Hailee French RN, a cardiac nurse in Ames, Iowa, says that the best way to make patients feel the care you're providing is to show them respect and empathy.

Q. TRUE or FALSE: “Nurses eat their young.” 

Specifically I have never had to deal with this. However, I’ve heard of other peers dealing with this issue. I would say 9/10 nurses now do not “eat their young” and want to help create and educate their teammates or future teammates.

Q. What is your specialty and where are you based?

I am a cardiac nurse in Ames Iowa.

Hailee French, RN

Q. What does cultural competence mean for healthcare providers?

Ensuring that you are culturally aware of other cultures, your feelings and including certain cultural needs in your patient’s care.

Q. What is your experience with nurse unions? 

I have not experienced one at all.

Q: What current events in the nursing field are you most passionate about?

As nurses we deal with a wide variety of the population. Patients that have heart disease, diabetes, kidney function issues, respiratory, wounds, mental illness, etc. Each person that we care for is unique in their illness or diagnosis. We have no idea what has led them to this point. Which leads me to what I am super passionate about. 

Educating all health care workers to remember that each patient is human. Humans are not perfect. There are events in our lives that we have or do not have control over and it’s not our place as nurses to judge them on such events. Especially if we are only seeing them now and not where they came from. 

So many times nurses care for patients who are admitted for alcohol withdrawal or drug detox. It’s hard to not get frustrated and judge a book by its cover especially when they are repeatedly being admitted for such issues. This is what I like to bring up. This person was not always like this. 

Something happened in their life that caused them enough pain to end up in this situation. So step back and view the person from that standpoint. Be empathetic. These people were not born alcoholic or drug users. If you are able to step back and view the patient this way, provide them with dignity and empathy they are more likely to feel the care you're provided on a deeper level.