Reflections of Nurse Educator
Chinazo Echezona-Johnson, Ed.D, LL.B, MSN, RNC-MNN
Assistant Director of Maternal-Child Educator,
Health and Hospital Corporation, Metropolitan Hospital Center
Teaching is an art. Some people are born teachers while others
acquire the skill. To be a great teacher, one has to have a sense
of humor and be very flexible. Teachers will never teach to gain
monetary reward. However, they will teach to achieve the best
reward - satisfaction that they have an impact on the education
of the leaders of the world, the training of CEOs, and the
success of new breed of professionals. Teaching is a noble
profession.
In my case, I am just a health-care provider. As a teacher, I have
saved the lives of thousands of people - maybe millions of
people! I do this through my students. I am a nurse educator.
My passion is to teach nursing. I don't teach for the obvious
reasons. I teach to save lives. I teach because I have a passion
for educating conscientious health-care professionals.
I have many examples and stories, but I will tell you about one.
In one teaching hospital in New York, a woman was admitted
from the emergency room for uncontrollable pneumonia. Many
medications were prescribed for this woman. On her arrival at
the unit, a young new nurse refused to start her medications.
The young patient was drowsy from the sedatives that she was
given in the emergency room. In addition, she was not wearing
an identification band. The doctors and other nurses were
upset with the new nurse. They threatened to report her or to
get her fired. The new nurse remained adamant. The first year
resident doctor proceeded to start the Penicillin IV for the
patient. A few minutes into the infusion, the patient went into
respiratory arrest. She died three hours later in the intensive
care unit.
Investigation showed a case of mistaken identity. The
unfortunate patient came to the ER for nausea and vomiting.
She was allergic to Penicillin. Her chart was accidentally
switched in the Emergency Room with the chart of another
patient with pneumonia. The family sued the first-year resident
who started the medication, and sued the hospital for
negligence. The case was settled out of the court for a
substantial amount of money.
The insubordinate new nurse was my student! I taught her
about the importance of patient safety, patient advocacy,
defensive practice and importance of assertiveness. This new
nurse graduate used her knowledge to defend a vulnerable
patient.
An educated nurse is an asset. Nurses are at the bedside of
patients around the clock. They continually make life and death
decisions for their patients. Doctors diagnose diseases,
prescribe medications, and treatments. However, only welltrained nurses manage, supervise and monitor the patients for
any adverse reactions from the prescribed regimens. Nurses
decide the outcome of hospitalized patients. Nurses can heal
the sick. Conversely, incompetent and negligent nurses can also
contribute to the detriment of their patients. Patients' lives are
endangered every day by health-care professionals that do not
adhere to the standards that will safeguard their patients from
harm or death.
As a nurse educator, I am rewarded. I may not be rich, famous
or glamorous, but I am saving millions of lives every day. I
derive my joy and satisfaction when I see or hear about my
students. These students are not only competent nurses, but
also leaders and educators in the profession. They continue to
pass on my teachings about safety, advocacy, professionalism
and pride of the profession. One day, I may need one of them
to take care of me.
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