I ended up in a leadership role in the health care system in the United States. I think most people naturally fall into this type of position with time. There are days just like anyone else… I would rather kick up my heels and say I’d rather not today. But most days, I like that people come to me for advice. I enjoy solving challenges with others. I make mistakes like anyone else. And when I do, I hold myself accountable as difficult as it may be at times. I try to remind myself everyday, I am human, and when others are hard on themselves… I remind them of the same.

The United States is filled with capitalism. Time is money. Capitalism has the propensity to take away from the basics of caring for other’s when these big wigs have a limited vision of dollar signs. Capitalism robotically determines who is deserving and who is not. Capitalism isn’t fair. Capitalism is a harsh critic. Even in the hospital systems in the United States where one wouldn’t suspect…these capitalist monsters lurk in the shadows behind closed doors too. Pharmaceutical companies are huge cash cows. Even politicians are tied in with interest in more areas than one may think. Patients are pushed out of hospitals before they are often ready for discharge. Keep in mind, insurance companies need their piece of the pie too. The insurance companies will fight in what they will and will not cover leaving many physicians with endless mountains of paperwork to give proof of needs present.

On the positive side- in medicine, nurses and doctors alike give an oath of altruism right from the start. Altruism is noted in the Oxford Dictionary as the belief in or practice of selfless concern for the well being of others. Nurses and doctors characteristically do what is right for the common good. The main concern is for the wellbeing of everybody. It is easy to lead others with altruism in mind when your heart is in it. Especially in the current climate of our health care system in the United States. It’s the root of compassion and caring for others that keeps the sanity in this all. Many nurses and doctors fall into leadership roles for the greater good. Because just like with anything, nowhere is perfect. But we can always try to make it a little bit better.

-Keri