“I have found that the residents of Johnson Tower teach me more about being a nurse and a human being than you would imagine.”
Despite our seriously malfunctioning health care system, sometimes we are lucky enough to be reminded of the richness of our practice. Most of us experience a bright spot or two on most days—a patient’s condition finally improves, and we know we had a hand in that; we are able to spend some “quality time” to help a patient cope with her illness; a discharged patient returns for a happy visit.
Thriving, not just surviving.
A few of us, though, are lucky enough to have nursing work in which we can thrive, and not merely survive, every day. In this month’s Reflections column, “The Way of Johnson Tower,” nurse practitioner Mark Darby describes his work in an unlikely setting: a medical clinic located in a public housing high-rise. Resources may leave something to be desired—occasional leaks from the laundry above seem to target the clinic’s centrifuge—but his practice is rich and fulfilling.
“All these people, despite their circumstances, teach me more about generosity, perseverance, and hope than I could learn anywhere else.”
A matter of perspective?
Darby’s work is meaningful to him. He’s lucky, but he also seems to have the ability to focus on and connect with the patients he is there to serve – giving and receiving, every day. For a reminder of what nursing can mean, for ourselves and for our patients, read the entire short essay, which is free in the December issue of AJN.
I ran a clinic in a Chicago Housing building back in the 80s similar to this. Regrettably it was closed. What a great service NP’s provide to residents in their own surroundings. And, yes, we learn so much from our patients.
Marianna Crane, author: Stories from the Tenth-Floor Clinic: A Nurse Practitioner Rememberers.