Some days Kent State University’s College of Nursing students may need a little extra inspiration to keep going. Long hours of studying, clinicals and the emotional weight of the career can feel overwhelming. On those days, “Some Days,” a poem capturing the art and science of nursing, serves as a powerful reminder of why they chose this path.
“Some Days,” featured in a mural on Henderson Hall’s first floor, was created in 2017 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the College of Nursing. While nursing is typically seen as a science, this mural uses poetry to highlight the emotional connections nurses build with patients, offering a deeper understanding of the art of nursing.
“Sometimes when we go to work, not every day is lovely. Some days are really hard and some days patients aren’t very nice,” Tracey Motter, DNP, RN, associate dean of academic affairs in the College of Nursing, told Kent State Today. “But if you’re a nurse, the poem gives you the sense of gratitude.”
Students, faculty and alumni from the College of Nursing collaborated with Wick Poetry Center to create the community poem. Drawing from nurses’ personal experiences and emotions, the poem aims to inspire nursing students as they navigate the challenges of their education.
“We ask students to read it at the beginning and end of their nursing degree,” Motter said. “When graduation time comes, we want students to see what speaks to them and gives their life meaning.”
As the semester continues to become more and more demanding, having an uplifting message right on the walls of Henderson Hall could help provide comfort and guidance to students.
Anna Serene, a senior nursing major, reflected on the poem as she approaches graduation this May.
“I think it’s a really powerful message that all nursing students should take a look at,” Serene said. “The poem shows students the ups and downs of being a nurse.”
Serene is currently in her practicum, working 12-hour shifts in a hospital alongside a registered nurse. Combined with studying for the National Council Licensure Examination and her upcoming ICU clinicals, Serene has appreciated the extra motivation the poem offers.
“Through my practicum, I get to have more responsibility and have my own patients under supervision,” Serene said. “However, it’s very stressful. I’ll take all the motivation I can get. Being able to relate to the poem gives students the motivation to keep going.”
Serene and other students are encouraged to embrace the challenges of the nursing profession and take pride in the resilience and dedication it cultivates.
“When students are leaving at the end of their last semester,” Motter said. “It’s nice for them to go back to the mural and say ‘Yeah, this is what I am.’”