As nurse professionals we are aware that changes can happen in a matter of seconds. Our patient who was just up walking around the unit could crash and require a full code. A mother who was expecting can all of a sudden be whisked away into emergency surgery. Sometimes the profession of nursing operates on a life-and-death moment, by moment schedule. And that ‘schedule’ can totally be shifted without a moment’s notice.

I was driving into work today, actually thinking about what I might write about for today’s nursing blog when all of a sudden: BAM! A car driving opposite me going northbound, attempting to shift from the middle to right-hand lane smashed a taxi cab up onto the shoulder. The taxi was literally pushed onto two wheels and almost cascaded over the guardrail, falling to the city streets below.

Since I was heading southbound, I had a clear view of this entire disaster. It was moments, literally nanoseconds that this shift happened for both of these two vehicles. And as my husband said, ‘for everyone driving to-and-from work’; they would now be sitting in traffic, affected by the turn of events.

Last March I wrote about this very topic as it pertains to our nursing practice. I used the example of how in a split second I shifted from ‘shoveling snow sucks’ to ‘look how much progress I made’, feeling quite proud of myself and my accomplishments.

While the accident driving into work today is an example of how precious life is and in that split second things can be changed forever, we can also apply this concept to our advantage as nurse professionals.

Here are three benefits to take away from the split second shift:

•  Professional development. We can learn. When something happens in such a quick time we can do nothing but react. And then after the immediate shift is over there is a wonderful gift from the entire process, no matter how bleak it seemed at the time. We can learn, grow, heal and change from every single episode of life.
• Personal gratitude. We can give thanks. In a trauma, emergency or life-threatening situation if we make it out alive (and some others do too) we can pause to express gratitude for all of the gifts we do still have. We can be grateful for the precious gift of life at any moment of our day.
• Patient care. We can utilize these split second experiences to shift patient and family experiences. In this video, I share with you one practice that can help you have more time without adding any more minutes to the clock. Being present with our patients helps us catch those ‘near-misses’ that save a life in a second’s time.

What would you add to this list? What other unintended benefits can you think of from the nursing split second shift? How can you put these into your own nursing practice? Thank you for leaving a comment below and enjoy your health today.

About the Author: As a speaker, workshop facilitator, and Reiki Master, Elizabeth partners with hospitals, organizations, associations, and nursing groups to help transform the field of nursing from the inside out. As the  host of the Your Next Shift Workshop, Elizabeth guides nurses and nursing students to a change in perspective, helping them make the inner shift needed to better maneuver the sometimes challenging realities of being a caregiver.