June 2017 • Volume 10, No. 6
From the Editor
It’s summer – kick back!
Chances are you will be taking some time off work this summer. But with our always-on digital world, the traditional summer hours of lazing around are rapidly disappearing, as we feel a need to stay connected–whether it’s with what’s going on at work, Facebook, CNN or our Twitter feed. Obsessive screen-checking is an addiction and it’s not good for us.
May we suggest instead: unplug for a few hours, settle in under a shady tree with something cold to drink, and just chill. Listen to the kids playing; watch the grass grow.
And then, for dessert, dive into a book. Either the low-tech paper kind, or an electronic reader (on airplane mode, so you won’t be tempted to connect to the Internet). We’ve scouted out several recent releases that we think may be of interest to our readers—even a “snarky” adult coloring book about nursing.
Our Student Spotlight this month is Marie Sprow, RN, BSN, CNOR . Scroll down for jobs we’ve collected for you and NIFA’s favorite links.
Enjoy your summer!
Julie Lancaster, Editor
Summer Book Ideas
Nurse Life: A Snarky Adult Coloring Book (2016)
Nurses, you truly are angels in disguise. In the most trying times and stressful circumstances, you are compassionate, kind, wise, and patient beyond measure. But let’s be real. All that self-sacrifice must give you daydreams of hijacking some gurneys and pushing each other straight to Mexico for vacation. Well, put back the gurneys and pick up this coloring book for grown-ups instead! With each page you color, feel the exhaustion and stress melt away like so many ocean waves and margaritas.
The Nurses: A Year of Secrets, Drama, and Miracles with the Heroes of the Hospital (2015)
New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist Alexandra Robbins peers behind the staff-only door to write a lively, fast-paced story and a riveting work of investigative journalism. The Nurses is told through the real-life stories of four women in different hospitals. The result is a riveting page-turner, insightful and thought-provoking, that will leave readers feeling smarter about their healthcare and appreciative of the incredible nurses who provide it.
The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder (2014)
After his December 2003 arrest, registered nurse Charlie Cullen was quickly dubbed “The Angel of Death” by the media. But Cullen was no mercy killer, nor was he a simple monster. He was a favorite son, husband, beloved father, best friend and celebrated caregiver. Implicated in the deaths of as many as 300 patients, he was also perhaps the most prolific serial killer in American history.
Dr. Mutter’s Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine (2015)
Although he died at just 48, plastic surgeon Thomas Dent Mütter was an audacious medical innovator in the mid-19th century who pioneered the use of ether as anesthesia, the sterilization of surgical tools, and a compassion-based vision for helping the severely deformed. Brilliant, outspoken, and brazenly handsome, Mütter was flamboyant in every aspect of his life. He wore pink silk suits to perform surgery, added an umlaut to his last name just because he could, and amassed an immense collection of medical oddities that would later form the basis of Philadelphia’s renowned Mütter Museum.
Student Spotlight: Marie Sprow
 Name: Marie Sprow
Credentials: RN, BSN, CNOR
Student Status: Current student
City & State: Topsfield, MA
Current Position: Staff OR RN at Lahey Hospital, Burlington, MA
Where did you get your RN degree?
BSN – Regis / Lawrence Memorial Nursing, Medford, MA
Why did you choose perioperative nursing?
Teamwork is what I enjoy and the OR where I have been for 7 years is the extreme in teamwork.
What is one of the funniest moments you’ve seen at the table?
Every day in the OR is fun/funny so that relationships amongst the staff can grow for when those moments that become scary come along; you know you can depend upon each other and work well together without even talking.
What techniques or RNFA tricks did you learn from NIFA that you will use for life?
The tying and sewing skills, coupled with both class and individual instruction as needed, were fantastic. The learning I appreciated most was the mental exercise of where and what type of suture you would use, and especially the thought of how to accomplish (start) that stitch or throw.
What advice would you give other perioperative nurses who wish to pursue RNFA?
To be able to open up opportunities and take the perioperative experience to the next level, RNFA is a must.
NIFA – Office Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00am – 4:00pm
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter are strictly those of their respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of NIFA. NIFA does not give any express or implied warranty as to the accuracy of statements made by our contributors and does not accept any liability for error or omission. It is the responsibility of all perioperative personnel to work within and adhere to their facility bylaws and individual scope of practice.
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