Laudy Andrade Ribeiro (24) spent so much time in hospitals as a child that she did not want to think about working in healthcare. Until nurses pointed out to her that her experience and talents would make her an asset. She now works as a nurse at the Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis in the Gastroentrological Surgery/Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases department.
Why did you have to go to the hospital so often as a child?
“When I was nine years old, I was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatism and a blood disorder. Then I had to go to the hospital every week and was admitted regularly, sometimes even for six months. I pretty much grew up in the Sophia Children's Hospital and have seen everything, from the 'normal' nursing ward to the ICU. The form of juvenile rheumatism that I have is also not going away. So I knew as a child that I would be in the hospital a lot throughout my life. To also work in healthcare... that didn't seem like a big deal to me.”
Yet your idea about that changed. How did that happen?
“I once spoke with the nurses about the choice for further training. I was in 5th HAVO at the time and didn't know what I wanted to do next. They said: 'Isn't nursing something for you?' They found me caring and indicated that I always got along so well with younger children in the department who found it exciting in the hospital. I had never really considered that this was a quality that I could use in my work. The conversation made me delve deeper into the profession. I have now been working as a nurse for almost two years.”
Does it help in your work that you have a lot of experience as a patient?
“During the training, I noticed that this gave me an advantage. At the same time, it was a great lesson for me to look at everything from the other side. As a teenager, at a certain point, I was allowed to make my own decisions - before that my parents did - and I sometimes felt that it took a long time before I got an answer. In the meantime, I know that people are working on the patient behind the scenes, but it sometimes takes a while because consultations need to be held or because a certain result has not yet been received.”
What talents do you have that would be useful in healthcare?
“I can plan well, I learned that as a child because I had to combine my schoolwork with all those hospital visits. In the TMA Talent Analysis I also describe the talents as 'connecting' and 'equal': people quickly come to me. The fact that I am approachable to patients, colleagues and trainees is something that I did not really think about, but which I can now see as a quality. Another talent that emerged is 'perseverance'. I always strive for a good result and the best care. I like to go the extra mile if I can help colleagues or patients.”
Is the latter also your pitfall?
“Yes, because I can tell others to go home, but I personally find it difficult to stop. I also have a lot of empathy for patients or colleagues and can quickly spot when something is wrong, sometimes before someone even realizes it. That's sometimes difficult, because then I take it home. Although I have learned to let go more in recent years.”
What gives you energy in your work?
“When the people around me - colleagues and patients - are happy and feel at ease. What strikes me is that most people call me that pleasant or cheerful sister. I always try to throw in some humor, of course at an appropriate level. Sometimes I cry along, other times we laugh out loud together.”
Are you working on your personal development and how you want to develop yourself?
“Certainly, because I think it is important to continue to grow as a person and as a nurse. I have been a nurse manager for some time now. I have also followed various training courses, such as 'crucial conversations' to address people directly and avoid being walked all over. I can set my limits a little earlier. I also enjoy arranging everything besides my work. For example, I am responsible for training the team and I am working with the team leader to set up a symposium. Then planning and organizing talent comes in handy! In the long term, I might want to become a pediatric nurse, but that is still a bit too close at the moment. What I do know for sure is that I want to combine working in healthcare with education; I would like to teach at the HBO-V course. Being at the bedside for another twenty years is too hard because of my juvenile rheumatism. This would be a nice combination.”
On Nursing Day, also known as Care Day, healthcare workers are put in the spotlight. It is on May 12 every year because this is the birth date of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910). She is considered the founder of modern nursing. Would you like more information about TMA in healthcare? Mail zorg@tma.nl