What do you call your "greatest" compliment?

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2010

I'm a school nurse, and when my staff found out I was moving to a rural area about 45 minutes away, they were devastated thinking I would not return the next year. I had to reassure everyone that I would be making the commute and I am NOT going anywhere. They will have to pry this job out of my cold, dead hands! Everyone told me how the school is a nicer place with me there and how they know I do such great things for the students. That made me feel great!

nursedora · Oct 20, 2010

We all get many, sometimes too many to be able to pick just one complement. Some of mine: When I was in nursing school, on my L&D rotation, I cared for this lady who's delivery was "difficult" all I did was stand there and hold her hand. About three years later, I was at the grocery store, and this couple with the cutest little girl came up to me and said: "You are the one!" I looked surprised, and before I could say anything, they went on to tell me that they thought it was so comforting to them to have someone simply hold the Mrs.' hand, they wanted to know what my name was, they didn't get to find that out in the hospital at the birth of their daughter. When I told them and asked why, they said they held off Christening their daughter, because they wanted my name as part of her name.

And another memorable complement came from my CNA staff at a Nursing home where I was charge nurse of the unit on evening shift. I like to run a "tight ship" everything in as close to order as humanly possible. I expect 200% out of myself, and only 100% out of my staff. My staff griped and complained all the while till one night, when they saw that if they do their job like they are supposed to and someone says they didn't, that I will stand up for them, also I had them keep their "note sheets" in a binder each night, and I kept that binder locked up in my cabinet in the med room, they thought I was just making more work for them, till one night they came in, and were told they didn't do something, that in fact they did the whatever correctly, and they had the documentation to proove it. After that, my staff of CNA's didn't want to work any other unit than mine, and pulled together to work even harder and made our unit, and our shift the best and most organized running unit/shift of the entire facility. By my staff working harder, that is one of the best complements a Charge Nurse could get. In turn, the residents of the unit got better care from us all as a team.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Oct 20, 2010

One night I was taking care of a lady about to deliver her baby that had died in utero, and the resident told me, "I'm glad you're her nurse tonight."

Another time, a family member told me after two nights of taking care of them and their new baby, "We can tell that you love what you do."

A few years ago one of my patients had her priest in her room blessing their new baby. The priest asked if I wanted a blessing, and I said sure (I'll take all the blessings I can get!). The family joined in the priest with his blessing, and that was really special to me.

RetiredTooSoon · Oct 20, 2010

I can't decide...these four top the list:

1. A patient's mother wrote a letter to my instructor, praising me up and down for how I cared for her daughter and grandbaby during Grandbaby's birth. She also included a picture of me weighing the baby.

2. The terrified pre-op clinic patient who went from wanting to cancel her surgery and run to feeling safe enough on OR day to let me start her IV (and be reasonably calm during the insertion) and feeling ready to have the surgery, even though she knew she was going to feel miserable for a couple of weeks after, because I'd calmed her fears and had been honest with her about how the surgery would make her feel but how once healing was done, she'd be able to live a normal life again.

Then, just as I was about to head back to the OR (I did OR, RR and most outpatient surgical and pre-op clinics), she handed me a package. I opened the tissue paper and pulled out the most gorgeous, finely crocheted Christmas ornaments (made with that thin white thread and then starched). I just about started to cry when she gave me those and then when she reached out for a huge hug and thanked me for helping her through to her surgery day and that she would never forget me.

3. The teen I'd guided through pre-op clinic and OR day, helping her understand what would happen in her surgery and after in the healing time. Months later, I was going for a walk when I heard my name being called. Next thing I knew, out of nowhere, I was enveloped in a huge hug-the girl had seen me walking, remembered me and just had to come over, give me a hug and thank me for all I'd done for her.

4. The woman who'd come to the hospital because the abortion clinic she'd gone to had botched the procedure and refused to fix the problem. I got her in recovery and she talked for a long time as I worked to help get her pain under control, which was probably as much emotional as much as physical. As we talked, it became clear that her family was finished, BC didn't work well for her and NO ONE, not her OB, not the abortion clinic, not her GP had discussed the option of sterilization with her, even though she'd made it clear she didn't want more children at all. :banghead: When I brought the option up, she was intrigued, so I described the pros and cons of both options to her and told her to think about it and talk it over with her DH.

Three months or so later, I'm walking through the OR holding area and hear my name. I look over and there's the patient, a huge smile on her face. She told me that she was having a tubal that day and thanked me for listening to her that day and helping her through. I got another hug that day.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Oct 20, 2010

Oh, I forgot one.

When I first started my current job, I took care of a a young teen who PROMed at 26 weeks. I cared for her first as an antepartum, then a few days/couple weeks later (can't remember the exact timetable) when she delivered. I remember being so proud of her for pumping q3h around the clock - she asked me to wake her up so she could pump on time, and she'd do it and take the millk over to NICU to her baby. We bonded really well, and I talked with her to find out what her goals were for life, and encouraged her to not give up on them once her baby came home from NICU. She was asleep the last time I went to check on her before my shift ended, so I left her a little note telling her she and her baby would be in my thoughts/prayers, and I signed my first name.

Apparently, she kept it, because about 6-8 months ago I was in the nursery and got a phone call from a voice I didn't recognize right away. It was this patient, calling me to tell me she had graduated high school, was going to community college, and that her baby was at that point a healthy, smart four-year-old. "And I kept your note, and I just wanted you to know that we are doing well," she said. I am glad it was slow right then, because I blubbed my eyes out like a baby!!

Mars · Oct 20, 2010

I was caring for a three bed ward of patients when one of them went into a respiratory, then cardiac arrest. I was concerned about the roommate with the same diagnosis, so when I could I went back to talk with him in person. He said, "If something happens to me, this is exactly where I want to be. You acted iwth such aplomb and conficence." I felt very honored by his compliment.

leslie :-D · Oct 20, 2010

one time, i was about to enter my facility, when a man stopped me outside.

he asked me if i was leslie, and i said i was.

he then proceeded to tell me that they had just put their dtr in our facility (dying from end-stage aids)...

because a "friend" of his, had family here, and it seems this person had talked glowingly about me.

so when it came to hospice care, they wanted this facility...where i worked.

i assured him that all the nurses were wonderful, and would give his dtr, the best care she deserved.

with all the crap i sometimes hear at home ( :rolleyes: ), our work can often reinforce our most desirable aspirations.

leslie

wibobr · Oct 20, 2010

Just this past weekend, My wife and I were at a local tavern to watch the college football game. I stepped outside to have a smoke(I know...I'm bad) and a gent was holding the door open for the band that was unloading equipment. Out of the clear blue he asked where I work, that he was sure he knew me from "someplace special." When I replied I was an RN at one of the local Emergency rooms, he ran up and gave me the bear hugs of all bear hugs, the back slaps of em all! "you're the nurse that took care of me when I had my heart attack a few months ago!, I always wanted to thank you for saving my life!"

IT DOES NOT GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT!

NanikRN · Oct 21, 2010

I don't know if I'd consider it my greatest compliment but it certainly did make my heart smile.

A little girl said to me as she hugged me--after I did a painful tx as painlessly as possible- -NanikRN,---you're--you're--you're a thousand times good!

Still make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

VivaRN · Oct 21, 2010

I had a transgender patient tell me I saved her life because I respected her and made her feel comfortable coming to seek HIV care.

Moogie · Oct 21, 2010

I love this thread! :heartbeat Reading these stories fills me with inspiration.

The most treasured compliment I've ever received was when a co-worker told me I was gracious. He described the situation he observed and how I handled it---and I have tried to always live up to his high praise. I don't always succeed but his words are always in my heart.

Oh----and my graduate school advisor passed away at the beginning of this semester. Her best friend on the faculty became my new advisor. She told me that, shortly before she passed on, my late advisor was pleased that her friend was going to take me on as an advisee. (Yeah, I cried when she told me.)

homenurse12 · Oct 21, 2010

When my patient asked me to be there holding his hand when he died. It was my honor to do that.