Interesting Christmas Tales

C_K_GrodeckLPN · Nov 25, 2008

Five years ago, on Christmas Eve, I was working at a local State Mental Hospital on an Adult Ward. We had one pt. who was extremely uncooperative & often could become violent & verbally abusive, swearing constantly. he rarely spoke, unless it was to cuss.

This particular Christmas Eve, I wore a scrub jacket that had red & green reindeer on it. Just for fun, I wore a headband with reindeer head-boppers & a flashing red nose attached with a elastic strap. I came onto the ward singing, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".

The pt. saw me, immediately busted into a fit of laughter & said, very loudly, "That is the silliest thing I have ever seen!!!" From then on, this pt. was more appropriately verbal, took his meds, & was cooperative with care. Every time he saw me, he let me know that "You're the one with the "Rudolph Nose".

Amazing what a tiny bit of humor can do to turn a pt. around.

Shawana · Nov 25, 2008

It's amazing what a little singing and humor can do! That is a good one! It is nice that nurses can be there to make a patient's Christmas brighter!

nitenurse02 · Nov 25, 2008

Ok this story is not a nursing story per se, but it certainly falls into the Christmas category.

I had just started at my hospital as a brand new LPN. I was young and scared to be on my own. My first night off orientation was on Christmas Eve. And they floated me. From the medical end which was my "home base" to the surgical side. Very similar units at that time under the same nurse manager. Not a big deal now but as my first night solo I was terrified. The nurses were great though and I did ok. One of the vetern nurses had been floated and called to check on the newbie. By the end of the shift though I was exhausted. Physically and mentally and emotionally.

Finally, it was time to go home. As I walked out into the Christmas morning air, I realized it was snowing. A small moment of exitement untill I realized that I would have to scrape the white stuff off my car. My heart was heavy as I walked to the lot. I saw a man scraping snow off a truck and thought hmm wish he would do them all. I know I didn't speak out loud, but he started doing just that. I was amazed. When I started the car and got out to help him, he told me to get back in and warm up he had it covered.

A few months later I was talking to a wonderful nurse and found out that that wonderful man was her husband. He had taken her to work that night and was picking her up. While waiting for her to get off, he was scraping windows for all of the rest of us.

He will always be my Christmas Angel for making the end of a very long night just a little bit better.

I'll never forget him.

jerenemarie · Nov 25, 2008

One of the most saddest days in my years of nursing was one Christmas Day. I was working the day shift caring for a dying lady. Her daughter was at the bedside 24/7. I walked in the room to find the daughter lying on the floor next to the bed in a fetal position sobbing. It broke my heart. This is one Christmas Day I'll never forget.

Shawana · Nov 25, 2008

That's so sad!!

Shawana · Nov 25, 2008

In my family many have been sick or injured and had to go to the hospital, but not around Christmas. Once, when my brother was little, on Christmas Eve, his G-tube fell out and he had to go have the hole closed up, but he came home that day - thankfully.

pielęgniarka, RN · Nov 26, 2008

Well my story isn't exactly touching but it occurred during the holiday season. I posted it once in the LTC forum on a thread a while back but I'll put it out here again.

We had a little old lady with old timers dementia. She was always so giggly too. One night the nurses notice she is sitting by the christmas tree happily mumbling and chewing something -- went to check it out. She was holding shards from one of those red round GLASS christmas ornaments (from the facility holiday tree) in her hand and chewing on the fragments! Best we can figure, she saw the ornament and thought it was an apple, picked it off the tree and took a bite! Luckily there were no major lacerations, the MD was called and she was monitored and ended up being fine.

No more glass ornaments though!

Shawana · Nov 26, 2008

Ah! That's scary!!!

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Nov 26, 2008

I once worked in a pedi hospital where local industries and charities donated items to the sick kids. Nurses handed them out at night, just like Santa. One little fellow was crying before bedtime because he was afraid Santa would not find him and the store Santa had promised a new bike. He was afraid he would not get the bike. I told him Santa also came to the hospital. That night I placed the toys on the foot of his bed while his Dad wheeled in the bike - and the little fella slept thru the whole thing. Later I heard a loud cry and, fearing it was due to pain, rushed into the room. He was hugging his toys and smiling ear to ear because he had not been forgotten. He kept saying "see, Miss Nurse, Santa DID remember me". Who do you know needs Santa to remember them this year?

Shawana · Nov 26, 2008

That's a really sweet story!!!:heartbeat