Your most rewarading day!

WashYaHands · Dec 24, 2001

I can't help but think of a situation that happened last Christmas Eve with one of my cardiac rehab patients. We seemed to have had quite a few cardiac rehab patients on the floor at that time. We have 2 local hospitals that perform cardiac surgery and they sometimes send their patients to us for rehab. One hospital issues red heart shaped pillows for their cardiac patients. The other hospital does not. Last Christmas Eve one of my elderly female patients was the only one without one of these pillows used to splint the chest while coughing, etc. While other patients had visitors through out the day bringing flowers and presents, this elderly woman had no visitors at all. Me and a PT were in her room talking to her and somehow we got on the topic of splinting pillows and how she did not have one. The PT and I were nearing end of shift and had to leave the elderly patient for a while to wrap up the shift. When I returned to her room to wish her well and say goodbye for the day, she was clutching the most beautiful brand new hand quilted pillow that fit in her arms perfectly. She said that someone came in to her room and gave it to her. She was incredibly touched. I was incredibly touched. I asked the PT if she knew anything about it, she didn't. I still do not know to this day who brought that pillow to my patient, but it is one of the most fond and rewarding memories of working the holidays that I have. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus :)

Linda

cmggriff · Dec 25, 2001

For me it was a night shift in ICU years ago. I was working with 3 RN's I had helped train over the 1.5 years since they graduated. One of the patients coded and these 3 did the whole thing perfectly without me. They never even asked me a question. I was so proud I still get goose bumps thinking about it. I hope they are still out there saving lives. Gary

workinurse@aol. · Dec 25, 2001

CCU start of shift report, most undesirable patient on ventilator couldn't use call bell and shook siderail constantly. Can't take off restraints she goes for her ET tube. Driving everyone crazy. Volunteers for her?

Yes me, straight to her room, question about her needs and learn her eyes and nose itch and driving her crazy.

When I put a warm washcloth on her face, a smile melted away her tension.

I made a deal with her that if she went for her ET tube once I would not be able to unrestrain her again, she only rubbed her face and smiled widely.

I told her I had to tie restraints while I was out of the room and she should shake the siderails if she needed me,

I was out of the room for 5 minutes, then 10 and finally up to 30 minutes at a time.

At the end of the shift a fellow nurse said, "what did you do sedate her? she didn't shake the siderails once today"

jschut, BSN, RN · Dec 26, 2001

I am but a student, but my most rewarding moments are when a patient of mine will tell an instructor that I will be a wonderful nurse because they can feel the warmth from me. (Makes me all warm and tingly inside...)

Then, when one of my instructors took me aside to tell me that she knows all the tension I am under at home (we just got recent custody of our "behavior challenged" 9 y/o niece) and if I ever need to talk, she's there. She said I would be a great asset to her profession and she doesn't want to see me fail because of stress. (That was soooo kind. And I love her for that!)

But, I think the best one was when I was in the hospital visiting a friend from church and saw one of my friends (residents) from the nursing home where I was a CNA before school started. Her daughter told me she didn't recognize her or anyone else, but she gave me permission to go in and say hello. She knew me!!! She recognized me!!!! If only for a brief second or two, she knew who I was and talked to me like before(and knew my name!)! It was a blessing from the Lord, and I'll never forget that.

There's so many blessed moments that I couls share, but I am thankful to only get to share a few...

Julie:)

babsRN · Dec 27, 2001

I have to say one of my most rewarding days in nursing came about 6-7 years ago...which was about 20 years into my career. I spent most of the summer nursing a vent dependant ALS patient in the ICU. I would fuss over him daily...making sure he was handsome for his wife's visits...would get him up in the chair and soak his feet in warm water, that sort of thing. Finally after about 2-3 months...he regained enough strength to scribble a note...took him about 15 minutes and it was bearly readable..."you make my life worth living!" Brought tears to my eyes. My only regret is that my manager took the note, I think to place in my file and I never got it back. But I hold that memory dear...

LindaHP · Dec 28, 2001

Hard to pick the most rewarding day.

I used to work in an acute rehabiliation unit. We had a man who was a new paraplegic and was around 80 years old. He had to learn bowel care, trache care, self caths. He wanted to go home but had a lot to learn. Most of the rehab unit thought he should be sent to a SNF. He had a lot of difficulty learning all this new and not so pleasant stuff. Myself, the OT and PT took to calling ourselves SNF busters......and he DID learn how to care for his own trache, do bowel care and self cathes. Amazing! He went home and not to a SNF.

Another very good day was the day I was at a local store and saw an old patient of mine. She had had a traumatic brain injury and couldnt walk talk or eat for more than six months. Then just a few years later I saw her standing in line at the store and she was complaining to me about normal every day things. Yes her speech was slurred and her gaite was pretty bad. But this was someone who could have stayed semi comatose for the rest of her life. It was incredible.

RNforLongTime · Dec 29, 2001

My most rewarding days?

So far I have had two--I've been an RN for 4.5 years now, Recently about 3 months ago, one of my patients told me that I was a "good Nurse" and then about 2 months ago another patient told me that I was a good nurse and don't ever let anyone tell you different. Both of these ladies were completely A&0 x 3. IT's moments like these that make me feel good about being a nurse.

mcl4 · Dec 29, 2001

Originally posted by LPN,Future, RN
What one thing, event, or person has been rewarding in your career as a nurse/student?

With all the negative talk in nursing today, I know there is one good thing you have to share.

For me, it is the resident who says thanks for everything. She always compliments me on my clean pressed uniform, or gives me a smile each time I see her.

Simple, yes, but for me, rewarding!

I will always remember the resident, Lillian, who said the rosary everyday for me while I was pregnant. Lillian was a special person and one of the reasons it was difficult to leave long term care nursing. I can still see her sitting in front of the television telling me the weather for the day at six in the morning. She also told us nurses we would all go to heaven for the work we did.

NurseDennie, BSN, RN · Dec 29, 2001

I've had a lot of very rewarding days. I've been a member of an award-winning team, and that was very, very satisfying!!

Right up there at the top -- well, discharge day for a specific patient. A massively obese man. He was one of the only people I've ever seen who was completely flaccid. No tone, anywhere. We only had "x" number of big-boy beds, and he was obese patient "x+1" so he was in a regular hospital bed. He literally took up the ENTIRE bed. To turn him on his side, we had to pull him over TO the side rail, and roll him over. Back up against one siderail, belly up against the other. We had that man for about 4 months. Unheard of, but that's the way it was. He couldn't breathe, swallow.... anything. He needed to be in a long-term facility, but the family didn't like the ones that would accept him (no insurance). So at about the same time he hit the $1,000,000 in free hospital care from my hospital, our social worker came back from her maternity leave and was able to get him into a LTC facility.

So, it wasn't the most satisfying day because he was gone - but because of his condition when he left. There was not a mark on that man's skin. No blisters on his bumm, no scrapes on his elbows, nothing.

Nobody but another nurse could appreciate my pride in our team, and why that was such a satisfying day for me.

Love

Dennie

Mijourney · Dec 29, 2001

Hi. I don't have a day to pinpoint. But, what has been the most rewarding to me are the times when someone I work with or a patient/family tells me how much they appreciated my work or how they enjoyed working with me. I really am honored when I hear things along those lines.

In home health, when you are assigned to a patient that has had a complicated leg ulcer for several years and within months after you are assigned, the patient's wound heals and they thank you for it, it's very affirming.

crispix · Dec 30, 2001

Goodness,so many to choose from in my 12 years...

But,I guess the most rewarding day/time was when I was taking care of an eldery man in the ER and his daughter recognized me as the student nurse who had taken care of her husband when he had prostate cancer some 9 or 10 years before.

She told her father how good my care was,and siad he was" in the best hands"

It warmed my heart to think she had remembered me after all these years,and that she felt I was a good nurse.It had been "one of those nights" and her comments were just what I needed.

I also took care of a little 8 year old who had broken her leg.She was very scared and was terrified of all we were doing to her,the x-rays,the medicines,the IV for pain control,so I just stayed with her as much as I could,and explained everything to her in kids terms,trying to ease her fears.I also made sure the ER doc who was "the best kid doctor" saw her,as he would take the time to make sure she wasnt scared also.Well,as I was typing up her discharge instructions,she had her mom wheel her over so she could give me a drawing she had made me.It was of Bugs Bunny,complete with "Whats Up Doc" and carrot.We had discussed cartoons extensively while she was getting her splint put on,so she drew my favorite character.

4 years later,that pic is still on my fridge as a reminder of why I became a nurse.Because I care.

Christine:)