I’ve had a long day. It started at 5:45 AM as my electricity went out due to emergent, required rolling power outages across Texas – a state with roughly 22 million people. A large winter storm plaguing much of the U.S. led to the coldest day of the year today. We’re expecting up to three inches of snow on Friday, which is a rare sight in Austin. My children did not have school today since there was no electricity or heat. So, we all stayed home and tried to stay warm as the temperature inside our home continued to drop. Eleven hours, 25 books, three fires, two battery hand-held game devices, and one board game later, our power was restored.

And now my entire family and I are tucked safely in our warm beds. My husband is watching television, and I am listening to my infant son sleep peacefully next to me while composing this blog. Yet I cannot help but think of my nursing counterparts in Egypt who may be protesting a corrupt government, demonstrating for democracy, and caring for those who are risking their lives to do the same. I am sure – my day looks like a vacation compared to what many Egyptian nurses are likely experiencing. I keep wondering what nursing is like in Egypt. I’ve read that nurses work with little more than a certificate of training. BSN nurses do not serve at the bedside but mainly in academia. It’s not difficult to imagine – nursing pay is very low and a deterrent to many. And culturally speaking, nursing is rarely viewed as a “professional” role since most men do not want their wives, mothers, daughters, etc. touching other strange men. I found very little information online about male nurses in Egypt, so I am guessing it’s socially unacceptable. Purely a guess, though. There are efforts to change Egypt’s view of nursing. I’m sure it will take much time to change the deep=rooted social and cultural norms.

However, I can’t help but think of you, Egyptian nurse colleagues, as you serve your country during this time of unrest. I find it extremely honorable, and I wish you all the best. Stay safe.