Health Matters in the Year of the Healthy Nurse

​Are you ready to take a realistic examination of the difference between how we address our own health and the health of those we love? What percentage of us waste absolutely no time getting involved when a loved one has a medical/surgical emergency or has just been diagnosed with a medical condition or disease?  Many of us will be surfing the web, researching, and making recommendations. This I know to be true, because I have seen it time and again. I believe that the greater we care about the individual, the more intense our investigation becomes.

That intensity and involvement regularly wanes over time and for a number of reasons. It may be that the health issue is resolved but often, there are many situations when this is not the case. Here’s the tough part. Adults either accept or dismiss our offerings. Some people just don’t want our help or our advice at a given point and time. It may or may not mean that it will always be that way but it is reality nonetheless. And, it may have to do with if what we say makes sense. If they are of sound mind and understand the risks and choose not to make healthy decisions, save yourself some trouble and refrain from using personal manipulation tactics to persuade them otherwise. I will, however, as a nurse, be relentless without apology, if I believe someone is in imminent danger and are just too stubborn to do what is necessary. This is for their protection and in consideration of the concern expressed by their family members. For less immediate concerns, I hope you can keep in mind that the resistance may change in time given the right circumstances. Looking forward to exploring this further but for now, let me talk about you.

Just consider for a minute the individual that you look at in the mirror every morning. You may be the consummate professional at taking care of everyone else and you may even feel prideful in that role but when it comes to taking care of yourself, well, that’s another story entirely. How many of you have been ignoring nagging symptoms or failing to get annual exams and preventative diagnostic tests? Honestly? I thought so. Frankly, I have been there too. The adage “Do as I say and not as I do” still rings true today but the always “falling on deaf ears” part of it remains an unlearned lesson. You might as well save your breath if you fail to model healthy behavior, in a habitual way, for others because how influential really are you to impact their choices? Do you ever seriously ponder the thought that failure to act on your behalf may result in a far more complicated and serious health threat? Most importantly, what reasons prevent you? Are they excuses? 

The American Nurses Association has designated 2017 as the Year of the Healthy Nurse. I welcome that and promise to take seriously how I can model health, in mind, body and spirit for others. I encourage everyone to educate themselves and assume a predominantly healthy lifestyle. If you do, barring unforeseen crises that are out of your control, your quality of life will improve significantly and you will be in a better position to help others in that journey. Lastly, and most importantly, there are many who do not have the access to health and wellness, want it desperately, and we should do all that we can to help them get what they need.