Agnieska Pyziak, RN

"At first I wanted to be a doctor, but then I realized the doctor sees the patient for a while, but the nurse is with the patient at the beginning of life and at the end of life-always with the patient." 

The following is an excerpt of a conversation between Carol Farkas, Director of Clinical Healthcare Services and Agnieska Pyziak, RN. 

C: How long have you been a nurse and where did you do your
training?

A:  I graduated back home in Poland. In 2005, I came to Canada. It took me a while to get a license
here, because I am the mother of 2 boys. So, I took care of my family first and then I took the exam and graduated from a program for international nurses,
which helped me get Canadian experience.

C: What first inspired you to go into nursing in the first
place?

A: It happened when I was in high school. My grandma was
suffering from cancer, and my mom and I took care of her and I think that was
the time I felt I wanted to be a nurse. At first I wanted to be a doctor, but
then I realized the doctor just sees the patient for a while, but the nurse is
with the patient at the beginning of life and at the end of life-always with
the patient.

C: What do you think is the hardest part of nursing?

A: The responsibility. In Canada, nurses are allowed on the
floor, they have a whole bunch of orders from the doctor. They have to use
their judgement and critical thinking.

C: What is the best part of nursing?

A: When I can see that the patient is happy with the service
I provided. When I do things that are little, like when I fix their bed, they
really appreciate it and I come back happy that I did my best.

C: Would you say nursing is everything you thought it would
be when you were in school or is it different now that you are working?

A: One thing is different-I didn't expect there would be so
much paperwork. The time we should be spending with patients we have to spend
on paperwork. I know it is very important but still we don't have enough time
sometimes when it is a busy floor, we have new admissions, there are tons of
papers to do and sometimes no unit clerk available to help.

C: What do you think of the concept that maybe the personal
aspect of the care should be removed from the role of the RN, have the PSW do
more of that care and have the nurse as more of a coordinator role?

A: It would be nice to have help with just the basic care.
Sometimes it is very busy and we have no time to do the basic care like it
should be done.

C: Sometimes nursing is not, shall we say, a pretty
occupation. You see trauma, you see death and dying. How do you separate
yourself from that type of situation and keep it all in balance?

A: It took me a while to get this balance. I remember when I
started my nursing school a few of my friends and I volunteered in a hospital.
It was very dramatic at the beginning because it was the first time to see a
patient suffer and die. Then nurses told us that there is a life here in the
hospital, then you close the door and there is your life. You have to learn to
separate this otherwise you can burn out right away.  So, yes, it took a while but we learned.

C: Aside from nursing, what do you do to unwind?

A: I like to be active. I do some latin dancing. And I like
sports like rollerblading and hiking.

C: Do you have any future goals where you see your nursing
taking you?

A: When my kids are grown, and I would be healthy and strong
enough, I would like to go for missions for 8 weeks or so to Africa for
humanitarian purposes. Some place where they would need nurses. But right now
my boys are just 4 and 7 years old so this wouldn't be until they're much
bigger.

C:  Any advice you would like to give to a new nurse just entering the profession?

A: When someone chooses nursing, they must really be aware
of what nursing is. Sometimes it's dramatic and very stressful. Sometimes you
must stay longer even if your family is waiting with dinner because the
situation requires it. You must be very empathetic. You have to understand that
each person is different. They may be in pain and have a right to complain. So
you have to be very patient, empathetic and strong.