Let your Soul Shine!!!!!

Not too long ago, we had a big knock-down drag-out at work. It was basically day shift against night shift......and I hate it that we're fighting.

I love the people I work with......most of the time. Unfortunately, it seems like everyone, including myself has forgotten why we're here.

We're here for our patients. It's actually very simple, and if people could always keep focused on that fact, I think we would all get a long a lot better.

It has gotten to the point where everyone is worried about everyone else's business. People are always comparing their work to everyone else's work, or they're worried that they're working harder than everyone else. It's not normally that way, but it has become that way because people are now seeking revenge over the people they don't think are working as hard.

What it really boils down to is: if everyone is looking out for the patients' best interest, these problems will go away. It's obviously not in the patient's best interest to let them sit and wait on another tech to come along just because they have a test ordered that you have already done that day. There is no quota on the amount of chest x-rays each tech can or should do in a day. We can't stop doing chest x-rays just because we've already done 15 today.......but that's what has been happening.

It's really hard and sad for me to see our department like this. I have always prided myself in saying that our x-ray department had wonderful people who work so well together, and I consider everyone I work with my friends. I honestly can't say that anymore. There are several people in the department now that I would never be caught dead with outside of this place. AND I WON'T do patients with them because I don't want my name attached to anything they do. Isn't that sad?

So, anyway, after the big fight, and a meeting with our boss, I have decided to try to come to work with a better attitude. At first, I was just pissed because I felt like the day shift was attacking us. It seemed like they were blaming every single problem in the department on the night shift. In all reality, it's all of us. After a couple days of coming in and not talking to half the department, I decided that I would be the adult here and take it upon myself to improve anything I could. I thought maybe if I improved some things with myself, maybe that would set a good example for everyone else. We all have room for improvement, and it takes a little effort on everyone's part to make those changes. That's where I am with everything in my own heart and head right now.

I know everyone has issues that they deal with every day that we may not know about. It's really hard sometimes not to bring your personal life into work with you. But, when you work in a hospital, and another person's well being is in your hands, you must put everything aside and do what's best for them. That's why most people chose this job to begin with. I love the fact that I play a part in helping people every day, and I don't want anything to get in my way, including my own slefishness, or my ego, or anything else for that matter!!

So, for the last couple weeks I have been listening to this song every day on my way into work. It's called "Soulshine" by the Allman Brothers. I think it's a great pick-me-up song. I just might have to bring it in for everyone to hear for themselves. Hearing it puts me in a great mood and frame of mind to come in and deal with the stressfull situations we're put in during our job every day. It might do all of us some good to try to live by these words............

SOULSHINE

When you can't find the light,

That got you through a cloudy day,

When the stars ain't shinin' bright,

You feel like you've lost you're way,

When those candle lights of home,

Burn so very far away,

Now you got to let your soul shine,

Just like my daddy used to say.

He used to say soulshine,

It's better than sunshine,

It's better than moonshine,

Damn sure better than rain.

Yeah now people don't mind,

We all get this way sometimes,

Got to let your soul shine,

shine till the break of day.

I grew up thinkin' that I had it made,

Gonna make it on my own.

Life can take the strongest man,

Make him feel so alone.

Now sometimes I feel a cold wind,

Blowin' through my achin' bones,

I think back to what my daddy said,

He said "Boy, in the darkness before the dawn:

"Let your soul shine,

It's better than sunshine,

It's better than moonshine,

Damn sure better than rain."

Yeah now people don't mind,

We all get this way sometimes,

Gotta let your soul shine,

shine till the break of day.

Sometimes a man can feel this emptiness,

Like a woman has robbed him of his very soul.

A woman too, God knows, she can feel like this.

And when your world seems cold,

you got to let your spirit take control.

Let your soul shine,

It's better than sunshine,

It's better than moonshine,

Damn sure better than rain.

Lord now people don't mind,

We all get this way sometimes,

Gotta let your soul shine,

shine till the break of day.

Oh, it's better than sunshine,

It's better than moonshine,

Damn sure better than rain.

Yeah now people don't mind,

We all get this way sometimes,

Gotta let your soul shine,

shine till the break of day.