I want to give you a little insight into who I am and how I started this BLOG Nurses Need Care Too!

I live in picturesque Central Pa with my husband and cat, who is not at all friendly.  I’m talking about the cat, not my husband 😊.  My grandkids call him the “Mean cat” as we used to have a “Nice cat” who recently died.  Also, I am fortunate to have LOADS of grandchildren and family around who all get along, and we love hanging out together.

I have been a nurse for 37 years, starting out working on a pediatric unit in a rural Pa hospital.  From there, I did a whole lot of other nursing as I many times worked 2 jobs at a time.  My main title has been “school nurse” for 27 years.

I also went back to college to get my master’s degree to become a family nurse practitioner (CRNP).  I worked as a certified school nurse (CSN) in a local district and, at the same time, a CRNP at an inner-city community clinic for a few years.  Not surprisingly, I suffered burn-out and developed cancer at 40.  So, I decided just to work the one job as a school nurse as it paid well and had great benefits.  I belatedly realized that life is too short to work it away.

Fast forward to 2020, COVID hit, and I was working all 3 shifts at a local private inpatient pediatric facility.  Once again, I was side-lined with chronic illness.  This time, it was a rare autoimmune inflammatory disorder called Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR).  I had to stop working as a nurse due to being immunocompromised from the medication to treat PMR and feeling poorly.  After 6 months of muscle rigidity and pain, I felt that I had nursed myself back to health to a point where I could start to think about working again.

I realized that I could not be a dependable worker as I had good days and bad days due to the PMR and always a lot of morning stiffness.  I had always loved to write and had done some journaling while recovering from cancer.  In addition, I developed some educational health videos a few years ago for a wellness corporation.  I decided to officially try my hand at writing and landed an ongoing gig for a nursing education publication.  I also had started a Facebook group for Polymyalgia Rheumatica sufferers.

I gave blogging a try and liked it.  So, I decided to start up a support and encouragement BLOG for nurses called Nurses Need Care Too.  

Supporting nurses is a passion of mine as many of my family and friends are in the nursing or health field.  I love and admire them all. Most of all, I know how discouraging and wearing it can be to work day after day, giving of yourself with very little in return.  I want to help encourage my nurse friends and all of you out there who deserve accolades and a little “prop up” for what you do EVERY DAY!  You are my HEROES.  

I would be honored if you read my BLOG Nurses Need Care Too!  I hope that I can make your day a little brighter.  

Check back in a few days for uplifting and inspiration for NURSES WEEK!  I can’t wait to celebrate with you and for you.

In sisterhood,

Donna