Everyone seems to know a nurse. Nurses are everywhere. Many people seem to know a nurse, whether it’s a cousin, a neighbor, a close family member, or someone in the broader community. Have a conversation with the average person on the street, and you’ll hear, “My aunt was a nurse for over 40 years,” or “My wife/husband/best friend/godmother/uncle/grandmother is a nurse.”

There are over 4 million

RNs, LPNs, and APRNs in the U.S., and our presence has an outsized impact on the nation’s wellness.

As the largest segment of the healthcare workforce (and, of course, the most trusted profession in the United States year after year), nurses are in a position to be a presence in the lives of millions, whether in an official capacity as clinicians or perhaps equally as often as private citizens. Yes, amidst it all, we must also care for ourselves.

Nurses are Approachable

When something goes wrong, and there’s a health-related question, nurses are often the trusted friends, family, or community members that people naturally turn to for support. While doctors in the community may in some ways feel untouchable or intimidating, nurses are perceived as real and approachable people who can be reliably called upon when the going gets tough.

As a nurse of almost 30 years, I can attest that friends and neighbors are generally quick to call for input on important health issues. Someone has an upcoming surgery, so I may be the one to be asked for advice. A friend is struggling with the prep for a colonoscopy, and my advice is sought. A dog cuts himself on a barbed wire fence, and I’m called to administer first aid (with no veterinary experience, of course). There seems to be nothing I won’t be asked for my opinion on.

Most nurses will understand when I share that, over the years, I’ve removed stitches, assessed wounds and cuts, taught crutch-walking techniques, advised on medication side effects, and intervened when the medical system has failed or otherwise stalled in its ability to provide the necessary care.

Asking them comes naturally to many people, and there’s a reason for that: nurses always seem to show up when and where they’re needed. Who are the good Samaritans who often stop at the scene of car accidents? We may not be surprised that many of those pulling over to jump in and help may very well be nurses.

Valuable, Valued, Trusted, and Trustworthy

Nurses are asked to do so much, and their overall caring nature and willingness to be of service may lie at the core of this cultural phenomenon. Being seen as a community resource is terrific, but some nursing professionals may also occasionally experience the burdensomeness of this aspect of their nurse identity. Although doctors may enjoy significantly more income than nurses, nurses are commonly asked to give up their time.

Exercising personal boundaries may be an essential life lesson for many nurses. Being able to say no is a valuable skill, and nurses learning to change a lifelong habit of being the ones to say yes can be an opportunity to change, learn, and grow.

Those who choose nursing as a profession also choose nursing as a lifestyle; our neighbors, friends, and family likely perceive this choice. Yes, we are valuable, valued, trusted, and trustworthy. Yet, we can simultaneously care for ourselves by having firm boundaries, intuiting when to say no, and recognizing that we can’t be everything to everyone at all times.

Being a nurse is an honor and privilege, and we can fulfill our role with pride, compassion, kindness, and a sense of civic duty coupled with honoring our own needs and our personal duty to ourselves. So when someone chooses to ask a nurse, they also has a choice in how they choose to respond to the call.

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