Happy Nurses’ Week

 

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This goes out to all those nurses that have saved my ass over the years.   From med school to residency (those names are gone from my memory banks).   From my early years in practice (Paige, Christine and Jessie) to where I am now (Bev and Carrie).   I found this poem here.  Sorry for the poor formatting but it is 50 years old and off and old PDF copy.  Enjoy:

 

“Because I am a nurse”

I sit before my window and gaze upon the sky,


I think of many distant lands, never knowing why.

Places that I do not know, and will probably never see,

And yet I wonder why these places mean so much to me.

I gaze some more and now I see a link within a cloud,


The answer so apparent now, so clear, so strong, so loud.

People are this link between myself and distant lands ,


I meet them every single day with open, outstretched hands .

The biggest to the very small I greet them at the door ,


A welcome smile, a warm hello, your room is number four.

I read a chart and make a note and hurry down the hall,

A bellison,there is a need, I mustn’t miss my call.

Before me stand so many drugs to help them to get better,


I give them all and chart them now with my own initial letter .

I’m in the middle of my lunch and remember I have the keys,


I hurry back and quietly say , “I’m sorry, forgive me please.

I hear a siren on the street , make ready for one more,


I’m prepared to help them as they hurry through the door.

I wonder why I chose this life, what does it mean to me?

It means a deed of kindness and help that’s given free.

To know that I am needed and that I’ll always have ,


A knowledge to give my aid to those , be they good or be they bad.

To learn from one that I in turn may educate another,

That we may then continue to search and to discover.

The pathway ever winding, always different every day ,

A challenge truly present to conquer without delay.


They’ll make machines to take the place of many a typing hand ,

But compassion, aid and guidance can only come from man.

I’ll be a light along the way, ever shining bright,

For those who tire, stumble and fall I’ll guide them through the night .

When morning comes I’ll pick them up and we’ll go on together,

Showing grateful love that neither height nor depth can sever .

And for those people here and now, we’ll work with a little love,

To do our all and know that we ‘ll have help from up above.

To see them in this home of mine and help those with great need,

We form a bond of friendship without hatred, fear or grief.

The journey ‘s long and often hard to reach this destiny ,

But I give my heart, my mind, my hands the very best of me.

The end of the day has now arrived, I slowly remove my cap,

So tired and upset at times, but tomorrow? .I’ll be back.

And now my dream of distant lands and of people I shall meet ,

This dream of willfully serving, finally is complete.

Because I love I ask no change to put within my purse,

Just to live as I do now, BECAUSE I AM A NURSE .

 

Miss Nancy Lingsch, S.N.’63 3/24/63