Working in healthcare is a decision that most do not take lightly. Healthcare can be an especially stressful career choice. There are men and women in the industry who have dedicated themselves to taking care of others day in and day out, during the most stressful times imaginable. But, it can also be one of the most rewarding career fields in the world. Ask any healthcare workers, and I guarantee they have a story about why they do what they do.
Whether it is a story of being treated as a child, or even an experience that came after they were in the industry, most of these stories are about being touched on a personal level by a patient or family. The beauty of healthcare is that not matter how stressful it is, there will be moments that make it all worthwhile. For nurses and other frontline staff that work directly with patients who work in high acuity areas, these times may be few and far between, but they do come.
High acuity typically means the sickest of the sick, and can translate to long-term care of a critically ill patient. These patients may be sick for weeks or months, and the outcome may be known well in advance. For those who do not work in healthcare, imagine bonding with an individual and their family over an extended period, only to watch them succumb to their illness in the end. To healthcare workers these patients are not just customers or patients, but they are people. They become family. Sometimes they become family during the process. It is almost impossible for a healthcare worker to become completely desensitized to the process, no matter how long they have worked in the field. This makes healthcare undeniably difficult, and for most people it would seem to be a job that is not worth the stress or heartache. It takes a special kind of person to work in healthcare, and the public should be grateful for these hardworking professionals.
It can also be the most rewarding feeling in the world. The ultimate reward for a healthcare worker is when they see a patient who they’ve connected with win the fight. When these high acuity patients start getting better, when these patients beat the odds and overcome the difficulties of illness, when their family gets to take their loved ones home, when they see that the long and stressful weeks or months have lead to the patient having a chance at regaining their normal life, this is when the stress and hardships of healthcare become worthwhile. These are the moments that make all of the other cases easier to handle.
These compassionate professionals are everywhere within the industry, and they are the ones that truly make a difference in patients’ lives. These are the professionals that will sit with a patient or family member through the worst times, and are there regardless of the circumstance. These are the professionals who inspire others to go into medicine. Ask a healthcare worker why they chose their field, and it is likely that you will be told a story similar to Iswarya’s. These are the stories that keep the healthcare industry moving toward progress. These are the stories that tell the tale of compassion and dedication that is unrivaled by any other industry.
Nursing can be one of the most under appreciated professions out there, and one could easily argue that healthcare in general is one of the most stressful fields an individual can choose. That’s one reason it is refreshing to see when a group receives the recognition it truly deserves.
Thank you to all of the Texas men and women who go above and beyond in their healthcare roles.