Walls and a Blue Ribbon

Leah Alair, BSN, RN
Voice

Description

I arrived at work on Tuesday morning to find my charge nurse handing out blue ribbons, beads, and bracelets to staff.

"March is National Colon Cancer Awareness Month,” she said. “Put on the blue, we're promoting awareness and encouraging people to get their screenings!" I stared at some of my coworkers with ribbons tied neatly in their hair.

It’s important to know that I routinely have to field the question, "Are you sure you're old enough to be a nurse?" I had a feeling the ribbon wasn't going to help my credibility. This was also my second day of caring for a patient struggling to cope in a very tough fight against colon cancer. Would she mind? Would it be insensitive?

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