To My Dear Colleague In Nursing By Goodwin Imeka

When a nurse encounters another, Something happens.
What occurs in never a neutral event,
A pulse taken,
Words exchanged,
A touch,
A healing moment,
Two persons are never the same.

There are many things I have come to love,
Certain things I once despised,
Certain things my mother hates
Such things still that I’m praised for.

The sights I see that terrifies me,
The smells I smell that accompanies me everywhere,
The words I hear, too big to comprehend
And shattered hearts, my voice amend.

I stand by the head of an empty bed,
No sounds to hear, no tear to shed,
I all in blessed quietness, allow myself some heavy heart.

Who knows the silent tears I shed
To whom do I tell my heavy heart
That he who lays on my empty is gone from here
Without my permission

Though I smile and never sigh
It’s not true that I never feel
The very pain and grief you feel
Or to having made the mistake
Of actually standing beside your bed

I wish i had some super balm
To soothe your wounds and send you home
I wish I had a mysterious herb
For you to drink and be never ill.
Adapted from—holistic nursing, a handbook for practice

Now For The Story Of A Nurse——-Godwin Imeka

My skills,
My heart,
My voice,
My brain,
I’m all in.
Tell me what scares you, tell me your name.
Because of illness brings them here, I’m not playing games.
Because each test tells a tales and blood is an open book, we can change the story if we take a closer look.
Because she escaped fracture and her black eye will heal, that’s not a cure for how frightened she feels.

I turn data to breakthroughs.
I chart a new course.
When there is earthquake or outbreak, I fly to the source.
Aid giver,
App maker,
Risk taker,
Voice of comfort,
Voice of order,
This is the new script, no time to rehearse.
So step up,
We’ve got this.
BECAUSE I AM!
I AM! I AM!
BECAUSE I AM A NURSE!!!

Adapted from John Hopkins nurses—-the new script of Nursing.