thank you, nurses!

Apr 18, 2009 05:14 PM

by plainfieldguy

When a friend asked me recently why I have decided to leave education after 17 years to go back to school to become a nurse, I gave him a quick answer—to make a difference. He pretty much balked at my reply, calling it ‘cliché’, but at the time I wasn’t in the mood for a long discussion about my career change. However, when I got home it made me stop and think… what difference have nurses made in my life? Unfortunately, I do not remember their names, and all I can offer is a heart-felt thank you, but here are just a few ways that nurses have touched my life and inspired me to do the same for others:

Thank you…
To the nurses in Delaware who taught the man how to care for his below-the-knee amputation. He was my father.

To the nurses in a Virginia hospital who made the phone call to tell a family to come quickly because there isn’t much time left. He was my grandfather.

To the nurses in a Connecticut nursing home who showed respect and tenderness to an elderly woman until it was her time to go. She was my grandmother.

To the nurses in New York who were not afraid to hold the hand of an AIDS patient as he lay dying from KS. He was my friend.

To the nurses in Florida who teach patients about the side effects of chemotherapy and tell them they are still handsome when they lose all of their hair. Those patients are my step-father and step-brother.

To the nurses in Ohio who comforted the man and his wife as they could do nothing but wait and watch their disfigured newborn die within a month of birth. That baby was my nephew.

To the nurses in New Jersey who knew to step away and say nothing and just left a woman cry after her third miscarriage. She was my neighbor.

To the nurses in Washington DC who made the young man laugh after he cursed at them for inserting an NG tube at 2am. That young man was me.

To all nurses everywhere for the difference you make in the world. I can’t wait to be one of you!

New To Site	Need Help	Quick Links
Create An Account General Site Map allnurses.com Journals Terms Of Service Privacy Policy Testimonials Meet Our Staff Advertising Information	Information Center & FAQ Boards of Nursing How-To Video Tutorials Did you forget your password? Compare Membership Contact allnurses.com Text Version Mark All Sections As Read	United States Nursing International Nursing Nursing Specialty Advanced Practice Nursing Critical Care Nursing Nursing Specialties Get In Touch... Find Us On Facebook Follow Us On Twitter

thank you, nurses!

thank you, nurses!

Nursing News

James Woods, Actor Sues Hospital, Warwick, RI

16 fired for HIPAA Violations

Four Lehigh Valley Health Network nurses accused of...

lawsuit - But don't most RN's work through breaks/lunch...

Patient Evaluation of Retail Clinic Care

The hard to reach on-call doctor, and its effects on...

Woman charged with passing off prescription drug as...

Man in "Vegetative State" was conscious for 23...

Interesting article on ThedaCare's Collaborative Care Model

Possible breakthrough regarding MS

Available Topics (tags)