May 2009 - Waterbury Hospital

MAY 2009DOREENJENSEN, RN:A Sense of Humor, An InspirationWhen Doreen Jensen, RN wasdiagnosed with cancer a few yearsago, she allowed herself to cry onlyonce, for about 15 seconds. But afterthat, she made sure to laugh asmuch as possible.“That’s my approach to everything Ido. Life has to be fun or it’s not worthit,” said Jensen, a nurse in theWaterbury Hospital OperatingRoom who was recently honoredby the Greater Waterbury NursesConsortium with an award for nurseswho use humor to boost moralefor patients and colleagues.During her biopsy in 2005 to determineif she had cancer, Jensenshowed up in her country bumpkin“Billy Bob” costume wearing falseteeth, a fishing cap and sunglassesheld together with a Band-Aid. Herdoctors had to stop laughing beforethey could begin the procedure, butthe atmosphere quickly turnedsomber when she got the diagnosis.She cried for a moment or two, thengave her doctors clear directions.She wanted the maximum treatmentpossible, and she wanted to be finishedin time for her to go on a longawaitedelk hunt in the Idaho wildernesslater that year.She would eventually undergo adouble mastectomy, but two weeksafter the operation, she and her husbandand a small group of friendswere on a small plane flying toStanley, Idaho. Along with her campinggear, Jensen carried a gun and asuitcase full of sterile bandages sothat she and her husband couldchange her dressings in their tentevery morning.In the snow-covered wilderness,Jensen had to leap onto a rock andfling herself onto the back of herhorse because she could not raiseher arms. Twice, she found herselfgazing into the eyes of a majestic elkbut could not get off a clean shot.“They were beautiful animals,” saidJensen, who grew up on a farm inPennsylvania. “I was the only onewho ended up seeing them, which Ithink was kind of a sign from God.”Jensen said her mother instilled inher a belief that women can do anythingthat men can do. Before joiningWaterbury Hospital in 2001, sherepaired F-15 fighter jets for the AirForce and took a series of mechanicaljobs repairing and maintainingsophisticated medical machines.She said her job in the operatingroom is perfect for her because itcombines her love of mechanicswith her love for getting to knowpeople and making them laugh.Her penchant for practical jokes andslapstick humor have made her apopular and beloved figure not onlyamong her fellow nurses and surgeons,but also the patients in hercare, said Karen Mullen, RN,Jensen’s supervisor.“You can always hear her laughing,and people respond to that,” Mullensaid. “She’s an inspirational figure.”2