Humanity is always in search of something. We search for more, we search for less, we search for simple things, and the most complicated of things, and when you work the job I do, you see the search daily. EMT's, CNA's, RN's, Paramedics, we all are exposed to this battle for searching for something, and so we search for outlets. Some use sports as an athletic outlet, others art, and some of us use writing, but almost every human being uses music as a part of their lives. Music plays an enormous part in being human beings, and so we embrace it for its multiple qualities.
Every day when I drive into work I set my Ipod to my 'Hospital Playlist.' Its taken me quite awhile to compile this playlist, and the songs include the following:
Life is short - Butterfly Boucher / Where I stood - Missy Higgins / Be Ok - Ingrid Michaelson / Kristy, Are you doing okay? - The Offspring / Peace of Mind- Boston / Prayer of the Children - Kurt Bestor / Sky - Joshua Radin / Fools Like Me - Lisa Loeb / Broken - Lifehouse / Here's to the Night - Eve 6 / A Call to Courage - William Ross
Each song has a special meaning to me, from EMT training courses or even as simple as the lyrics mirroring the feelings I harbor concerning my life. Each song helps me focus on what my job is really about.
Working in a hospital isn't just about answering call lights and taking vital signs. Its about helping other human beings cope while in terrifying situations that may only occur a handful of times in the span of their lives. Its about connecting with human beings on a deeper level than you can as a RN or a Paramedic, simply because you have more time to do so. When taking classes to get my CNA, my teacher read a study to us that in a day at a hosptial, care center or doctors office, on average a doctor will see a patient for about 1 minute and 45 seconds, a nurse will spend 7 minutes with a patient, but a CNA will spend over 3 hours with their patients.
As I drove into work today this playlist, like every night at work, played loudly, and I tried to absorb the inspiration as I prepared myself to go to work. We don't have a job where we can post photos of our families, friends and children in our cubicles and talk about them during lunch breaks, heck we are lucky if we even obtain a lunch break during some shifts. We have a job where our lives end at the time clock and are placed on hold until we clock out. Finally, I was ready to head into work, and did so.
Before every shift I work without fail I do two things, the first, I say the EMT's prayer, and second I ask myself 'what will I learn from my patients?'
In my city there isn't much diversity, even in the heart of the state capitol. Generally speaking, I deal with middle-aged caucasian patients, on both units that I work on, so when I arrived at work and heard someone say 'Gurl lemme tell you somethin bout Jesus,' I was a little bit suprised to say the least (not the part about Jesus, but a different dialect of english!). When I arrived in the patients room during introductions I smiled to see an African American man and a woman who looked to be from an Asian ethnicity. Both were minorities in our population, and both were a breath of fresh air.
"Lemme tell you somethin." The man tells me as I write my name on the white board. "You need to know this if your gonna love sumbody." I turn and smile at him. Growing up I spent a few years living in Chicago and was used to this, but not where I am at, and was loving the flashbacks. "Gurl you gotta sleep on your left next to the woman you love, then they are close to your heart, and that is love. You understand me?" Watching my patient and their loved one I realized that 20 minutes into my shift and I already had my lesson for the night.
As I got to know my patients I had come to realize that they were in search of something simple, healing. When I asked for the patient wish while in our unit the reply was; "I want to heal, I want to be healthy again." The search was an easy one, to find their way back to a pain-free happy life that they once had.
So while they sleep tonight I put on my playlist and continued to listen carefully to the lyrics, because while they search for their wishes, I too am human and am searching for inspiration to help me help my patients.
How to save a life - The Fray / Big Sweet Life - John Dee Graham / Soundtrack to Your Life - Ashley Parker Angel / The Climb - Miley Cyrus / Into the Fire - Thirteen Senses
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