Going with the Tidal Flow
Second Annual Ivy Dunn Clinical Nursing Research Day October 22, 2004
Ivy Dunn
Once again I am honoured to be back with you on this second annual Ivy Dunn Research Day. Thank you Marg for your kind introductory remarks. When Marlene, Marg Tansey’s secretary, phoned to invite me to this day, my first thought was “what am I going to say this time?” My second thought, “What did I do to deserve a Nursing Bursary Fund and an Annual Research Day in my name at the ROH?”
While reflecting on this last question I couldn’t come up with any earth shattering events that would merit these recognitions. I am including here a short vignette from my personal life, which is unusual for me. I have always been reticent to talk about my personal life. People who have known me for a long time often know little about my past. This section was deleted five times and inserted a sixth so you will hear it. I felt I needed it to help answer my questions and thoughts about how I merited being here today. It gave me an opportunity to start at my very beginning.
I came from humble beginnings having been born on a cold winters day in a manse on the Gaspe coast in Quebec. I actually performed my first life-saving rescue at the time of my birth. Let me explain.
My mother always wanted a daughter. During her first pregnancy she had 10” by 12” prints by Gilbert Holiday framed for her expected little girl. The prints depict a girl about six years old. The first titled “Morning” shows her getting out of the bathtub, the second “Forenoon” she is at her desk studying, the third “Afternoon” shows her horseback riding and the final one “Goodnight” has her kneeling on her bed with hands folded saying her prayers. These pictures hang in my bedroom today.
When this first baby arrived it turned out to be a boy so the pictures were put away. Time moves along and another pregnancy brings another boy. Then this cold, stormy
day in March arrives and my mother is well sedated for another addition to the family. The baby arrives and the doctor announces, “You have a healthy baby boy” to which my mother groggily replies “I don’t want him, you can throw him in the snow bank.” Then to everyone’s surprise the doctor announced “wait a minute, there’s another one,” and I arrived on the scene. My dad always laughingly said, I thus saved my brother’s life.
Now, to fast forward 75 years. On our 75th birthday this year my brother’s three sons each donated $75.00 to the bursary fund. I didn’t realize they knew the fund existed. Maybe I talk in my sleep sometimes. They couldn’t have given me a nicer birthday gift. Since 1993 the bursary fund has supported 11 nurses in furthering their education. Three of them are working with the Tidal Model.
Now, back to my topic. What did I do to merit being here today? Honestly, I haven’t come up with an answer to that question. Perhaps it was a twist of fate. My professional nursing career was based on the premise that I was there to act in the best interest of nursing and of the patient. Therefore I carried out my tasks as I believed they should be done always with two priorities up front – What was best for the patient and what was best for nursing. There were times when I was accused of being too concerned about nursing and not enough about administration.
Last year I mentioned that two hospitals had opened doors of opportunity for me and that had I not taken them I would not have been honoured. Once the door opens and you walk through you must grab the opportunity and run with it. Your work has only just begun. You need to believe in what you are attempting to do and should set out to gain understanding and earn respect from your peers and co-workers. I earned respect and power. It is important to understand that influence and power do not flow from being liked but from respect. It is nice to be liked but it does not necessarily give you influence or the power to make changes and achieve your goals. The process is somewhat like todays title “Going with the Tidal flow” – once you accept the opportunity you must continue with the flow in order to achieve success.
When you leave today keep in mind you are the most important people here. I am recognized on this one day and Dr Phil is a catalyst to help you move on from whatever stage you are at with the Tidal Model. You are the ones who will return to your patients with added knowledge to continue in your professional careers. Who knows what opportunities might lie ahead for you as you continue flowing with the Tidal Model. Only you can decide what you will do with the opportunities that present themselves to you, how you will earn respect and gain influence and power. This will not necessarily bring you rewards like bursary funds and research days in your name but, I assure you, the intrinsic rewards will be great. After all these reflections the answer still eludes me. “What did I do to merit being here today?”
Perhaps it was a twist of fate after all. Have a good day and I wish you success in all your future endeavours.
Ivy Dunn
