Reassurance

I recently read that one of the most trusted professions was nursing.

I've noticed that having the title of "nurse" provides reassurance to anyone worried about a health matter, no matter how simple or complex the question or problem.

Just the act of asking a nurse a question (no matter how simple), and getting an informed answer (even if the answer could have been easily found in a book or on the internet), makes people feel better.

Anyone can learn to take a blood pressure . . . but when a nurse does it, the readings are more credible.

My grandpa's doctor can tell him something, but when he gets the same information from me, he usually acts on it. When he was in the hospital, I called grandpa's nurse every day. When I then talked to mom and dad and reported, they would say, "That's what his nurse said, too." They were obviously reassured to hear that information again.

As nurses, we have a tremendous responsibility when we care for people who are sick or hurt. We perform high-tech tasks. . . . we know the dosage and side effects of medications . . . we know the "whys" of complex diseases . . . but sometimes the most meaningful tasks--answering a question or performing a basic procedure--are the most simple ones.