Connecting with the Person Behind the Patient

Podcast Transcript

Carol Pehotsky:

We have so much to focus on as nurses that it could be all too easy to linger on the tasks, the lab results, the assessment, that we lose sight of the patient, the human being, to whom they are connected. I'm joined today by Nancy Albert as we discuss how to always keep the patient and the human being at the center of all we do.

Hi, and welcome to Nurse Essentials, a Cleveland Clinic podcast where we discuss all things nursing, from patient care to advancing your career to navigating tough on-the-job issues. We're so glad you're here. I'm your host, Carol Pehotsky, Associate Chief Nursing Officer of Surgical Services Nursing.

Part of the human condition in this day and age, and, and many others, is on the other side of the bed. Sometimes as nurses, we just change ahead of our lives and stop thinking about the fact that we have, or will be, on that side of the bed, or someone we care about most in this world, is. For me, I was on that other side of the surgical bed as my specialty a couple times before I became a nurse, and then thankfully always elective on the other side post being a nurse.

And so, I, I came to the profession with some impressions about what that felt like as a patient of a nurse not knowing really the ins and outs of nursing. And then once I went to school and, and had some road on my tires, really reflecting on that experience, what went well about it, what I would have preferred to be different. And then with each subsequent time I had surgery or been in the hospital, again thankfully for only once an emergency thing that resolved very quickly, it has absolutely informed me as both a human being and as a nurse.

And I have the pleasure of welcoming new nurses when they come into the OR. And when we ask them why you picked surgery, invariably at least half of them say, "Because I had surgery," or, "Because somebody I care about did and I want to be that person who makes a difference." But how do we share these stories? You don't have to have been a patient to be a great nurse, so how do we help share our stories with others and help them learn from those?

I am so honored to be joined today by Dr. Nancy M. Albert to discuss this topic further. Nancy is the Associate Chief Nursing Officer for Nursing Research and Innovation for the Stanley Shalom Zielony Nursing Institute here at Cleveland Clinic. She is also a Clinical Nurse Specialist. She's still actively seeing patients in the Kaufman Center for Heart Failure Treatment and Recovery. We're still trying to figure out how you do all that, Nancy, (laughs) because she also has over 390 peer-reviewed articles published in nursing and medical journals, and she was the first nursing president of the Heart Failure Society of America.

I could go on and on, but today we're here to talk about this topic you're so passionate about, which is remembering who that person is who happens to be your patient. Thank you so much for joining me today, Nancy.

Nancy Albert:

Well thanks so much for having me, Carol. I am really excited to talk about this topic because I think being human and being humane with our patients is so important, and I think sometimes as nurses, we get caught up in our daily lives as a nurse, and maybe we forget it. So, I actually, a few years ago, I was asked to do a keynote presentation for a graduation, a nursing school graduation, and I told them this little story. And I'd like to kind of just in a way repeat it and kind of just to remind us of all of, of what I'm really talking about here. So, imagine just yesterday, you're a father, and you have three adult children and they come over to the house for dinner and you're thrilled to have dinner with them. It's family dinner night. It's movie night. And everybody's laughing and talking and sharing popcorn and wine and they purposefully set their cellphones aside, so yeah. They can fully engage with each other.

Carol Pehotsky:

Really. Really.

Nancy Albert:

And the very next day, the dad, the father, goes in to see his local doctor. And gets diagnosed with a non-curable aggressive condition and is whisked out of the hospital for immediate treatment. So, Dad gets to the hospital.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yep.

Nancy Albert:

Once there, he's asked to remove all his clothes his watch, any jewelry he has on, put on a gown, of course without a backside, as most hospitals still use, and he's placed in a single hospital bed with an uncomfortable mattress, probably an uncomfortable pillow and the side rails up. Right?

Carol Pehotsky:

Yeah.

Nancy Albert:

Later, that same family man is asked not to get out of bed asked to call the nurse if he needs to use the urinal or if he needs to go to the bathroom. And the man, I'm sure, is wondering what the heck happened to my perfectly good legs.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yes.

Nancy Albert:

Right?

Carol Pehotsky:

Yeah.

Nancy Albert:

Like, how come I can't get out of bed and go to the bathroom? Is this a jail or is this, you know, what's really going on here?

Carol Pehotsky:

Sure. Absolutely.

Nancy Albert:

So, in addition, the man is poked and prodded of course by every person who enters the room. So, when you enter as a nurse what do you think that man is feeling? Probably a little bit on guard. Don't know what you're up to. Maybe fears what you're gonna come in and do or tell him.

Carol Pehotsky:

Especially based on whatever transpired. You're walking in for the first time, but what happened before you got there? Yeah.

Nancy Albert:

Exactly. And I think it's up to us as nurses if we're the nurse walking in the room, to understand that we're entering the room of a person who has a life had a life immediately before entering this room.

Carol Pehotsky:

Immediately. Yes. That's a great point.

Nancy Albert:

The person has a history. The person has a worried family.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yeah.

Nancy Albert:

And it may be somebody who's also worried about himself and what this means.

Carol Pehotsky:

Well, of course.

Nancy Albert:

Am I gonna be able to do things that are my responsibilities in life? So, what's gonna happen next? So again, for us as nurses, we really need to be human and also, we need to really think about what's going on with the person in the bed, differently than being an expert clinician in whatever area that diagnosis is in, and, and doing the right thing for patients.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yeah. We think about, you know, I'm fresh out of nursing school. I learned all of these assessment techniques. I want to use them. It only works if it's part of that bigger picture. I, I remember vaguely being a new nurse and, and really trying to, you know, what am I supposed to do next, right? I'm, it's, it's me now. I'm responsible. And, and between having a few surgeries and having a lot of life underneath my tires, I, I would argue I'm a I'm better equipped to remember that's a human being. Right? What advice do you give for, well linger here with, first with like the nursing students or the newer nurses.

Nancy Albert:

Right.

Carol Pehotsky:

Because there is. There's a lot to remember and who do I call and what do I do. What are some key things that they can be thinking of, other than their own humanness, but how do you juggle all those competing demands?

Nancy Albert:

Right. There is a lot going on. And I think first maybe the first, the very first thing we need to do is ask patients a simple question. What do you need from me right now? And that way, you may open Pandora's Box a little bit.

And so, you have to have time to have Pandora's Box opened. But at least it will give the patient a chance to do that you know, I'm worried about who's gonna cut the lawn. I'm worried about making sure something is g- a bill gets paid.

I need to call my wife to do X, Y, Z. So again, they, they may be having those thoughts, but really, they may also be worried about, you know, I'm worried about my diagnosis what's gonna be next. And it's not that the nurse has to have all the answers but if the nurse could at least open that door for the questions, they could take notes, write them down show that they care, show that they're concerned about that person in the bed, not just the patient in the bed.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right. Right.

Nancy Albert:

And again, it just started that conversation. And when the nurse does it, they can't look like they're bored and just going through the motion.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right. I'm saying it because I was told by my preceptor to say it. Yes.

Nancy Albert:

Yeah. Exactly.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yeah.

Nancy Albert:

So, they, they need to you know, they need to have good eye contact. They need to look engaged, act engaged. I always say, I actually have a slide I use in some leadership talks.

Carol Pehotsky:

Sure.

Nancy Albert:

And I show a person smiling, and you're not smiling because you're happy they're sick and, in your bed, but you're smiling to show that you're attentive and listening and that you care about this person. So, you know, go with the flow of the conversation. Maybe you have to show a sad face at that moment if you're really listening.

Carol Pehotsky:

Sure. Of course.

Nancy Albert:

But what I really mean is a smile can help somebody else really feel like she's with me on this journey, or she's, or he's with me on this journey. Of course, we have male nurses as well.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yes.

Nancy Albert:

So again, just keep, keeping that in mind I think it could be really beneficial.

Carol Pehotsky:

It could be even as simple as saying, you know, what's type of mind for you or what are you thinking about, because the answer is probably a lot of times gonna surprise us, because it might not be this devastating diagnosis. It might be my dogs at home by him or herself.

Nancy Albert:

Right.

Carol Pehotsky:

And I don't have anybody to let them out.

Nancy Albert:

Right. So, what are your concerns?

Carol Pehotsky:

Yes.

Nancy Albert:

And once we know those concerns, get their perspectives. Then we could figure out and communicate to others to help maybe reduce fear, reduce uncertainties, whatever those are. It may not be the medical condition.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right.

Nancy Albert:

It might be life.

Carol Pehotsky:

So many other things.

Nancy Albert:

So yeah.

Carol Pehotsky:

I want to go back to something you'd said about not having to have all the answers, right? So as, as, especially you're, you're new in a profession or you're new to your unit and you want to have the answers and sometimes it's easy to think that's how I convey confidence, that's how I can help this patient trust me because I have the answers. So, what tips do you have for somebody who can't possibly have the answer, nobody ex- I mean, we have wonderful instances where people have gone and let the dog out.

But that isn't necessarily something that nurses can do right now. So, so what tips do you have for that nurse who's trying to create this, this sense of I'm hearing you, but also a little bit of comfort with I don't know the answer?

Nancy Albert:

So, it's okay to say to somebody, "You know, that's a great question and I don't have the answer," or, "I have no expertise in this arena."

Carol Pehotsky:

Yeah.

Nancy Albert:

But then we could add the "and" not the "but".

Carol Pehotsky:

That's right.

Nancy Albert:

But the and.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yes.

Nancy Albert:

So, "And I will talk to somebody and see if I can find out who could help you."

Carol Pehotsky:

Yes.

Nancy Albert:

And I will let my nursing manager know to see if blah, blah, blah.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right.

Nancy Albert:

Or and I will call the doctor and I will do this or that. So, I think if we use the right wording with our patients, they'll still feel like we're there for them. And I don't think they really expect us to have all the answers. But I think what they do is they expect us to listen and listen attentively.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yes.

Nancy Albert:

So.

Carol Pehotsky:

And the importance of following up even if the answer is I'm still checking.

Nancy Albert:

Yes.

Carol Pehotsky:

You know, as, as having had loved ones in the hospital, and, and you know, you don't take your nurse hat off when you're sitting at the bedside. You, you know, I reflect back on a scenario where I can watch it unfold where I, the nurse said to my loved one, "I will check in on that." Okay. Every single time that nurse came in, what, where's it at, where's it at, w- from my loved one because that was all they were thinking about, that nurse is working on that for me and they also have, you know, they're waiting for other calls. They can't generate that answer. But it's so important. And the nurses did a great job of putting my loved one at ease of, yes, here's where we're at. We're still looking for that answer, but it's so just, you can't forget to even tell them, "I'm still working on it." Because sometimes, that's the only thing the patient's been thinking about in the five to 50 minutes you've been outside of their room.

Nancy Albert:

Right. In fact, there's, um, you know, if you read the literature about emergency nursing and left before treatment complete patients right, so people leave the ER before because they're tired of waiting.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yeah.

Nancy Albert:

And one of the ways to help prevent that from happening is to have the nurse or key personnel that the patient has met go back into the lobby maybe every 15 minutes to 30 minutes to say, "We haven't forgotten about you."

Carol Pehotsky:

Yes.

Nancy Albert:

"We're still waiting on a bed."

Carol Pehotsky:

Right.

Nancy Albert:

"Are you comfortable? What do you need from me?" So again, you know, trying to help the patient understand that we know they're there, we care about them, and that we're not just leaving them. You know? That we're, we're attentive to the fact that you know, we know you're, you're still sitting out here waiting.

Carol Pehotsky:

It's tapping into that human condition that nobody enjoys waiting, I don't think.

Nancy Albert:

Right.

Carol Pehotsky:

And everybody worries about getting forgotten.

Nancy Albert:

So true.

Carol Pehotsky:

That's fantastic.

Nancy Albert:

Okay.

Carol Pehotsky:

So going back to something we talked about at the top of the episode in terms of, you know, if you, if you are fortunate enough to be in this world long enough, you will likely be on either on the receiving end of healthcare or have somebody you care very much in that position. So how do we, as nurse leaders, preceptors, or even as nursing students, what ideas do you have around how we would share that with other nurses? Obviously not having to give all of ourselves away, but to create that gentle reminder about humanness in all of us.

Nancy Albert:

Yeah. I think that, you know, at Cleveland Clinic, one of the things we do here is we do these care planning episodes or patient plan of care visits. And the whole goal around a patient plan of care visit is to go into the patient's room every day with a collaborative team.

So, it's not just the nurse by themselves or the physician by themselves, but the nurse and physician together with the patient at minimum. There may be other collaborators or clinicians in the room, and to talk to the patient about what the plan of care is, make sure that we ask the patient what questions they have for us and again, then everybody's in the room. And I think part of the beauty, the value, of plan of care visits is that everybody's on the same page.

Carol Pehotsky:

Everybody's just goes, they have no excuses. They, they were there in the room. Yeah.

Nancy Alber:

That's right. Yeah. Because, you know, imagine a physician comes in and says, "We're gonna do these three things."

Carol Pehotsky:

Sure.

Nancy Albert:

And the nurse believes the patient's ready to go home, right, or the nurse thinks that they're gonna be here four more days and the physician said, "Oh, we're gonna send you home this afternoon."

Carol Pehotsky:

Right.

Nancy Albert:

So again, having everybody on the same page gives a sense of confidence for the patient, but more importantly, it gives a sense of symmetry and everybody's in the same tract. They're not in different tracts, all meeting different goals and not knowing what's going on. So, the patient is in the same tract as the nurse and the physician of record.

And I think that could really help a patient understand what the next steps are in their treatment plan and what's going on with them. And then of course, they could communicate that to their family and friends and get this humanism back in terms of I have a life. Now I've got to communicate that with my family members, my friends.

Carol Pehotsky:

And, and I've had the honor of, of listening in on some of them, and, and some of great work being done all over the place. Some of the bests are when it really does start with that question about, "What's on your mind today, Mrs. Pehotsky?"

Because it might not be the procedure. It might be I think I have three bills due and there's nobody at home to pay them, or I'm not sure how.

Nancy Albert:

Right.

Carol Pehotsky:

Whatever that is. When they're done really beautifully, it starts with a humanistic question. So, for those of you who aren't from the Cleveland Clinic, maybe you call them multidisciplinary rounds. You call them care planning. I want to linger though on something that Nancy pointed out, is these are at the bedside with the patient.

So I think about the olden days when we did have those, but they were in a conference room somewhere else, and it didn't involve the patient.

Nancy Albert:

In the hallway.

Carol Pehotsky:

In a hallway. In a conference room. M- people are running in and out, versus it really is that opportunity. So, if, if somebody, this is foreign to somebody, they've never, they've never heard of this, obviously it was a giant effort to get this underway. But how can the nurse, whether you're in an area that does plan of care visits or not, how can that nurse best advocate for that patient truly being part of their plan of care discussion?

Nancy Albert:

Yeah. I think that when we think about those discussions, we need to make sure that we're working with the patient's context. And you said it really nicely. Maybe they're not worried about how well the procedure's gonna go or what's going on with the procedure, but they're worried if they're gonna wake up or they're worried how long it's gonna take to wake up.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yeah.

Nancy Albert:

Or they're worried if they're gonna have a tube in or they're worried that maybe they won't be able to talk or walk. And so, learning that patient's context is really important and asking the right questions about concern and, you know, what questions do you have for me, how can I you know, what's on your mind right now, really can help us then take that direction and pathway that meets the patient's needs first because they not be able to hear anything we say if we're on a different path than them. So, if we're off context to what's important to them in the moment and they're anxious, they're fearful they're uncertain they're vulnerable you're right.

They haven't heard a word you said. And so, then you're missing that opportunity. They're not listening. And then and then by the time you get to it, they missed all of the important stuff that you needed to say.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right.

Nancy Albert:

So, starting out, getting into the patient's context can be really important. And then, go back to the messages we need to give them so that they can leave the hospital, go home and live a good life, and hopefully not have to come back for the same repetitive problem. So.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right. And so, no matter where you are in your trajectory as a nurse, it, it, at or within your organization, where your organization is on a journey about involving this, you know, what do they say? Sometimes you have to go slow to go fast. I mean, I vividly remember the days of eight million phone calls and texts and pages and back and forth trying to get on the same page between the patient and the provider and the nurse, and da, da, da, da, da, versus let's all get in the same room and talk about this together.

It makes our care more efficient and more effective because there aren't miscommunications of, well, I thought you said it, the procedure was today. I thought I was going home tomorrow. It really is getting the whole team on the same page.

Nancy Albert:

Right. I think also we need to remember, and I know some of this might be cultural, so I'll push that out there right now, that tactileness can also be important. So, do we need to hold the patient's hand? Do we need to squeeze their arm? Do we need to pat their shoulder? Is that important to them for that connection, that humanness again?

Carol Pehotsky:

Sure.

Nancy Albert:

So back to the human being humane again. So, if we notice that they're looking like they're ready to cry, in addition to getting Kleenex and saying, "Oh my goodness," you know but what, what else can we do? Do they, do they need a hug? If that's, you know, and some people are very huggy feely people.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yes. Pandemic was hard on them. Yes.

Nancy Albert:

Yeah.

Carol Pehotsky:

Same.

Nancy Albert:

And if there's no family member in the room to do that, we may be the surrogate for that. So again, it's our comfort level as well.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right.

Nancy Albert:

As nurses, not everybody's huggy feely, and I get that. But I think it's working off what you're seeing and hearing and feeling from the patient. And again, instead of us being in our head just going through the motion of I've got to get this, this, and this done.

These are the 10 things I need to do, need to get to the next patient's room. Take that time to stop, to really listen, really hear look, see what's going on, and again, connect with patient under the context that's in front of us.

Carol Pehotsky:

And it's, it, it can be as simple as, "Can I give you a hug?" Or "Would it help if I"?

Nancy Albert:

Yeah.

Carol Pehotsky:

Again, if you're not touchy feely, then we're not nurses telling you to go figure out how to do that.

Nancy Albert:

Right.

Carol Pehotsky:

But people, people aren't going to necessarily, they're not gonna ask for it. But if you offer it to them, and that's something they need, I always have the opportunity, when I say, "Would you like this?" And you, you're sensing that they will say yes.

Nancy Albert:

Right. Or even if you say, "Oh, I feel like I want to give you a hug."

Carol Pehotsky:

Right.

Nancy Albert:

And they may say, "Let's."

Carol Pehotsky:

Yes. Yes.

Nancy Albert:

You know? So again, they, they will let you know if that's their thing, you know? Obviously, if somebody's got covers up to their neck and their arms are underneath maybe they don't want to be touched.

Carol Pehotsky:

It's reading the room in a whole way.

Nancy Albert:

Yeah.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yes.

Nancy Albert:

Exactly. Exactly.

Carol Pehotsky:

Well, and, and you know, I'll never forget, once upon a time, we had a surgeon come speak to a large group of nurses a- and techs. And although every type of physician is different, just like every type of nurse is different, it, it stayed with me when he said, he's an oncology surgeon, so he talked about when he goes into surgery, he, he's going into battle. He's really focusing on I'm going after that tumor and the thousands of decisions he could make wrong that mean that patient maybe doesn't make it out of the OR, or if they do, did he not get all of the cancer and are they coming back, right?

So, he's focused. And frankly, if I'm that patient, I want him focused and he looked at that room of 300 nurses and he said, "I am counting on you to remember that that's a human being."

Nancy Albert:

Oh, how nice.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right? And, and said, do- a- with God as my witness said, on recording, "I know I can be a jerk," but just the idea of saying I'm not trying to be a jerk. I'm just, I'm staying in the zone. And everything you can do to keep me in the zone means I get to go to battle. But I completely trust that you are remembering this person's skin, their position, the fact that they have a daughter, a son, a spouse, whatever that is that you're remembering that, that you're going to be their eyes and ears so that I can focus on what I need to do.

Nancy Albert:

I actually love that.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right?

Nancy Albert:

I actually think that's wonderful that the physician would do that.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yes.

Nancy Albert:

That's cool.

Carol Pehotsky:

To acknowledge that. We could go on and on. I want to just circle, tie it, tie it with one thing, and we've, we've, we've talked a little bit around this concept of vulnerability.

So, I think sometimes we think as nurses, we have to be strong and impenetrable for our patients. In closing, what would you have to say to nurses about how we embrace patients and vulnerability and when we should be vulnerable with them?

Nancy Albert:

Yeah. I think it's really important that we are vulnerable to patients. Obviously, we have to, you know, h- we have to have ethics in nursing, and we need to be careful of, of how far we go. But we must remember that our patients are vulnerable and they're looking for us to be human.

We want them to be human. We ask them what's going on in their life and what their concerns are. And they need to know that we can be human as well. So obviously, they don't want to know our life story.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right.

Nancy Albert:

They're in there for a reason and we're there to take care of them. But I think it's okay. We don't want to assume things from them. That's why we're asking them what kind of questions you have.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right.

Nancy Albert:

What are your concerns? And at the same time, we don't want them to assume things from us possibly.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yeah. Yeah.

Nancy Albert:

So maybe part of our conversation may need to be, depending on what's going on that day, you know, I'm, I'm having a very busy day. I've got a heavy assignment today. I care about you though.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yeah.

Nancy Albert:

And I want to make sure I'm meeting your needs.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right.

Nancy Albert:

And so, I'm okay if you put on your light. It's okay if you put on your light 10 times in a row.

Carol Pehotsky:

Oh, that's fantastic. Yeah.

Nancy Albert:

Because that will remind me that I need to get back here. And I want you to be my partner today and help me out. So, it's okay if we're vulnerable and let patients know the scenario. But not in a way that sounds like they don't, we don't have time for that.

Carol Pehotsky:

Of course not. Yeah.

Nancy Albert:

Or we can't meet their needs. So, there is a way to say it, and I think, as nurses, as we get more comfortable in our shoes so maybe as a nursing student, not so comfortable but hopefully the nursing students will have a good preceptor see or hear. Yeah. Watch the people. Watch and learn and grow, right?

Carol Pehotsky:

Absolutely.

Nancy Albert:

And so that over time, they'll figure out where their comfort zone is in saying that, because patients know when you're rushed when you go in the room.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right. You're not fooling anyone.

Nancy Albert:

You're not fooling anyone. They know when you really don't care. You're just getting the job done.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yeah. Right.

Nancy Albert:

And so, I think that it's really important for us, again on that human and humane piece, to think of patients that way, but then we need to come across that way as well.

Carol Pehotsky:

Right. All right, everyone. You have some homework. Everybody should, should take a few minutes ideally and reflect. Where are you at in the, in your vulnerability with patients and how you honor the humanness of patients and how you advocate for them and their plan of care? So, with that, we're going to wrap up by turning over to the speed round where our listeners get to learn a little bit more about you, Nancy, as an amazing human being in addition to the amazing expert you are. So, first question. It's time to unwind. You're so busy. You're doing such amazing things. You finally get time to unwind. What is it you're doing?

Nancy Albert:

Wow. Okay. So, when I unwind, in the summer, I like to force myself to leave the house, go outside, take a walk. I love it even more if my husband says, "Let's go hiking," because we'll go hiking some place where there's no internet. So even if I have my phone on me, uh, there is no internet, so, um, that's really good. We bought a boat this year. Going on the boat again. Sometimes on lakes, there's no internet, so I have learned that if he puts me in a zone with no internet it's very good for my mental health and my physical health.

Carol Pehotsky:

He's clearly learned that too.

Nancy Albert:

Yes.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yes. Yes.

Nancy Albert:

So, I think being outdoors. I tend to like fresh air. I love mountains. I love water. I just love being outside, so.

Carol Pehotsky:

And even in the heart of Cleveland winter, there are ways to do it.

Nancy Albert:

Yes, that is true.

Carol Pehotsky:

It's harder, but there are ways. Yeah. And what brings you joy?

Nancy Albert:

Oh, these are good questions. So, what brings me joy? Boy, you know, I think I would answer it saying a lot of things bring me joy. I'm somebody who has a glass half full mental model. So little things bring me joy, like hearing my kids laugh on the phone. I know it sounds silly, but when I, when I hear them talking and laughing with each other, I'm like, ah, they get along. They get each other.

Carol Pehotsky:

Oh. Yes.

Nancy Albert:

You know? They can have fun together. But I think there's so many things. You know, a good dinner, a juicy novel, a TV movie that kept my attention and was fun to watch that I maybe would even want to watch again one day.

Carol Pehotsky:

Yeah. There you go.

Nancy Albert:

So, I think from a joy standpoint, there's a lot. I've got a wonderful family around me that keeps me centered. And there's just so much out there. Life is good, and you know, my philosophy is we only live once, and we need to enjoy it.

Carol Pehotsky:

That's right.

Nancy Albert:

So, I think a lot of things bring me joy.

Carol Pehotsky:

It's never been a better time to think about what brings all of us joy.

Nancy Albert:

Yeah.

Carol Pehotsky:

Nancy, thank you so much for joining today.

Nancy Albert:

Happy to be here. Thanks for having me.

Carol Pehotsky:

As always, thanks so much for joining us for today's discussion. Don't miss out. Subscribe to here new episodes wherever you get your podcasts. And remember, we want to hear from you. Do you have ideas for future podcasts or want to share your stories? Email us at nurseessentials@ccf.org. To learn more about nursing at Cleveland Clinic, please check us out at clevelandclinic.org/nursing. Until next time, take care of yourselves and take care of each other.

The information in this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. Consult your local state boards of nursing for any specific practice questions.