There's a perception about what nurses do and there's what nurses actually do. Nursing needs to start talking about itself. Every healthcare consumer should understand what nurses do. Visibility is key.

~Donald Bucher

Do you feel safe and respected while doing your job? Most of us would say, "Of course." While we might not have the perfect working environment, we don't go to work with the expectation that we might be abused verbally or physically on any given day.

Not so with nurses. One study noted that almost 90% of nurses reported experiencing some type of abuse at work–mostly at the hands of patients or their families.

It was only a few short years ago that we greeted health care workers with applause, celebration and gratitude. Yet, even then, the politicization of Covid left many nurses on the receiving end of anger and frustration, and nurses still bear the brunt of patient dissatisfaction and fear today.

Donald Bucher, a registered Nurse Practitioner and this week's guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, is an advocate for those in the nursing profession. Upbeat, positive and empathetic, Don still recognizes the need for the public to know just how hard nurses really work, and he wants the nursing community to speak up both to educate others and protect themselves.

Respect for others, as well as ourselves, is at the core of a civilized society. Everyone has the right to expect civility, especially while doing a life-saving job. Here at Brilliantly Resilient, respect is a core principle in how we treat each other, regardless of any differences we may encounter.

Tune in to this week's episode to hear more from Don and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• The nurses are the ones standing there for 12 hours a day picking up on things with patients that help save your loved one.
• It's a difficult time to be in healthcare. Nurses love what we do, but it's hard. You're asked to do much more with less time. It's hard.
• We have to remember that when you're interacting with a family, they're having the worst day of their lives. But nurses still need to feel respected and safe.
• The voices (of nurses) needed to be louder during Covid. I challenge nurses to join their organizations to make that voice louder.
• ~ Donald Bucher (https://www.pacnp.org/)

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Kristin and Mary Fran