Why do we do what we do?

[OhioCCRN, MSN, NP]

I was reminded yesterday.....

Patient of mine had surgery a couple of days ago.. palliative...wonderful appreciative lady.

Had an "accidental code brown" a brown streaky path from her bed to the bathroom.

I was informed of this when 2 nurses came giggling into the med room saying "your patient had a situation"

I quickly gathered all the supplies I thought I would need. Chux, biohazard bag, new gown, complete bed change.

I found her crying her eyes out in the bathroom "I'm so embarrassed" were the first words that came from her mouth.

I'm used to dealing with bodily fluids so I was fine, quickly got to work getting her cleaned up, cracked a few jokes, got her at ease. I cleaned the room as best I could and called housekeeping to sanitize.

Got her back in bed tucked in with a nice blanket from the warmer.....all routine things that I would usually do.

She started crying again and told me how wonderful she thought I was and how much she appreciated what I had done. I told her it was no problem...

Today, I received a call from my manager. Apparently her son is an Attending at one of our area hospitals. She had called him after our little adventure. He told my manager that I was the best nurse his mother had ever had and that the entire family appreciated everything I had done for her...

I CRIED!!!!!!

It's so rare to get appreciation in our field...and to get it because of something so routine is pretty awesome...

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Wonderful job. I can feel how she must have felt and to have the kind, caring, respectful response made all the difference.

[Daliadreamer]

Don't you just love when that happens?? And it doesn't happen very often. I took care of a little confused lady yesterday...I had to irrigate her bladder several times, and it was extremely painful (I had to close the door because she was screaming so loudly). I felt horrible, and her family arrived about an hour later. I thought that the patient was going to tell horrible stories about 'the mean nurse', but when I rounded on her, she placed her hand on my cheek and thanked me for being patient with her! It just made my day. This is why we become nurses; we do really make a difference! Keep being the great nurse you obviously are, and your good days will outweigh the bad!

[poppycat, ADN, BSN]

What is "routine" for us sometimes has a profound effect on our patients.

[kool-aide, RN]

That's wonderful! I have received two cards from pts in the last two weeks and it has made me so happy and proud! :)