By Gloria H Schieck, RN
Member of MNA’s Council of Active Retired Nurses (CARn)
I started my nursing career in 1977 after graduating from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I moved to Waco, Texas to work in their Coronary Care unit. After one year I transferred to the Intensive Care unit where I worked until 1980 then I decided to move back to Minnesota to be closer to family. After moving back to Minnesota, I started working in the Coronary Care unit at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina and continued to work there for 39 years at the bedside until I retired on Feb 7, 2020.
I enjoyed being at the bedside as each day was different. I loved Primary Care nursing and, since I believed continued care was very important for my patient’s healing process, I would request the same patient assignment each shift.
The following procedures became part of cardiac patient care: angiograms, pre or post heart attack, arrythmia treatment, implantation of temporary, permanent pacemakers and open-heart surgery.
Assisting and counseling my patients in their lifestyle changes with their families or caregivers was very rewarding to me as a bedside nurse.
At the end of my nursing career, I found myself helping my patients and their families make end of life decisions. Elisabeth Kublen-Ross was one of my favorite authors and her book Stages of Grief was a significant resource for me, my patients, and their families.
The most difficult challenge for me during my career was when hospital profits became more important than patient care. Consequently, I became a patient advocate as I wanted the best outcome for my patients. Whether the patients’ age, financial situation, or education level, I began working closely with social workers to ensure the patient had access to discounted coronary medications as those medications were typically very expensive. I wanted to assist my patients with a successful rehabilitation after their cardiac event.
Throughout my career, when I worked with younger nurses, I did see that they can gain great insights from a seasoned RN. Conversely, I also learned a lot from my younger coworkers. We worked as a team to provide the best care for our patients.
I believe getting to know your patient is a key process in providing care for a patient. Knowing the patients’ interests, careers, etc. helped establish a relationship that built trust between the patient and nurse.
When I look back on my nursing career that started as a nursing assistant and finished as an RN I am glad I never gave up my nursing career. I was blessed by my patients, their families, physicians, and my co-workers. We were a Team—all trying for and wanting the best outcome for our patients.
