Along with a rush of relief, she felt a sense of guilt at betraying patients and fellow nurses who needed her. Every day, I realized more and more that I couldn't be the nurse I was meant to be. It eats away at you. It isn't because we don't care. Norma works now in critical care at Wesley, caring for no more than three patients at a time.
Nursing is a great profession.
I can't see myself doing anything else. Now I leave work knowing I did a good job. Sharon Hamric's column appears on Saturday.