By Barbara Pierce
Julie Rose, 46, is a nurse for Bassett Healthcare Network.
Bassett is a health care system offering comprehensive, integrated care. It is comprised of five hospitals, including Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown and four regional hospitals, including the Little Falls Hospital; one stand-alone emergency department; more than two dozen outpatient clinics, more than 20 school-based health centers, the Bassett Cancer Institute, pharmacies, long-term care facilities, home health and research. It covers an eight-county area.
Rose works part-time in the Cobleskill Outpatient Clinic, a specialty unit, and part-time providing nurse orientation and other workshops focusing on the well-being of nurses. She explained what it’s like to be a nurse at Basset.
Q: How did you become interested in a career as a nurse?
A: I went back to school to become a nurse when I was 33 years old. Before then, I worked in marketing, selling condos, etc.
I became interested in becoming a nurse when I cared for grandfather as he died. I noticed that other members of my family couldn’t do some of the tasks that were necessary, but I didn’t mind these tasks. I like caring for him.
Vermont Technical College in Randolph, Vermont, is where I received my associate RN degree. I never worked in Vermont as a nurse; after school, I moved to New York where I began my nursing career.
Bassett paid for me to get my BA degree and helped me get my master’s degree in nursing education. I’m also a certified holistic nurse. I like working for Bassett.
Q: What do you do in your employment as a nurse?
A: Three days a week, I work in the Cobleskill Outpatient Clinic, with several specialty units. Today I’m working in pediatrics, another day I’ll work in orthopedics, another day in women’s health care. We switch the unit we work in every day. That makes it fun; I like that variety.
One day a week I do education at Cooperstown. I do workshops for nurses, a new nurse orientation and workshops that focus on nurse well-being. Burn-out is a big issue, especially since COVID. Before COVID, I had a yoga studio. Yoga is my passion, but when COVID hit, I had to close it. I do yoga in the workshops I give for the well-being of nurses.
I’m also responsible for Bassett’s DAISY Award program which recognizes nurses for their exceptional care on a quarterly basis.
Q: What are the rewards of your position?
A: I get to do so many different things. I’m working with the things that I’m passionate about. I’m able to bring it all together, combine all my passions. Working here is fun.
I especially like what I do with the DAISY awards. Our nurses here are amazing people; they’re so inspiring; it gives me hope. Basset has the entire network involved in this program.
Q: What are the challenges of your position?
A: The challenge is finding time to do all the things I have to do. I love the job. Fitting it all in is the most challenging.
Q: What are the things that are especially important for nurses to know?
A: I do presentations on mindfulness and self-care. I encourage nurses to speak up and take care of yourself. It’s also important to recognize how we feel stress in our bodies. Listen to these signs, so before stress overwhelms you, you can do something about it.
With the nurse orientations, I’m dealing with our brand-new nurses, who are new to the field, as well as those who are experienced and are just new to Bassett. I find the new nurses are ‘gung-ho,’ enthusiastic about their careers, eager to sign up for many shifts, taking on additional responsibilities. This will overwhelm them. Many have a fear of saying no. I teach them how to set health boundaries and that it’s OK to say no. Even necessary.
In nursing school, we were taught to celebrate those nurses who don’t take time to eat lunch, who don’t even take time to pee. Instead, we should celebrate those who do take time to care for themselves.
Nurses have an internal caregiver. It is beautiful. In addition to being a nurse, most are dealing with motherhood and a partner; there’s nothing left at the end of the day. This is not OK.
Q: What is the most important thing for a nurse to know?
A: The one thing that I’d like nurses to know: There are so many options. I’m not an adrenaline nurse who likes ICU nursing or med-surg nursing; that’s not for me. I’ve found my passion by trying out different things. So many nurses leave the field. Instead, find something different to do; Basset facilitates that.
There’s an array of nursing careers. If you’re not happy in the one you have, seek another.