It was a good day

Don’t forget to reflect on the things that made you smile today.

I still have little things I do at work today that I was shown 20 years ago; little habits that make my system easier – the use of muscle memory and routine, an order of which I do things because that’s the way I was taught.

Some of these things have come in and out of fashion, and I have always stuck with the practice’s SOPs, but there are some things I do that I learned myself the hard way.

Carly-isms

For example, I’ve had one too many syringe/needle disconnections and drugs exploding where other people have handed it to me. As such, I always push the needle down firmly onto the syringe before I go near a patient.

I also don’t sit down during anaesthesia. The one and only time I sat down, my patient arrested, and I wasn’t prepared; I was too relaxed and missed the signs. Now, I always stand – for hours at a time – and I don’t miss a thing.

These are my Carly-isms, but there are others taught to me by a nurse I worked with when I was a student. She was the most relaxed character with sarcasm running through her veins, and she taught me the ways of the veterinary nurse in a very chilled fashion. I don’t do rushing about, I don’t do practice politics, and I always blow down an endotracheal tube before I intubate – and she’s the reason I’m like that.

Lessons in life and loss

She also taught me about life… Life is too short to be stressed about things that can’t be changed, and it’s definitely too short to be filling your time with pointless boring activities like ironing.

I lost this friend in the summer of 2023 and her loss was massive. She left a piece of her with everyone she worked with – pieces we shared again. We reunited in sad circumstances, yet there was a positive atmosphere among the crowd, sharing stories and reminiscing: the festivals, the parties, the barbecues, the camping trips, the dog walks and the quick drinks after work. Laughing so hard we cried – it was her infectious perspective on life that made her lovable, her just-get-on-with-it attitude.

Losing friends and colleagues can be difficult to comprehend, but try to find strength in the knowledge that the time you had together was filled with everything you wanted from it at the time, even if it was a quick drive-by to drop something off. The last time you saw them they were smiling and wearing slippers.

Be a cheerleader

I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you’ve had a good day, say so out loud. Share your day with others and highlight all your positives and little wins. Your positivity will rub off on others and that’s how a busy team functions, on positive thinking and little wins.

Even if you’re not into teaching, or you hate the thought of someone shadowing you, be a cheerleader. You can teach from a distance with words of encouragement and promoting the strengths you see.

Your words and actions will make an impact on the people around you and, you never know, you might make a few lifelong friends along the way.