A Day in the Life: Shadowing a Nurse

Meet Cameron Nurse, Becky Knox

Have you ever wondered what a day as a nurse looks like? We spoke with Becky Knox, a registered nurse and surgery unit supervisor, to learn more about what it’s like being a nurse at Cameron Memorial Community Hospital.

As a nurse at Cameron for the last 15 years, Becky has deep experience in the field. She’s also a compassionate caregiver, with a proven track record of going above and beyond for her patients. Let’s take a look at what her day-to-day life as a surgical nurse looks like.

A Day in the Life

An average day in a surgical nurse’s life can be challenging and fast-paced. Generally, Becky’s shifts begin by clocking in and making sure that the surgery room is ready for the first patient. She also reviews the upcoming procedure to prepare herself for what is ahead and familiarize herself with her patient’s case. Then, Becky will meet with her first patient to address the information on their chart, go over their medical history, and help calm any nerves before the procedure begins.

For Becky, one of the most rewarding parts of being a surgical nurse is making her patient feel calm enough to trust her when heading to surgery. Working with children in surgery can be especially challenging because she wants to make sure both the patient and their caregivers remain calm. These moments of connection with the patients are very important in ensuring the success of the surgery.

When Becky is a circulator, she assists anesthesia with intubation, positions the patient, preps the surgical site, and documents the procedure. She also opens any extra sterile supplies to the surgical field that are needed during the case.

Once the first surgery of the day is complete, Becky begins the process all over again and moves on to the next patient. During moments of ease, she will do some charting. In Becky’s opinion, a good shift means staying on schedule with no surprises!

The Best Part of Being a Nurse

In addition to establishing connections with patients and creating personal, trusting relationships with them, one of the most appealing aspects of Becky’s job is that the schedule is flexible and allows her to maintain a healthy family and work-life balance.

When asked if she has any advice for individuals entering the nursing field, Becky stressed that there is an avenue in nursing for everyone. Patient care is not the only type of nursing available, and there are many different options to explore depending on one’s personality and interests. Moreover, there is a lot of room for growth within the nursing field.

Nursing is a very rewarding profession that allows individuals to make a positive impression in the lives of others. At Cameron, we are grateful to have a wonderful staff of nurses that not only provide quality care but also create long-lasting relationships with their patients!

Meet more of our patient-centered staff on our provider page. Visit the surgical services page to see a full list of procedures that Cameron offers.