Morphing

This is what we need to be taught in school. Morphing is characterized by the smooth transformation of one shape or image into another. How does one complete this? Well, it’s all about how you are communicating with the person perceiving. I have told so many people that during my job, I have to morph myself into a different being in order to achieve patient success. I might have a alcoholic coming down and hallucinating like crazy, or a dementia patient who thinks we are the secret service, or a family that is just not ready to let their loved one go. Now, how does this look like in a 12 hour period? It’s called exhaustion. If we did not morph ourselves into different levels and meet the patients where they are at, we would not be successful. I feel as though I am acting in a movie at times . It’s not in a bad way, it’s in a peaceful, yet honest, empathic forward motion. Empaths are the best nurses. You can feel what the other person is feeling. You can morph yourself into their energy and feel what they are feeling. This makes you an amazing nurse. Why do you think the actor on The Matrix was named Morpheus? Coincidence? No, he was showing them what they could truly become.

I had an experience the other day where I had to morph into a current peer. I first met her when I started my new adventure at the hospital. We were total opposites at the get go. She was constantly happy, laughing, and she truly had a heart of gold. My demeanor in the beginning of my nursing career was to keep my head down and not try to kill anyone. I was scared shitless. Which people perceived my personality traits as introvert, focused, lack of positivity, and persistence. Now, are all of these traits bad? Maybe the lack of positivity one. Had to build confidence first. Perhaps, it was not knowing the unknown and what I was going to face in the beginning of my shifts. So, I was perceived as disliking people. But, what people didn’t know is what I morphed myself into when I would open patient doors. They had no clue.

This peer that was the total opposite of me left me alone, however, we finally were assigned on the same side to take care of patients. We both were uneasy of each other. She thought I came across that I knew everything. My perception of super positive people were fake and hiding something. Back in the day, we listed to tape recordings for report. So, she started the tape recorder and the tape recorder was on its last leg and the recordings came across as the characters of the chipmunks. We both burst out laughing and started to ugly cry due to crying so hard. We then became great friends. It only took this very moment. We had the best day at work because we started it out with laughing and our guards came down. Now, I have known this individual for 17 years now. We both are very different people, but we compliment each other. We both have very different characteristics, but it works.

So, we have a patient in the hospital that worked with my friend back before I was hired on. She is a nurse and she suffers from dementia. Stacey and I are the same height and have blonde hair. This patient would not let any nurse put an IV in her. As I walked in the the room, the patient’s face lit up and she was so excited that Stacey was there! I had to morph my voice a few octaves higher and I had to laugh more which was no easy feat. But, I knew this was the only way. So what did I do? I did what Stacey would have done. Sat down with her and reminisced about the old days of being a nurse. I secretly took my badge down so she couldn’t see my real name because I knew if she found out, it was all over. We talked about what it was like being new nurses and she went to inform me that if she was going to ever be a patient, she was going to be mean to the new nurses. But she had a change of heart. “Stacey, we have to treat our young well. I would never want them to go through what we did.” I replied, “You are right, now look at us, we did well.” I informed her if I would ever be a patient I would yell, “Code Blue!” out in the hallway. “Stacey, they have a button for that now, it’s not like the olden days.” We both laughed. Thank goodness for Stacey. In the back of my mind I was so grateful.

I got the IV in while we reminisced about a life that I wasn’t even a part of. I, however, was able to pull off the energy of Stacey to make is successful. The people who are positive are your people. What you learn from them, carries into other adventures to make you successful. If you surround yourself with drama and negativity, you will attract more negative energy. I would know, I used to live it. Look outside the matrix and morph yourself into the best you can be for any situation. It’s not acting if it is coming from a pure heart. It’s creating a better experience for the one sitting in the bed not feeling well and counting on you for some glimmer of hope.