Caitlin Brassington stopped for milk on her way home from a busy shift when, still wearing her scrubs, she ran into an acquaintance who had never seen her in uniform before. After a short conversation, the woman said she had never realized that Caitlin was ‘just a nurse.’ Shocked by the demeaning sentence, Brassington took to Instagram and Facebook, posting a photo of her in her scrubs along with an emotional post about how after 18 years as a nurse, this wasn’t the first time she had the heart the ‘just a nurse’ comment, and she was finally fed up.
Brassington’s message continues on to say, “I have helped babies into the world, many of whom needed assistance to take their first breath, and yet I am just a nurse. I have held patients hands and ensured their dignity while they take their last breath, yet I am just a nurse.”
The post went viral on Facebook, receiving over 4,000 shares and 20,000 likes since it was posted. According to ABC News, Brassington is a pediatric nurse at St. Vincent’s Private Hospital and Fairholme College in Australia. She says that many people don’t realize how much the role of nurses has evolved over the last 50 years, and her post was on behalf of nurses all over the world.
In her post, Brassington also points out that she is the eyes, ears, and hands of medical offers, and as a nurse she can assess, treat, and manage your illness. And even though she is a mother of three, Brassington has missed out Christmas days, her children’s birthdays, and school musicals, like many other working nurses who are also parents. With all of this in mind, Brassington says, “So, if I am just a nurse, then I am ridiculously proud to be one!”
Many people were moved by the post, commenting their thanks and applauding Brassington for her hard work, and some even sharing their own similar stories. Several physicians also offered their support following Brassington’s viral post. SELF Magazine interviewed Kathryn A. Boling, MD, a primary care physician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD, who told SELF that nurses are a vital part of the medical profession and often the first people to notice when a patient is unwell and needs additional care.
During her interview with ABC News, Brassington had the opportunity to speak about the impact of her post saying, “It has started a worldwide conversation about how we value and respect certain service industries within communities. I think this conversation is long overdue.” Many can agree that it is a long overdue conversation, and we applaud Brassington for opening it up for discussion worldwide.
Thank you, Caitlin Brassington, our Nurse of the Week, and nurses all over the world for the brave and selfless work you do every day for your patients and their families.
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