I have been in health care since I was twenty years old. That is forty years. Twenty-nine of those years I have been a registered nurse. Being a nurse has opened possibilities for me that I never believed were possible. I have been blessed in my life but getting here was a bumpy ride. Some obstacles were unexpected, and some were self-inflicted but somehow, I am here with an opportunity to make a difference. I had to learn some hard lessons in my journey to get to today, but I think that goes for all of us. What I learned is that I would not be here today without the amazing people along the way who taught me some valuable lessons. Many of those lessons open doors for me and many of those lessons were teaching moments of how the harsh realities of your poor choices can have a significant impact on you and those around you. Today’s post is not about me telling those stories. It is about taking those lessons and creating a purpose and direction for my life and having those lessons I learned mean something.
As a nurse and now as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer I have been blessed with the opportunity to help people. I have been given the chance to give back for all that has been given to me. I believe we owe it to those who opened doors for us to do the same for others. I believe we owe it to those who were honest with us when we were wrong and allowed us to face the consequences because of our indiscretions. Over the last ten years my purpose has been to honor those gifts by giving them to others. I want to help open those same doors for the people I get to help every day. Sometimes I am a listener and sometimes I give advice. There are also times when I must give honest feedback that I know in the moment will cause pain, but I also know that remaining silent would lead to something worse. It is challenging and I am not always 100% but I strive for honoring dignity every day.
In my role as DEI officer the “I” stands for Inclusion. I get to work with people from all walks of life. Even though I may not be part of their culture it does not mean I can’t help and support them. There is this belief that we can’t serve others because they are different than us. I say to those people what kind of nurse would I be if I only took care of people who looked like me. I would not be a very good one. I am a better person because of the diversity of the interactions I have had. I am a better person because of the diversity of the people who helped and supported me. I know no other way to live than to say no matter who you are if you come to me, I will try to help you. I cannot guarantee the outcome you are looking for, but I will listen, I will advocate when needed, and I will treat you with dignity.
I have a purpose that drives me every day. It is important especially on those days when the worries of the world are weighing on me. It is important when I would rather stay in bed than face the day. It is important when there are so many challenges that need solutions and I know that I can’t solve them all now. I work on my purpose every day so that I can honor those who gave me the opportunity to be here today. We can move those mountains one boulder at a time.
My purpose and my story are written in those lives I have impacted as well as the people who have given so much to me.
Charles Redd RN
Dignity Freedom Fighter
Dignity Freedom Fighter 