or alcohol
- Changes in sleep or eating patterns
- Difficulty concentrating
- Worsening of chronic or mental health problems
There have also been reports of increases in domestic abuse cases, which along with drugs and alcohol, are ineffective ways of coping.
To effectively cope during this difficult time, several mental health professionals are offering their services to first responders, older adults, parents, and caregivers alike. Please utilize the the resources below if you need assistance:
- Mental Health America https://mhanational.org/covid19
- Visit the Disaster Distress Helpline call 1-800-985-5990, or text TalkWithUs to 66746
- Call the National Domestic Violence line at 1-800-799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3224
Let’s work together to remove the stigma of mental health by never being afraid or embarrassed to ask for help!
It’s February and it’s a time to reflect on the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans from the past and present. I want to celebrate those nurses who came before me and paved the way! To think of the barriers that they had to face and overcome is overwhelming! I am so grateful that they’ve made it possible for me to live my dream as a nurse today!
Please enjoy the Black History nursing facts that I have provided below. I hope that you learn something new and take something positive from it! Happy Black History Month!
Credits:
https://nurse.org/articles/black-history-month-nursing-leaders/
https://www.nursing.virginia.edu/news/flashback-harriet-tubman-nurse/
The Nurse Niche 