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Chapter 14 Strategies for a Positive Attitude
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Staying Positive
Case
“Just makes more work for us,” Eileen
grumbles.
Mardryka starts the evening routine.
Her patients are glad to see her. She always
greets them pleasantly. When she has
the time, she spends a few extra minutes
chatting with them. Mardryka knows that
many of these people rarely have visitors.
Conversation and attention are important
to them.
Some patients are ill and in pain.
Some have problems with memory. At
times, a patient yells at an aide. Mardryka
sometimes hears Eileen yell back.
Mardryka realizes that the patients’ anger
is not directed at her personally. She knows
they are angry at their illness and their
inability to cope. Mardryka tries to put
herself in their place. She treats all her
patients as she would want to be treated.
Latoya is the registered nurse in charge
on the evening shift. Latoya spends part of
every evening checking Eileen’s work, even
though Eileen is the senior aide. However,
Latoya knows that Mardryka will take care
of what needs to be done without direct
supervision.
Latoya considers Mardryka “her right
arm.” She often tells her, “I don’t know
what I would do without you.” Mardryka
has volunteered to attend in-service
training sessions on her own time. She has
asked to borrow Latoya’s nursing journals.
Latoya is encouraging Mardryka to attend
nursing school.
Chapter 14 Strategies for a Positive Attitude
151
Mardryka is a nurse’s aide at a local
nursing home. She works the evening shift,
from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. She usually arrives
15 minutes early for her shift. Those extra
minutes give her time to talk to the aide
from the previous shift. She can fi nd out
whether any of the patients on her fl oor
are having diffi culty. Sometimes, patient
problems during the day mean that some
of the duties of the day shift have to be
handled in the evening. Today is one of
those days. Mardryka receives a quick
briefi ng and plans how she will organize
her time to fi t in everything that needs to be
done.
As Mardryka enters the hall, Eileen
calls to her. Mardryka waves hello, but
keeps on walking. Eileen, the senior aide on
the evening shift, always has a complaint.
As Mardryka walks down the hall, Eileen
catches up with her.
“It’s just you and me again tonight,”
Eileen says. “That darn Zachary called. One
of his kids has the fl u, and he can’t take her
to the sitter’s. I’m getting sick and tired of
this! I’ll bet it’s just an excuse to stay home
and watch TV. I’ll tell you…”
Mardryka cuts her short, trying to keep
the irritation out of her voice. “Zachary
hardly ever takes time off, Eileen. Why
would you doubt his excuse? It’s hard
raising three young kids alone, and I
admire him for working so hard to support
them. Besides, the fl u can be dangerous
to an elderly person. Zachary should
stay home rather than take the chance of
spreading infection.”