I am a Nurse. I am NOT a Superhero.

I walked down the hall of the hospital after grabbing a cup of coffee to help push through the final hours my shift. It is a generally quiet weekend in the main lobby with minimally audible sounds of screening nurses and visitors answering their questions.

As I stepped toward the elevators, I realized that they still have large photos plastered to the elevator doors of hands opening a lab coat and underneath displaying a heroic logo. I smiled at the reminder of a clever idea during a difficult time, but then the doors opened.

Inside, on a large white heart, a sentiment of “Superheroes Work Here” is displayed. Some additional encouraging words and random profanity have been added with pen, which again causes a smile at the kindness and silliness.

Suddenly, a sense of emptiness washed over me. Sipping my coffee, I think to myself…

“I don’t feel like a superhero…” and I haven’t for a long time.

Problems Brewing

When skimming the news, how often do you see articles about healthcare providers, hospital overwhelm, increased violence and burnout? It is not uncommon for reports to surface, but I truly believe the general public has been desensitized to this news.