WordLess Wednesdays-InkSpirations

Waaaaay Back In The Day...Seriously?!

New grads or old school RNs alike...Take a look back at the history of the nursing profession.
I found this list @ carenurse.com It demonstrates the "Day in the Life" of a Nurse day in 1887—before routine charting was even invented. Enjoy!!!

1887 Nursing Job Description:


In addition to caring for your 50 patients, each bedside nurse will follow these regulations:

1. Daily sweep and mop the floors of your ward, dust the patient’s furniture and window sills.

 2. Maintain an even temperature in your ward by bringing in a scuttle of coal for the day’s business.

3. Light is important to observe the patient’s condition. Therefore, each day fill kerosene lamps, clean chimneys and trim wicks.

4. The nurse's notes are important in aiding your physician’s work. Make your pens carefully; you may whittle nibs to your individual taste.

5. Each nurse on day duty will report every day at 7 a.m. and leave at 8 p.m., except on the Sabbath, on which day she will be off from 12 noon to 2 p.m.

6. Graduate nurses in good standing with the director of nurses will be given an evening off each week for courting purposes, or two evenings a week if you go regularly to church.

7. Each nurse should lay aside from each payday a goodly sum of her earnings for her benefits during her declining years, so that she will not become a burden. For example, if you earn $30 a month, you should set aside $15.

8. Any nurse who smokes, uses liquor in any form, gets her hair done at a beauty shop or frequents dance halls will give the director of nurses good reason to suspect her worth, intentions and integrity.

9. The nurse who performs her labors [and] serves her patients and doctors faithfully and without fault for a period of five years will be given an increase by the hospital administration of five cents per day.

Baggage Fees

I am a person that is huge into metaphors and symbolism. They have always helped me in times of crisis. Over the last several years however this big part of how I heal myself has been stifled. But now I am heading back to the person I really am. So recently I was drawn back to the inspiration of  my safe place...metaphors. Allow me to explain...I jus recently ended a very serious long term relationship that was full of life changing situations and emotions. So for the first time in a very long time, I was jus looking to go out and have some fun. But as we all know, life usually has other plans for us. As they say "We plan and God laughs." It is even written in song, "If you wanna hear God laugh, tell him your plans." So, unlike what I had planned for myself, life brought me a new relationship a few months ago. It happened alot faster than I had ever planned...I guess I should have expected it though...All of the most memorable relationships in my life have fallen in my lap when I was NOT on the lookout for them. This time around I decided that I was going to try something new. I did something very uncharacteristic for me. I gave up control (which those of you that know me, know is the hardest thing EVER) and just went with it. I chose to let life just...well...happen. And it has been an AMAZING experience thus far. My new beau and I have a spectacular time together. He enriches my life in ways I never thought anyone could. He and I communicate on a deeper level than most other people I have ever met. One of our first conversations drifted to the fact that I was so fresh out of a long term relationship, and if my heart was ready and open to love again. We talk about the past alot because both he and I have been hurt and in turn have " Emotional Baggage." But I made a very personal choice after my last relationship came to an end. I made a conscious decision to not allow my past to dictate how my future would play out. I think I have done a pretty good job of treating this relationship as a brand new experience, and not bringing my "Emotional Baggage" with me.

And now for the metaphor...I have always been fond of the comparison of all the hurt and pain in your past and the scars it has left as "Emotional Baggage." It makes me think of airports and baggage claim.
I view each new relationship like a new and exciting flight to a brand new destination. Just like any new adventure you want to enjoy it to the fullest, sooo you buy new outfits, and luggage, and plan on seeing and doing things that you have never experienced etc. But unlike an exciting new trip, new relationships can be very scary and can cause us revert back to what is safe and comfortable for us. We in turn bring our "Emotional Baggage" into an otherwise awesome new venture. Doing this often ruins a budding new romance. And that is a very sad byproduct of allowing the scars and pain from the past to creep into your present and your future. It is very hard sometimes to not allow yourself to relive previous negative experiences and punish a new love for old wounds. I refer to this as "Baggage Fees." I don't think most people realize the cost of bringing "Emotional Baggage" with you as you live your life.

I myself am guilty of allowing "Emotional Baggage" at times to change my future and influence my choices. There are so many people that are on the merry go round, or "Baggage Claim Carousel", if you will, for the second third or fourth time. Why do we embark on a new adventure and go back to the baggage claim to retrieve our old luggage when we get scared?! Well, I refuse to be one of those people anymore in my life. New adventures deserve an open mind and a heart that is fully open to all the amazing possibilities. Though my heart has been broken before, and has visible scars, it is an awesomely resilient part of me. I have left my "Emotional Baggage" at the airport, and I'm plunging into my future without it...Someone else can claim it, cuz I'm done with it!!!