Heartwarming story for all... Bring a kleenex!

[Queen216]

I was assisting with a patient at work. She was a 'attempted suicide' so she was under 24 hour companion monitoring. That means she was not allowed to be alone, so she would not harm herself. Since the floor was understaffed guess who got put with the woman? Yup, me. Personally, I don't like suicidal patients cause they tend to, "Want others to feel the pain" that they are feeling.

So I sit there quietly, and let her go thru all of the screaming, crying, insults, etc... After all something happened in her life so terrible, that it drove her to end her life, or at least try. Well, I guess she was too loud and the nurse comes in with the "syringe of silence". Medical people know what that is, but I said, "No, let me talk to her" Can you believe the nurse told me, "You have 5 minutes" ***! Then she says "good luck, she won't even talk to the Psychotherapist. "

Anyhow, I start talking to her. Of course she does the blank stare into space. Then I asked her, "you have any children?" Then a switch came on. She said "3", her records have 2. I asked their ages and she said "4, 3, the oldest is 6 months" Now I'm like "you mean the youngest?" She said "no, the oldest, he died."

So long story short. She had a photo album of her son that died and never looked at like it since his death. She said she forgot how he looked, smelled, etc.. because she tried to block it out. Turns out her scumbag boyfriend removed the album, because he wanted to start a new family, and didn't want her past to interfere. So she freaked out and figured she would kill herself to see her child again. That's not the end...

One week later she is still in the hospital and I'm on the floor. She sees me walk past and calls me in the room. She is beaming!!!!! No companion!!!! She tell me she is going home today, and she is glad she saw me, cuz she wanted to say thank you. I go into, it's no problem, etc.... She said "No, they wanted to knock me out, and you wanted to listen, I appreciate that" Then she tells me this beautiful story.... *gets kleenex* When I left she fell asleep and dreamed she was walking thru a elementary school and she couldn't figure out why she was there. For some strange reason 'room 221' was the room she was sent to. She goes to the room and it's a class of 1st graders. She opens the door and the teacher says, "Evan, your mother is here" At that point a little boy runs up to her and hugs and kisses her. The little boy is he son that passed, and 221 is his birthday, and he would have been 6 and in the 1st grade. She he told her he is a big boy now, "they" take good care of him there.

She then says "I couldn't remember my baby cuz he is a little boy now". She said she smelled his scent again...... She said some more things and we talked for a hour, but I just had to share that story....

Sorry for the typos, I was tearing up typing this

[nanceinmypance]

That is what I love about being a nurse. The frustrations and the bad stuff dissapears when you realize that YOU have made a difference in someones life or day. Sometimes small, sometimes HUGE, as you did. Congratulations, and thank you. Those hours of your life that you GAVE, on the job or not, helped this woman and her family and her other children keep their mom. ( I am tearing up too). We all need to remember that no matter how frazzled and overworked we are sometimes those extra 2 minutes we spend really listening to people and letting them see that we care about them may be the only 2 minutes that day that they feel cared about. That is why I will never do anything else. I know I am bad at knowing lab values, and I do not know everything, but my patients know that I am listening to them and care, even if I cant fix it. Thank you for sharing your story, and reminding us of why we are important. I know I might come home from a desk office job less tired and overwhelmed but I would not have the satisfaction I have now. (or so many funny old people stories).

[Queen216]

I'm still a nursing student, and I was work as a nursing assistant. But I hope I don't lose my compassion, as I see a lot RNs do. Not because they don't care, but because of the circumstances.

I usually NEVER stop the "syringe of silence". I'm usually like , but something was different about this lady. PLUS, since when would a nurse listen to a nursing assistant float? Something moved and aligned that day... :nuke:

[Diary/Dairy, RN]

awwww, what a beautiful story!!!!

THanks for sharing!

[november17, ASN, RN]

Congratulations you just did a psychiatrist's job for 1/10th of the pay!

[hpcat]

Excellent job - you are going to be a great nurse!

I'm currently a student, but I love psych, and I really love the patients - every one of them has touched me. Their life stories are often filled with such incredible pain. They want to express that pain to someone who will care.

I think patients need you to reach out to them, because especially in psych, they often don't have the capacity to reach out to you.

[Queen216]

:chuckle

Congratulations you just did a psychiatrist's job for 1/10th of the pay!

lol, more like 0.05% of the pay. LOL

[NurseCard, ADN]

What a great story. Thank you so much for sharing. =) *is thankful for the sweet little baby boy at her side right now*

[SDS_RN, RN]

Thank you for sharing that was a touching story, it tugged at my heartstrings. It made me bawl like a big ol cry baby.

You made a huge difference in that woman's life, you helped give her peace so she can now move on w/ her other family. God must have know what he was doing placing you in her room that noc.

God Bless You.

[RNAnnjeh, MSN, CNS]

Beautiful. God bless you for taking the time to listen.

[Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN]

It's wonderful that you took the time to listen to this patient and she was able to no longer need the sedative.

However, it was a medication that was prescribed for a reason. Had you not been able to deescalate the situation, then it's there. The nurse was giving you a reasonable amount of time to talk to the patient. I can't see how this is cruel or mistreating this patient.

I'm glad that this patient experienced some closure and is recovering. The time you took to sit with her changed her life.

Blee

[Queen216]

It's wonderful that you took the time to listen to this patient and she was able to no longer need the sedative.

However, it was a medication that was prescribed for a reason. Had you not been able to deescalate the situation, then it's there. The nurse was giving you a reasonable amount of time to talk to the patient. I can't see how this is cruel or mistreating this patient.

I'm glad that this patient experienced some closure and is recovering. The time you took to sit with her changed her life.

Blee

I understand what you are saying. But the nurse tone of voice alone was not comforting. Some nurses lose their compassion along the line somewhere. I know the job is stressful, but medication is not always the answer. I understand the floor was understaffed, but her 'I don't have time' attitude was so obvious. And everyone is like cuz they didn't want to hear the woman yelling. When a ENTIRE floor of medical personnel turn the other cheek, because the "I don't have time for this" attitude is thick in the air. Something needs to be re-evaluated. That's my opinion.

As I said before, I usually never stop the 'syringe of silence', because like i said, I don't feel comfortable with suicide patients. Somthing was different about her. She looked like she could kick my butt, too. Funny thing tho' I wasn't afraid of her.

Something divine intervened :redbeathe