BEST GIFT you ever received from a family member or patient?

Nurses General Nursing

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EmmaG, RN

2,999 Posts

I am clearly in the wrong line of work.
About five years ago, as I left work one morning, the elevator stopped and picked up a couple of staff from the ICU. The male tech was grinning from ear to ear. I asked what was up; the nurse piped up that he had just worked his last shift and was quitting and then told me to ask him why... he just blushed so she broke in and said he'd been doing private duty on his own for this very wealthy man. The old guy had died recently and left over a million to this young man who'd taken such good care of him over the years. Then she started laughing and said, "Can you believe it? He actually worked out his notice!"

Ms Kylee

1 Article; 782 Posts

Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice.

Patients offer me food all of the time. I don't accept. What I do do is take what they've given me, walk it down to the pantry refrigerator and put their name on it. I just cannot bring myself to take anything from a patient. I'm not in this for the money or gifts. I'm in it because I love patient care.

LVNwannaBE2007

47 Posts

Specializes in ltc.

i never accept food gifts eitehr no matter how sealed i think it is.... we have a woman who watches over her son (in this 40's c cp and a variety of other problems....) in the LTC i work at. (APS has custody of him and hes on hospice) she is always giving me food etc but i accept it and then when she walks off we throw it away for fear it would be poisined........

just friday she gave me a piece of carrot cake that was nothing but a tease for me. it smelled so good but i still threw it away outta pure fear...

leslie :-D

11,191 Posts

i've gotten some incredible material gifts.

incredible.

but i've refused ea and every one of them.

ok, i was wrong.

i accept food all the time.

i don't care if it's poisoned.

as long as it tastes good.

and no veggies, please.

leslie

flightnurse2b, LPN

1 Article; 1,496 Posts

Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

i took care of a patient who was dying of esophageal CA. i took care of him for years, as he was in and out of the hospital allllll the time. he was 65 years old, but was an immigrant from beligium and had the best stories ever! i would wander up to his room on the oncology floor and listen to him go on and on about his childhood in europe, his kids, grandkids, brothers and sisters. i would tell him about my troubles with work, boyfriends and school. i usually dont get "attached" to patients, as i worked in the ER, but for some reason he had always had my attention with his storytelling. i think had it not been for him, i may not have made the choice to go on to nursing school. he always said i needed to go on to become a doctor, and he wished he could be there when i graduated. i promised him i wouldnt give up and i would become a nurse, and i would remember him at my graduation. after about 3 years he stopped coming in, and didnt tell anyone he decided to go home with hospice, but his daughter came in to bring me this letter. i carry it in my wallet.

Allison,

Here's wishing you the very best for your future! Don't you ever give up on your dreams. If you stumble, fall down and laugh, and then get back up and try even harder. Smile at that girl in the mirror every morning, remember the lives that you make better, and let this continue to make you smile all day. This world has great expectations for you and even if I am not here anymore, you will always have my support. Send my daughter an e-mail once in a while and let her know you are making progress. Make sure you try and get 8 hours of sleep a night. Take care of yourself, because I know you tend not to do so. I wish I had something to leave you, but I don't, so know that this letter is just a symbol of my undying gratuity to you for being my friend. Sometimes a friend is better than a doctor or a nurse. Remember me in your thoughts as the crazy old man who never let you give up on your dreams, ok? I will miss you terribly, Allison, but that's life... so get on with yours already!

Love always, Mr. V

i truly do miss my old friend, and i thank him each day for motivating me to go the extra mile.

kukukajoo, LPN

1,310 Posts

This made me cry... I think you may have touched him even more greatly than he touched you.

Thank you for sharing- I pray one day I have a patient that makes that kind of impact in my life!

i took care of a patient who was dying of esophageal CA. i took care of him for years, as he was in and out of the hospital allllll the time. he was 65 years old, but was an immigrant from beligium and had the best stories ever! i would wander up to his room on the oncology floor and listen to him go on and on about his childhood in europe, his kids, grandkids, brothers and sisters. i would tell him about my troubles with work, boyfriends and school. i usually dont get "attached" to patients, as i worked in the ER, but for some reason he had always had my attention with his storytelling. i think had it not been for him, i may not have made the choice to go on to nursing school. he always said i needed to go on to become a doctor, and he wished he could be there when i graduated. i promised him i wouldnt give up and i would become a nurse, and i would remember him at my graduation. after about 3 years he stopped coming in, and didnt tell anyone he decided to go home with hospice, but his daughter came in to bring me this letter. i carry it in my wallet.

Allison,

Here's wishing you the very best for your future! Don't you ever give up on your dreams. If you stumble, fall down and laugh, and then get back up and try even harder. Smile at that girl in the mirror every morning, remember the lives that you make better, and let this continue to make you smile all day. This world has great expectations for you and even if I am not here anymore, you will always have my support. Send my daughter an e-mail once in a while and let her know you are making progress. Make sure you try and get 8 hours of sleep a night. Take care of yourself, because I know you tend not to do so. I wish I had something to leave you, but I don't, so know that this letter is just a symbol of my undying gratuity to you for being my friend. Sometimes a friend is better than a doctor or a nurse. Remember me in your thoughts as the crazy old man who never let you give up on your dreams, ok? I will miss you terribly, Allison, but that's life... so get on with yours already!

Love always, Mr. V

i truly do miss my old friend, and i thank him each day for motivating me to go the extra mile.

kukukajoo, LPN

1,310 Posts

duplicate post, sorry

Christie RN2006

572 Posts

Specializes in SICU, EMS, Home Health, School Nursing.

There are two certain things that come to mind when I think of the best gift I have received. I work in an ICU that can be absolutely crazy at times. Sometimes we have some very difficult situations that arise. Sometimes we become close with our patients and their families.

This one patient in particular I absolutely loved having. She had downs syndrome and was a very sweet little lady, but she was very sick. I became close with this lady and her family during her weeks in the ICU with us. Sadly she ended up dying, but I will always treasure the little note her niece gave me.

"Christie,

Many months have passed since I met you visiting my aunt in the hospital there. I just wanted to thank you for the care and love you offered to her while she was there. I know you are still giving that same kind of care and leadership in that ICU, and I thank you for that. It makes such a difference, thinking back to when my aunt was alive, and how the smallest things made a big difference from the nurses like you.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

KD"

The other gift I treasure is from one of my other favorite patients. How I first met this lady was an absolute miracle. I was really late making it to dinner one night and I just happened to be the only nurse in the cafeteria due to the late hour. I was sitting there and someone came over and tapped me on the shoulder and said "I think that lady over there needs some help" I looked over and I saw this person face down on her food tray. I ran over to her and she was completely blue from head to toe. After a lot of struggling (everyone else was standing around in shock) I finally got her to the floor. She wasn't breathing and I couldn't find a pulse. I coded her by myself until help finally arrived. A few hours later I found out that she survived and that she was going to be my patient! She did well and was able to be taken off the vent within a few short days. One day I went to work and her son pulled me to the side and asked me to go see his mom. She gave me a little wooden angel that is holding a sign that says "thank you". She told me that I was her angel that day. I just about cried! That angel is sitting proudly on my bookshelf still.

ohmeowzer RN, RN

2,306 Posts

Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

i got a hug from a patient.. she was 96 and the sweetest lady , i just think she's wonderful and kind.

Specializes in Infection Preventionist/ Occ Health.

I have a favorite patient who is in and out of the hospital pretty often. I have a Batman picture on my fridge that he colored for me during his last admission.

I had another patient who was on his 3rd relapse with cancer. He said one night "You're the sweetest nurse I've ever had". He had been in the hospital for quite a few years of his life, so that really meant something.

Kiwimid

81 Posts

i was doing clinical and saw the sweetest thing. this lol had hardly any english and was critical. her family were afraid to visit, so the staff kind of adopted her. one nurse in particular. when ever this nurse walked into the room, the lol would say, she is my sister in very broken english. the love she had in her eyes for that nurse was priceless. ill never forget her and how much just the simple act of caring can impact on a life. i still nearly cry when i think of her.

NurseCherlove

367 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg; Psych; Tele.
About five years ago, as I left work one morning, the elevator stopped and picked up a couple of staff from the ICU. The male tech was grinning from ear to ear. I asked what was up; the nurse piped up that he had just worked his last shift and was quitting and then told me to ask him why... he just blushed so she broke in and said he'd been doing private duty on his own for this very wealthy man. The old guy had died recently and left over a million to this young man who'd taken such good care of him over the years. Then she started laughing and said, "Can you believe it? He actually worked out his notice!"

WOW!!!! ANd I'll say it backwards.....WOW!

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