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A Pillar of Nursing
When Froedtert Hospital opened its doors 25 years ago, Pat DeVriend, RN, was there. “I'm one of the pillars,” she says, laughing. This year, she'll celebrate her 40th year as a nurse.
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“Nurses’ responsibilities are now broader than ever before,” DeVriend says. “We've always been task-oriented, but now we're also patient advocates and teachers too.” The hospital has changed as well. “When we opened, we were a totally RN staff,” DeVriend says. |
That only lasted about six months, as the hospital soon realized nurses needed help. “We were all busy taking care of our own patients, and one couldn't help the other. That didn't work. Collaboration is really important here.”
Working third shift on Froedtert's neurosurgery inpatient unit, DeVriend cares for patients with head trauma, brain tumors, or surgery for seizures, neck or back injuries, among other things.
Being a nurse also means teaching students and new graduates, DeVriend adds, and teaching patients how to care for themselves at home. Recently, she says, a nurse educator joined her floor to update nurses about new procedures and other changes.
In spite of nursing's transformation, DeVriend emphasizes: “It's still a hands-on profession.We can't delegate everything. If you come across a patient who needs help, you're there.”
Source: Froedtert Today Date: September 2005 |
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