In honor of Nurses Week and Mother’s Day, it’s time to acknowledge the special experience of growing up with a nurse as a mom.
I remember my mom going back to school, even though people tried to discourage her. I remember her being stressed. However, I also remember seeing her graduate second in her class and get pinned. I remember volunteering at the hospital in my youth, and seeing the country from Florida to Alaska when she was a travel nurse. And, I’ve even seen her save lives!
Let’s face it, nursing school is tough, 12-hour shifts are tough, nurses are tough. Don’t worry nurse moms, though, because being raised by one can make you a healthy, well informed, tough person too!
So, you know your mom is a nurse if…
- You can recognize and toss out drug names like a pharmaceutical rep … or druggie. (“I need some zofran!”)
- You know what normal vitals look like, first aid, and a lot of weird sounding medical conditions. I mean, doesn’t everybody?
- You have played with a real stethoscope and used medical tape to wrap gifts and repair toys.
- You have diagnosed someone … and you’ve been right!
- You’ve wanted to be a nurse and also wanted to be anything but a nurse.
- You’ve stood there awkwardly while strangers talk to your mom in public because patient confidentiality is a thing.
- You had important conversations interrupted by medical emergencies and a need to “give report.” Rude.
- You have strong feelings about people who think nurses don’t do enough or people who think they can swear at and hit medical workers. Strong feelings.
- You did not go to the hospital unless you were going to die … like, soon.
- When you do go to the hospital your mom relates your entire medical history, symptoms, cleans your room, readjusts your line, etc. It’s even worse when she’s the patient. But, you wouldn’t want to navigate the healthcare system without your personal, insider, on-call advocate!