The Unforgettable Lesson on Nursing's True Purpose

When I began working in the OR, I was a new nurse who had just graduated from nursing school. During my clinical rotation in the OR, I perceived OR nurses as 'go-fers.' Even my nursing instructors referred to them by that name. However, I admired the nurses and their work. I knew that patients relied on them and their team to provide the best care possible during surgery when they couldn't advocate for themselves. It wasn't until I joined the OR as a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) nurse that I realized how different this position was from any other nursing role.

I continued to work as a PACU nurse when I became the director of the OR. It was then that I truly appreciated everything that OR nurses were responsible for. About two years ago, I experienced the most terrifying moment of my career. I was the charge nurse for the pre-op and PACU departments. Our director was sick, so the OR manager and I were responsible for running and staffing the department. The emergency room (ER) called us to inform us that a patient was hemorrhaging and required an urgent dilation and curettage (D&C). I had to leave everything and rush to the ER to get the patient. The woman was hemorrhaging and dying in front of my eyes. I had never rushed a patient directly from the ER to the OR, but on that day, I did. Thankfully, with my OR team's quick interventions and skills, the woman survived that day. Although it was a scary experience, it also defines a nurse. To be a nurse means to have resilience, strength, and the ability to care for others while being in control. It's about having faith and knowing you are doing what you are meant to do.