The Soul of Nursing

Shared personal experience of compassionate care received from a night nurse before having a breast biopsy. Nurses Announcements Archive Article

The Soul of Nursing

I have been a nurse for close to 40 years, and have walked multiple paths in learning and practice. Like many nurses, the life experiences I have gained are a part of me and continue to shape my interactions with patients, students and colleagues. How often do we, as nurses have the opportunity to reflect on the care we receive from our own profession during stressful times in our life?

One experience which I will never forget, occurred in my late 20's. As a young nurse, I had just moved to a city where I knew no one, to began working in an exciting new job.

One Friday morning, as I was preparing to leave town for the weekend, I discovered a lump in my left breast. I made the decision to continue my trip rather than postpone it. The trip had been planned for several months, and involved future academic goals.

After a worrisome weekend, I returned home and contacted my doctor, who referred me to a surgeon, and before the end of the week I was scheduled for a breast biopsy. The doctor's words, "at your age these lumps tend not to be malignant," did nothing to ease my fear.

During the admission process I was asked to sign a form giving the physician permission to proceed immediately to a full mastectomy if the tumor was discovered to be positive during the biopsy. This process was new to me, as I had not had any serious surgery before. I did sign the form, although with major misgivings. The thought of waking up without a breast haunted me as I was tested and prepared for my early morning surgery. I barely ate the evening meal and decided to refuse the ordered sleeping pill, which meant, of course, that I was unable to sleep.

Around midnight, the young nurse making rounds found me tossing and turning. Sensing my emotional turmoil, she stayed a few moments at my bedside talking with me, and I shared my major worry about the surgery, and the permission form I had signed. The nurse informed me that although I had signed the form, no surgery would take place until after the tissue analysis had been done. The tissue analyses usually came back the next day.

What a wonderful relief! I agreed to take the sleeping pill, and was able to relax and rest comfortably the rest of the night. I went to surgery the next morning without the dread of the unknown I had when I entered the hospital the day before. Even if the biopsy turned out to be malignant, I felt I still had some control through the opportunity to make an informed decision with the odds fully known.

I am happy to say that the lump was benign, and I was discharged the next day without incident. The caring intervention of the nurse, and taking the time to notice that I was not resting well, indicated that I had a need that required her attention. The care I received from the night nurse at a vulnerable time, always comes to mind as I care for patients experiencing unknown health challenges.

I will never forget this experience, and will continue to pass on the care and compassion I received from the nurse that night. I will never know who that nurse was or have the opportunity to say "thank you for you time." I'm glad I experienced the "other side of the coin" early in my career. What about your experiences as a patient?

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jazzmaiden3

About jazzmaiden3, RN

40-year history as professional nurse, staff nurse, academic educator, diabetes educator, staff educator, clinical nurse educator; life-long learner

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What a wonderful portrayal of life on the other side!

I have had no personal experiences as far as being the patient myself but instead have found that, when caring for people, my natural tendency toward empathy still creates a major impact on the care I give to others.

Often, when I take care of a patient, I find myself thinking, What if this were my loved one?” … I suppose it doesn't do my patients quite as much justice when I think What if this were me?” because I tend to be much more protective over loved ones than I am of myself. And to be honest, don't we all want the very best for our loved ones? Do our hearts not ache when we think of our grandparents, parents, spouse, or children suffering in the same positions as our patients? Putting ourselves in another's shoes will often elicit that little bit of extra” that is found to be the true heart of nursing.

Thank you for the reminder of why this is so important. It is the little things… the little things we notice, pause, and sometimes think Do I have the time to address this?” that give us the opportunity to make a difference.

Honestly, this I why I love being a nightshift nurse… because it often provides both the time and the circumstance to provide emotional support. And to be blunt, empathy is a switch that I just can't seem to simply turn off… no matter what schedule I am expected to adhere to… I'm sure I would have been gone a long time ago if it weren't for the nightshift.

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"We do what's good for the patient... not what's convenient for us."

A veteran nightshift nurse said that once, and I try to live by it daily. It's tough, but overall that's what I aspire to do.

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When my father had to have surgery, he was so scared. One of the nurses noticed this, put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Dont worry. We're going to take good care of you." It meant the world to him and as he recounted this to me afterwards, he couldn't keep from tearing up. She didn't have to do that, didn't have to say that, but she did, and it put him at ease. I'm very thankful to her for it. (The surgery went well, by the way.)

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