What was your "Oh, wow--- I really DO make a difference" moment?

Nursing Students General Students

Published

Specializes in Oncology/hematology.

I was just being nostalgic and thought about that moment with a patient that really made me realize that I can make a difference.

I was in my 2nd year of my BSN, and I was on the Oncology ward. I was caring for a patient with end stage pancreatic cancer in addition to being paralyzed from contracting polio at a young age (mets to the rest of his body, Jaundice, ascities.. you name it, he suffered from it) and I was just fumbling along.

The first few days with him, were really awkward on my part, he was just in so much pain and I was a pretty clueless student back then. One day, after I had finished brushing his teeth and after a painful bed bath (his morphine didn't help the 15 separate parts of his body causing him pain), I jokingly said something about how he can rest now (everything knocked the wind out of him), because I'm all done with the annoying things that cause him discomfort and I'll leave him to rest... and he then said something that hit me like a ton of bricks: "Please stay... can you just sit with me?".

The whole time I thought that I was annoying the hell out of him with my questions and not so confident caring... but that was the very first time that I really understood the word "vulnerability".... it was almost tangible in the air of his room. I felt humbled, that my mere presence could be a comfort to a complete stranger in pain.

I feel that that moment has shaped who I am today, and for me the psychosocial aspect of nursing is far more important than the medicine.

BEING THERE made more of a difference to the patient than endless treatments.

That really is one of those good moments where you feel like you are making a difference. The first time I gave a bed bath was one of those moments for me, its amazing how grateful patients are when nurses/students actually put in effort and truly care. Not many patients truly get bed baths anymore, at least not on a Med-Surg floor. Reinforced my decision to do nursing, since it was my first semester. Good story OP...

I love those moments, and that is why we all chose nursing, right? I'm in my last semester of school, and I have had one of those moments every semester so far. It just reinforces my desire to be a great nurse. Good job on making him feel like he mattered!

Specializes in Ambulatory Surgery, Ophthalmology, Tele.

I like this thread. :)

I have always thought it was the little things that mattered. :yes: Sometimes in our busy-ness of trying to do all of the tasks we need to do for our patients, well.... their humanity gets left behind.

I have had patients that were so appreciative because I treated them like a human being: I smiled, made conversation, listened and let them vent, brag on their grandkids, etc. I have had some patients where I was told in report that the patient seemed slightly confused or not all there. Then when I started a conversation, I realized they were just hard of hearing. These were not confused patients, these were very smart people (retired judges, retired engineers, retired nurses :) )

Recently I had a patient in our surgery area. She was so nice. When I finished doing post op instructions and discharged her she said, "Thank you for being nice to me." As if this were not usually the case when she went to her health clinic, etc. Like she was just a number, or a diagnosis. I thought that was sad.

+ Add a Comment