Most Memorable Experience!!!!

Nurses General Nursing

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hey...what was your most unforgettable experience in your career??? tell about it!!!:chuckle

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Actually, my nursing career has not yet started. My nursing license barely became active just a few days ago. :)

But the most remarkable experience of my clinical rotations occurred in March 2005 when I tied a comatose patient's trach necktie too tightly. In a few minutes the patient became somewhat cyanotic and I got into trouble over the incident. This experience was not memorable, though it was remarkable and indelible in my memories. It is something I'd like to forget.

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Specializes in Case Management.

I hope this thread takes off. I was just thinking of this the other day. During my days of "bedside nursing" I had a patient on tele who came in and out several times with complications. He was a big Italian man, we needed a special bed for him. He had a large, very religious family, and the wife and daughters were there every day, taking shifts, so he would never be alone. I would often walk in and see Mom close at his bedside, silently praying. I worked nights and tried to make sure they were all comfortable, as they kept their nightly vigil.

One of the daughters took a lot of night shifts with her Mom, or alone, and we got to talking one night.

She told the most amazing story of love and faith, between her Mom and Dad. It was a long and detailed story and I do not want to get into a lot of detail. But the most important part of the story was about her mother and the tremendous faith this woman had. When Dad first became sick, he had diabetes out of control and came close to losing his leg.

The night the doctors were making the decision whether or not to remove the leg, Mom bundled up all the kids and they went to church in the middle of the night and the whole family prayed all night long.

When daylight came, they went in to the hospital and the leg had turned around and started to show signs of perfusion. The leg was saved.

The daughter also told me in whispered tones how Mom was blessed with the gift of stigmata. Every easter season, for about 3 weeks prior to Easter Sunday, her hands would start to show signs of a red irritation in the middle of each palm, extending to the other side of the hand. the pain was tremendous, and as the Easter holiday approached, the red spots would grow larger and more painful.

Mother was in the choir, and all of the people in choir knew that this was happening. One woman did not believe her and she took the Mother into the bathroom and tried to scrub off the spots. As painful as this was for Mother, she stood without complaint, as long as it would take to make this stupid woman believe. The woman finally gave up, but she was not convinced that this was a gift that God had given the Mother.

There were a lot of stories that the daughter told me. The mother had a gift of prophecy and was able to see things before they happened to family members.

I can't tell all of the stories that were told to me, but I felt very honored to meet this woman and to do whatever I could to make her more comfortable during her nightly vigils. It was very apparent to me that I had met someone who was truly a blessed soul on this Earth.

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gr8rnpjt - that is a lovely story. I think people who have faith that is obviously that strong ARE special people, too!

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Wow gr8rnpjt, that is quite a beautiful story and very inspiring. I am not an RN yet (I graduate in May), but for nusring school, my most memorable experience was seing my first lady partsl birth. I have always dreamed of being a labor and delivery nurse then a certified nurse midwife and this day made me believe I could and should. It was just an ordinary, uncomplicated lady partsl delivery ( before the retained placenta), BUT, what struck me emotionally was that this girl was 19, the same age I was when I gave birth. During her labor I remembered how important it was for me when I was giving birth to be treated with respect and for people to be excited for me and happy for me. I felt honored to be at this young lady's birth and honored to be a strong support for her (dad was not there). When the baby was born, I was bawling my eyes out. It was the most incredible thing to see. She named the baby the same name as my daughter (she didn't know this though). Since then, I have been able to keep my emotions in check at births, but since that was my first, I was very overwhelmed. I will never foregt that day!

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

My most memorable would be two actually, but will stick with the shorter of the two..LOL.

I had this patient who...despite my professionalism got into my heart! :) I just adored this gent, and he became on of my favorites (even though we aren't really supose to have those...this one, heck...couldn't help it, he was a dear old guy!).

Train wreck of probelms though, ESRD, dialysis, COPD, CHF, post MIx2, post stroke, diabetes, hep C past, the list goes on...but this guy never let it get to him! He was always cheery, always had a smile or good word to keep everyone happy about life! One of those folks you can't ever forget!

Well, desipite his utter joyful nature...his family never came to see him! In fact, for the longest time I wondered if he really had any!!! For emergency contacts we had friends of his...so basically his family left him for all I knew...and I guess I became like an adopted neice or something!

Well, one day before dialysis, the caregivers told me he was slurring his speech. I ran to see what was the matter and his tongue was bright red and swollen, so I thought maybe a dialysis could help...but it got worse quickly...I knew...Stroke in progress! I called 9-11, and they had an MD with them..sure enough...all the signs were there, and he was sent to the ER quickly!

He came back, and was on hospice...everything but his heart was shutting down! He had a few days left, and best he was with the people that loved him most...US!

Then all the sudden family came out of the woodworks all saying how sorry they were to him, how much they missed him...and I didn't show it...but I was sooooooo bitter!!! NOW they show up!?!?! I was basically furious, but understand that these things happen...as sad as that is!

But towards the end...when his nasal canula was always thick with secretions, and his body greyish...they bailed out on him again asking me to call them when he died! NICE! How dare you not be there for him, but then again...you never were! They only came to free themselves of guilt...not to care! I was happy to see them go!

I stayed with him, cleaning his tubing, wiping his brow, making sure he was comfortable (lucky a slow day for me!)...I really got to REALLY care for a patient when they needed someone most! I felt honored and happy...and I am sure if he was conscious he would have told me :).

He passed away...and I kissed his forehead and said "see you later on...make sure to put in a good word for me up there!" (which is a joke we had about going up there...long story). Then I noted a small heart shaped colored paper under his pillow...it was from his granddaughter!

It read "I am sorry I didn't get to see you Granddad, I wanted to! I love you very much, and don't tell mommy I am mad that she didn't let me visit!" Have a good time in heaven with GOD".

Tears came immediately! Poor little thing, she missed out on a wonderful gentle man because she was a child and couldn't come see him! I mean, I don't know what happened to make his kids so mad...abuse didn't seem to be an issue...but you never know. But for this child to already know they missed out on knowing him...it hurt! Not her fault...but will live with that memory forever!

I put on his clothes for the funeral home, and pinned in the little note in his breast pocked near his heart and asked that he be burried with it! The funeral home agreed once they heard the story!

And at the memorial (the funeral was 3 hours away and I couldn't attend), I let that little girl know (alone and whispering for just her to hear)..."Great Grandpa has your note sweety...and it will be with him always to remind him how much you loved him!" She hugged me so tight!

That will always be a memory for me...lots of lessons to learn, and one big important life one...never miss out on chances to love, show love, and be loved..because when it all comes down to it...that is all that matters!

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Oh my god, that story has me blatting my eyes out. Through my tears I am thinking to myself that this is why I chose this as a career. You sound like such a dear person and blessed is the patient who has you as his or her nurse.

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

THank you! I am wiping my eyes again with bitter sweet memory too! It was one of the few times I was able to get time to sit by a patient and really really take care of them when no one else could..and to care for a little piece extra after he was gone ;)... Quite fulfilling to me, and made me feel...heck girl...you are something special even when you don't remember it!

Cool thread...I needed to remember that!

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My most memorable would be two actually, but will stick with the shorter of the two..LOL.

I had this patient who...despite my professionalism got into my heart! :) I just adored this gent, and he became on of my favorites (even though we aren't really supose to have those...this one, heck...couldn't help it, he was a dear old guy!).

Train wreck of probelms though, ESRD, dialysis, COPD, CHF, post MIx2, post stroke, diabetes, hep C past, the list goes on...but this guy never let it get to him! He was always cheery, always had a smile or good word to keep everyone happy about life! One of those folks you can't ever forget!

Well, desipite his utter joyful nature...his family never came to see him! In fact, for the longest time I wondered if he really had any!!! For emergency contacts we had friends of his...so basically his family left him for all I knew...and I guess I became like an adopted neice or something!

Well, one day before dialysis, the caregivers told me he was slurring his speech. I ran to see what was the matter and his tongue was bright red and swollen, so I thought maybe a dialysis could help...but it got worse quickly...I knew...Stroke in progress! I called 9-11, and they had an MD with them..sure enough...all the signs were there, and he was sent to the ER quickly!

He came back, and was on hospice...everything but his heart was shutting down! He had a few days left, and best he was with the people that loved him most...US!

Then all the sudden family came out of the woodworks all saying how sorry they were to him, how much they missed him...and I didn't show it...but I was sooooooo bitter!!! NOW they show up!?!?! I was basically furious, but understand that these things happen...as sad as that is!

But towards the end...when his nasal canula was always thick with secretions, and his body greyish...they bailed out on him again asking me to call them when he died! NICE! How dare you not be there for him, but then again...you never were! They only came to free themselves of guilt...not to care! I was happy to see them go!

I stayed with him, cleaning his tubing, wiping his brow, making sure he was comfortable (lucky a slow day for me!)...I really got to REALLY care for a patient when they needed someone most! I felt honored and happy...and I am sure if he was conscious he would have told me :).

He passed away...and I kissed his forehead and said "see you later on...make sure to put in a good word for me up there!" (which is a joke we had about going up there...long story). Then I noted a small heart shaped colored paper under his pillow...it was from his granddaughter!

It read "I am sorry I didn't get to see you Granddad, I wanted to! I love you very much, and don't tell mommy I am mad that she didn't let me visit!" Have a good time in heaven with GOD".

Tears came immediately! Poor little thing, she missed out on a wonderful gentle man because she was a child and couldn't come see him! I mean, I don't know what happened to make his kids so mad...abuse didn't seem to be an issue...but you never know. But for this child to already know they missed out on knowing him...it hurt! Not her fault...but will live with that memory forever!

I put on his clothes for the funeral home, and pinned in the little note in his breast pocked near his heart and asked that he be burried with it! The funeral home agreed once they heard the story!

And at the memorial (the funeral was 3 hours away and I couldn't attend), I let that little girl know (alone and whispering for just her to hear)..."Great Grandpa has your note sweety...and it will be with him always to remind him how much you loved him!" She hugged me so tight!

That will always be a memory for me...lots of lessons to learn, and one big important life one...never miss out on chances to love, show love, and be loved..because when it all comes down to it...that is all that matters!

awwww, what a great story.. there are still great, caring nurses out there after all.!!!! keep up the good work

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That was awesome, thank you for sharing with us.

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That was awesome, thank you for sharing with us.

whats ur story???

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