Somewhere along the way, waiters and waitresses stopped saying “I’m your waitress” and instead changed to “I’ll be taking care of you tonight.”  I don’t have a problem with that.  The underlying message is that somehow “waitress” is just a description of a role and maybe a little bit passive.  Many people seem to also have the idea that the term “waiter” is demeaning.  I don’t really agree with that, but I understand where they are coming from.

This extends to healthcare a bit because we often don’t know how to introduce ourselves and our role or job tasks in a way that describes what we do.  While waiters and waitresses have an important job to do, those who are serving our health have an even stronger service role to fill.  The other day, I met a nurse who has found the perfect thing to say.   Instead of saying, “I’m your nurse,” or “I’ll be taking care of you today,” she says, “I get to take care of you today!”

What a great thing to say, and most importantly, she means it!  She sees her service to her patients as an opportunity.  It is a gift that they are giving to her by allowing her to do what she loves to do.  This informs everything she does with them and creates an instant connection.

Do you feel this way about your role and your tasks?  Is it something you have to do?  Or is it something you get to do?