Now, how about some Good Nurse stories.

[RNinICU]

I've enjoyed the posts about the nice things doctors have done, now lets talk about some of the good nurses we work with every day. With a few exceptions, I work with some excellent nurses. We have a very close knit staff who support and help each other personally and professionally. When one of our coworkers was diagnosed with breast cancer, we all donated a sick day to her so she would be able to take some more time off. There is a young man I work with, a newbie by the way, who seems to have a sixth sense about when you need help. He is always there to help reposition a patient or change a wet bed. He seeks out any chance to learn something new, and has a "teach me" attitude. Many of our staff work extra voluntarily to cover short shifts, and are willing to change schedules on short notice. We have many people who are just so kind and supportive to patients and their families. And most of our nurses are very skilled and knowledgeable. I believe that most nurses are like this, but we need to give each other credit for being as good as we are. Does anyone out there have a story about another nurse who provides exceptional care or has done something kind for a coworker?

[Dr. Kate, BSN, RN]

I had major surgery about 3 1/2 months after getting out of nursing school. At one point feeling nauseated I put on my call light, when asked what I needed I barely got out "I don't feel good" It was all I could moan. Before I knew it, the RN was in my room, antiemetic in hand. How did she know? I had no idea, I was too new a nurse. But, what she did in interpreting, anticipating, and meeting my needs marked thereafter how I worked with patients, esp. post ops. From her I learned you don't make the patient wait, and you won't make the patient wait if you are aware of their situation and potential needs. I doubt she had any idea of how much she taught me in one simple encounter.

[LilgirlRN, ADN, RN]

Brownms46

It's Gadsden, but you were close :)

Unfortunately my good nurse story is also a bad nurse story... I was a new graduate hired to work in CCU in 1987. My charge nurse had been a nurse for 27 years or so. I had been there for 6 months and she went into renal failure and had to retire. That made me the charge nurse...I was in charge of me and 2 other new RN's and an LPN who had been a nurse for about 5 years. This LPN was really in charge, not me, I didn't have a clue about much of anything I was so green. She taught me almost anything I know about cardiac nursing. Unfortunately she became addicted to narcotics and no longer practices nursing. Pam was truly one of the smartest nurses I have ever worked with. She new what to do and when to do it for any patient that came through the unit. Probably kept us from killing off a few of the patients. :)

[Brownms46]

Originally posted by LilgirlRN

Brownms46

It's Gadsden, but you were close :)

Unfortunately my good nurse story is also a bad nurse story... I was a new graduate hired to work in CCU in 1987. My charge nurse had been a nurse for 27 years or so. I had been there for 6 months and she went into renal failure and had to retire. That made me the charge nurse...I was in charge of me and 2 other new RN's and an LPN who had been a nurse for about 5 years. This LPN was really in charge, not me, I didn't have a clue about much of anything I was so green. She taught me almost anything I know about cardiac nursing. Unfortunately she became addicted to narcotics and no longer practices nursing. Pam was truly one of the smartest nurses I have ever worked with. She new what to do and when to do it for any patient that came through the unit. Probably kept us from killing off a few of the patients. :)

Thanks LilgirlRn,

I thought it didn't look right...:chuckle. But you know....I think your post was still in a way...a good nurse story. It just shows...that no matter how wonderful someone is....we all have our weakness..

[Brownms46]

You know I can't remember the MD's name( he was a neurosurgeon), the names of the nurses, or what unit I was on. But it was in 1991 and in the summer, at Gadsden Baptist Hospital. BUT...I will never forget what wonderful care I received!:) I had a cervical fusion, after a car accident while working home health! I want to say Thank YOU Again for the nurse who when I opened my eyes in recovery....had the most caring, beautiful face I have ever seen! Not just physical beauty, but a light that shone so bright I was totally reassured! I also didn't say a word when the mso4 given didn't relieve my pain, but one look at my face and she knew! :) And for everyone I came in contact with during my ordeal....who took excellent care of me....that I will never forget! Thank you...you're all tops in my book

[LynniNurse]

My best ever nurse is about my mentor, Keith. He is the best looking guy you've ever seen, black wavy hair and deep blue eyes and undoubtedly the kindest person in the world. I was a new graduate straight out of LPN school and Keith was an experienced ICU RN. He was so friendly and always so upbeat. He took me under his wing, he didn't let anyone or anything intimidate me. He showed me how to nurture the patients in a professional way. He showed me that you don't have to always know everything but you always have to be willing to jump in and figure things out and learn along the way. He taught me to start IVs on people with NO veins, place caths in hidden meatuses, work every kind of machine that came our way and how to laugh at myself when necessary. I had the pleausure of working with him for 7 years and even when we were at the depths of horror -- understaffed, underpaid, lacking supplies, lacking administrative support, and basically treated like dogs -- Keith kept everyone smiling and working hard to give the best care possible to our patients. I learned something from him every shift we worked and I miss him terribly now that I've moved. Thank you, Keith, for being the wonderful person, nurse, mentor, friend that you are! You're the best in my book!

[Brownms46]

WOW...(((((Keith))))...I'm in love...:)

[candicane]

One of the best nurses I have ever encountered, in fact helped inspire me to become a nurse, was a lady that took time with her patients. My father had been admitted to the surgical floor for a BKA (diabetes), anyway the night before his surgery this nurse who worked the 3-11 shift stayed an hour and a half past her shift sitting in there talking with my dad. She really helped put him at ease. When he died about 8 months later she drove the 40 miles to come to his funeral. This is the type of nurse that I aspire to be, one that puts the patients first.

[leesonlpn]

When I was 12 years old, I used to ride my bike up to the extended care facility where my aunt was a patient. She was in her early forties and had ms. She was at the point where she couldn't move, and had to be fed. Her voice was also very weak, and her speech difficult to understand, though I could make out what she was saying. She also had trouble swallowing.I would ride up there for meal times where I would feed her, and the other ms patients at her table. There was an LPN there, who would always go out of her way to be nice to me. She always made sure I got a cup of vanilla icecream. I was too shy to ever mention that I didn't, so when she came up to me and say "Did you get your icecream yet?", I would just quietly shake my head no, and she would say to the other nurses, "whenever she comes here, and I'm not on, make sure she gets an icecream". I was comfortable feeding the patients as before my aunt was institutionalized, she lived in our extended family of her two sister, my siblings, cousins, and grandparents. We used to feed her at home as well, order things for her from the eatons catalogue, dial the phone for her, give her coffee with a straw, do her nails etc. I always wanted to be a nurse back then, and the friendly LPN just instilled that dream even more. That was 33 years ago, and if I close my eyes, I see so clearly the LPN with her cap, whites, and lovely gentle face.:)