PDN (Private Duty Nurse) in Black

From Friday last week (13 November 2009) up to Wednesday this week (18 November 2009), I’ve taken on a role that I thought I would never perform: Being a nurse. Actually, I wasn’t a nurse per se—I just performed some of the regular tasks that clinical nurses do. My father was hospitalized for five days and, as an only and obedient child, I stood as a hospital watcher for most of the duration of my dad’s confinement; ergo, being a private duty nurse. I would start my duty at 1:00PM and would go on until 7:00 AM the next day. My mom would come in the morning so I could go home to bathe, change, and take a few hours of nap. I would return to the hospital on or before 1:00PM, at which my mother would go home while I resume my duties. Since I was an unofficial PDN, I was in my everyday clothing: Sneakers, jeans, shirt. My fashion ensemble was mostly in black or gray hues, which explains the title of this post.

How about black nurse’s uniforms? White is easily soiled and can be embarrassing–most especially if its soiled at the start of your shift.

Board Exam

I. Nursing

The nursing profession has brought about an overwhelming business enterprise here in the Philippines through nursing education and preparation for its licensure examinations. Alongside this is the promise of a wealthy life by practicing the said profession in foreign lands, where salary and compensation for nursing services are significantly higher than what is offered locally. Due to the monetary benefit that being a nurse has to offer, parents urge their children to enroll in the said course, or something of equivalent (like caregiving or nursing aide). Other teenagers themselves don’t even require their parents’ urges as they too, crave for the high salary, which would be of great help to their families and themselves.