There was a time when to a write about my nursing activities, was quite unusual and rare. During COVID however, I began to write a little more about my experiences. This resulted in the LOCKDOWN series and a few nursing related ‘blog’ articles. The links to these can be found below.
Although a published author, as my friends frequently remind me and having seen my work in over a dozen esoteric magazines, journals and a few prestigious anthologies. I have at the time of writing, only had one nursing paper published and that was many years ago.
My ward manager has observed that it is my personality trait to compartmentalise my life. My professional activities within the realm of healthcare, are as a general rule kept quite separate from my interests in other fields. I am a writer, I am an esoteric folklorist and I am a Registered Nurse. Yet there is little conscious overlap between nursing and the esoteric.
On Friday the 19th of May 2023, I met one of our junior ward sisters on the unit. We were both attending the same study day and it was convenient to meet prior. I wasn’t particularly looking forward to this course. It was officially described as being an Orthopaedic Foundation Course but I had heard it had a top heavy focus on administration. An area that to be frank, leaves me cold.
It could also be questioned just what I would gain. I have over twenty years experience in surgery and having already completed a post registration qualification. It can be suggested that my knowledge base and that experience, is above average. That is a dangerous statement. It could suggest that I have nothing to learn and that is most assuredly untrue. The truth is that we can all still learn and we healthcare professionals, have an obligation to keep up to date. There is more to ‘Life Long Learning’ than it being an empty platitude, it does actually mean something of value.
The morning did start off well with an overview of orthopaedic anatomy and although little was new to me, I found the ‘refresher’ element to be of benefit. Particularly considering that I have been in medicine now, for two years. This session and one that followed, will aid my preparation for a return to surgery.
Post lunch we retired to the library for a session on literature searching. Although this was not a new concept, I am like most others in the class, decidedly rusty. This session may not have been the most stimulating part of the day but it was still a very important part. It will be a vital aid when we begin to search for the necessary research data, that we will use later as part of our planned group projects.
As part of our practice, I decided to search for my own paper. That one single nursing paper was published in the esteemed Journal of Orthopaedic Nursing and that was back in 2007. You can imagine my delight when I found it and I was able to show it to my colleague. It is of course rather out of date now but it remains an important achievement. I am still quite proud of it.
While in the library I decided it would be beneficial to rejoin. I hoped that my previous registration number could be reactivated. This was for the very childish reason that it amused me. My original registration was six hundred and sixty six. Yes, 666. Well, it made me smile.
Unfortunately the time period since expiry and the present, was too great. Blame COVID, as there has been quite a break. I have a new registration number now but it isn’t as funny. In fact it isn’t funny at all but then, neither was the study day. Yet both the study day and the library membership remain important and both will be beneficial in the long term.
Finding my old paper on the electronic data base and that is a data base that can be accessed from almost anywhere in the world, did rather make my day. It would have been even better if I had been able to keep my old registration though but we can’t have everything. We should of course, give the Devil his due and perhaps he wanted his number back?
©Daniel Bran Griffith 2023
Daniel Bran Griffith - The Chattering Magpie 
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