Please share something GOOD that happened at work!

AliRae · Mar 16, 2007

Peter, do you take Rose to be your wife? If so, squeeze my hand. - and in front of everyone our chaplain said - Peter says I do.

I'll add mine to the misty eyes.

Oh, what the heck ... I'll admit it; I'm bawling.

My story happened a couple years ago in Zambia. I was there for the summer after my third year of nursing school, working at a little bush hospital. They were letting me do EVERYTHING, including delivering babies. My last little guy, it was just me and a traditional birth attendant (a trained Zambian woman). Everything was going well until the baby was born completely blue and "flatty" .. no HR that I could tell, refusing to breathe. And it was a Tuesday, so no electricity at the hospital. So I had to pray there was battery in the suction. No O2, no nothing. Lots of stimulation and druing and feet-flicking did nothing. I suctioned him and did a few chest compressions, just hoping more than anything. I felt like the entire world stopped right there.

And then he cried.

I went to see his mother the next day to tell her I was leaving the day after and asked her if she had chosen his name. Traditionally, they don't choose names until they leave the hospital, which would be in a few days for her. She smiled shyly and asked me to name him for her. I threw out a couple of suggestions, and she picked the first one.

So, there's a little 2-and-a-half year old running around Zambia, named after my dad: Allan.

CRNI-ICU20 · Mar 16, 2007

Oh, your stories are awesome....because you are awesome!!

Here's my story...

Today, I came to work, and was assigned a patient who's spouse is one of the top anesthesiologist's at our facility.

I was given this assignment, because, in the words of my manager, "we knew you would be the best for both of them."

This patient is dying....very very sad. The spouse, being a doctor, has not left the bedside for over 48 hours. The patient is young, but very very sick.

Tonight, before I left, after a very hard day of chasing ABG's, vent settings, adjusting drips, addressing skin issues, etc....the spouse, (MD) approached me, gave me a hug, thanked my for my "excellent care" and said, "will you be here tomorrow?".....I had to admit, that "no", I will be working in a different unit, tomorrow".....the spouse's eyes teared up....because they stated, "I just want **** (the spouse) to have the best....and you are the best." This was such an incredible affirmation.....esp. when some of the people I have worked with have been not so nice during evalution time....

It was so nice to hear the words from someone who truly sees my skills, and acknowledges them.

SECOND STORY....GET YOUR KLEENEX:

I was assigned a patient about a month ago, who was end staged COPD. In her 80's. She had been vented on and off many times....with recurrent pneumonia, etc. This time, she told her family, "I have had enough....I don't want another time on a machine....just let me go....keep me comfortable."

As hard as it was for them to let go of their matriarch...they agreed.

Her six sons, and six daughters, and husband of 58 years gathered round her bed....she was this beautiful Italian woman, with incredible hair and skin....she didn't look her age at all! Before I had even started morphine for her, she had started to kinda drift....but she suddenly opened her eyes....stared straight at the foot of her bed, and pointed.

"LOOK!" "there's my dad.....he's standing right there....and he has a sack full of chocolate eclairs"....there's 11 of them...."

Her family gasped!

(Ten of her famiy members have passed on.....she would be the 11th!)

Her son immediately went out, bought a huge box full of chocolate eclairs....and brought them to the bedside.....her family began to sing to her....say the Rosary around her bed.....and eat chocolate eclairs....

I came into the room....and said, "what, are you not going to give her some?"

They said, "we weren't sure if it was okay."

"OF COURSE IT'S OKAY!!"

So, we broke one open, and scooped out the filling....and I said to my patient, 'I have something really yummy for you, open your mouth..."

And she did....and then

The most incredible look of complete pleasure graced over her face.....

she enjoyed that scoop of filling....even making yummy sounds.....

with eyes closed....

Within about two hours....she passed on....

Her family wrote me the most precious thank you note....

They said that seeing their mother pass with such a look of peace and pleasure on her face is a memory that will stay with them all their lives...

Before she died, I made handprints of her hand with some special tempura paint and special paper that we have on our unit so that grand children will have a hand print of their grandparent, or loved one, as a memory....

We made 12 copies that day....the family said this was such a comfort to them...to be reminded of their mother's loving hands...

I was proud to be her nurse that day....to help her die peacefully, with dignity, and comfort....

This is what nursing should be....everyday....

This is what God meant for me to be to my patients and families.

PS.....isn't it nice to know that there's chocolate in heaven????? :saint:

nrsang97, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2007

I have a few things some happened a while ago but what the heck.

I had received a admit one night from one of our smaller system hospitals. Patient came in with a small suspected bleed on CT. Pt needed a MRI and this smaller hospital wasn't capable of MRI since they had no MRI machine. Pt was transferred to us early on a Friday morning. Pt waited all day Saturday for MRI and wasn't done. So I called before my shift ended at 4pm and asked when it would be done, was told Sunday after 11. I assumed 11am and Sunday rolled around and afternoon MRI still not done. I wasn't taking this pt that day and her mom came to me while I was coming back to the floor with my lunch and she asked me what was going on with the MRI. I told her I would call them and find out. I called and the MRI tech was so nasty to me because it wasn't a emergent MRI. I explained to the MRI tech that pt was transferred here to have MRI from a smaller hospital. Was there any way we could do this asap and I was told "If it isn't cord compression then we won't do it now, it will be done on MN shift." I explained that this pt and family were scared and if there was a way we could get this done because she was here only for the MRI and the sole reason we received her from the other hospital since they couldn't do one. MRI dept told me that she would be on call after 2300 since that is when we do inpatients period. I did tell them I would be calling neuro surg. I spoke with the team PA and he was livid and called them himself and the MRI was done within about 2 hours from my calling him. He changed it to stat and then the MRI was done. The patient and her family were so grateful. I still have the little card they left me. I think they were so happy that I took time to listen to the patient and family concerns and got the MRI done so that the patient felt better. I was able to discharge her the next day.

I had one lady that would cry when I left at 0400. She became so attached to me. She was admitted after lumbar lam. Had complications got better, went to rehab. Had more complications. Got better, and while I was taking care of her and helping her get better, I was able to make someone who was so depressed feel better about herself. When she was finally discharged I walked her down for her nurse since I wasn't busy. It felt so wonderful to get a hug from her. I did end up taking care of her at another hospital a few years later. She and her husband remembered me and were so glad to see me.

I had a patient recently. He had a lumbar drain secondary to CSF leak. He had his shunt internalized and it wasn't working. NA level was getting higher and he was getting confused. He was starting to get impulsive and trying to get out of bed without help and being connected to all kinds of iv's and heart monitor. I would catch him and remind him each time not to get up without my help. He was also having a ileus from the surgery. He was having terrible abd pain. I was giving him the lecture that if he kept getting up I would have to put a reminder jacket on him (posey vest I just don't tell the patient that, I also did everything I could not to have to get to that point) and I took extra time with him and made sure he was comfortable and had everything he needed, I was sitting in the chair by his bed and holding his hand and talking to him. He looked up at me and told me he loved me. I thought he was so cute. I also noticed no one had accessed his mediport and got a order to access it and this also made him and his wife so happy since they could get his labs off of that instead of poking him.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Mar 16, 2007

SECOND STORY....GET YOUR KLEENEX:
I was assigned a patient about a month ago, who was end staged COPD. In her 80's. She had been vented on and off many times....with recurrent pneumonia, etc. This time, she told her family, "I have had enough....I don't want another time on a machine....just let me go....keep me comfortable."
**EDITED FOR BREVITY IN QUOTE**
PS.....isn't it nice to know that there's chocolate in heaven?????

Tissues are now permanently placed next to my monitor. WAHHHHH! This is too beautiful. I had never heard of the handprints; it's a wonderful idea. And, personally, the idea that chocolate eclairs (one of my all-time favorites) live on is sweet in itself). :)

liebling5, MSN, RN · Mar 16, 2007

"Oh, what the heck ... I'll admit it; I'm bawling."

The story about Rose and Peter - Yes, indeed, me 2! (Sniff)

nursemike, ASN, RN · Mar 16, 2007

Wow. Some of these stories have definitely brought tears to my eyes. Big, manly tears, but still...

Excellent thread! It reminds us what it's all about, doesn't it?

BULLYDAWGRN, RN · Mar 16, 2007

I got paid today....

Gromit · Mar 16, 2007

Always a good and welcome event

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Mar 18, 2007

Hey, some days that's the best they got :) I just had nine patients and still got out of work on time; that's a big achievement for me!

No one else has something GOOD that happened to share? I can't believe there's more "I hate nursing" threads than ones like this! :)

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Mar 19, 2007

bumping this

Gromit · Mar 19, 2007

Well, I'm waiting for my manager and several others to come together with a meeting (including myself) to discuss how I can come back to work -docs are giving me partial clearance to return -our floor has no defacto light-duty position, but I'm confident (as is my manager -who has been very encouraging throughout my illness -and if thats not something to say thats 'good' about my workplace, nothing is! ) we can figure out something. Since it seems its going to be a while before I'm given 'full clearance'.

Hard as our floor is, I miss being there.

oneillk1 · Mar 20, 2007

Maybe as a tag-along to the thread that has people in a twist over whether or not nurses are being positive enough, or too negative, or whatever, we could try for something a little upbeat.
What has happened to you (or someone else?) at work that made you GLAD that you were there that day? Did you feel you made a difference?

I had a patient last week, really sad case actually, the father had been driving the two teenage daughters and wa sin MVA, he was fine but one daughter was brain dead, other daughter (16yo) was head injured in ICU. I had her post extubation and she was extremely agitated and took a lot of calming down (invluding IV meds), was vocalising but not understandable, and generally very confused all night. I spent my whole shift reassuring her every time she woke up... etc etc, had no idea what was happening in her head or if she understood a word I said. When handover came I said goodbye to her parents who were there and she waved goodbye to me. Brought a huge smile to my face and made the whole night worthwhile!