what's your "soft spot" patient?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

In case you couldn't tell from the other thread, I have a real soft spot for teen moms. I have a dream of one day starting a home for unwed teen mothers and practicing as a CNM there doing prenatal care and education (NOT delivering the babies, though...). I'm a freak like that. :chuckle

So what patient gets that big ol' soft spot in your heart every time?

That makes two of us.......don't even get me started on LTC. :(

Yep. As much as my mother grates me, I have told her that over my dead body will she go to LTC when/if she reaches that point. Uh uh. I'll go into debt and have a private duty RN 24/7 at her house or mine before I let her go to LTC. No way man.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
Yep. As much as my mother grates me, I have told her that over my dead body will she go to LTC when/if she reaches that point. Uh uh. I'll go into debt and have a private duty RN 24/7 at her house or mine before I let her go to LTC. No way man.

I feel the same way. Although my parents and grandparents are long gone, I have a sister and husband who are older than me, and I'm no spring chicken myself so I've thought about this a lot.

Someone on this BB asked recently at what time of life we thought we would prefer to die, and another poster replied "About five seconds after my feet touch the nursing home floor". I second that emotion! :o

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've not been in nursing school too long... but the pts that really tug on my heart strings are the mentally handicapped. It's so cute how they vie (sp?) for attention. I just want to hug them all and make them feel wanted and needed.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I too love the elderly. I was assigned to an 87y/o woman during clinical a couple of weeks ago. She was really feisty, and combative with everyone else. They actually had her in wrist restraints during the evening. But I found that she just wanted someone to talk to , someone to be gentle, explain what they were doing. She would float in and out of reality. Frequently asked me if I had seen her mother, when was her mother coming to get her, if she was dying, etc. We made that kind of eye contact someone else wrote about (one time especially when respiratory was giving her a treatment). I fell in love with that little lady. She kept telling me I was a nice nurse, and that she was going to tell God about me when she got to heaven, so I could get to heaven too.

When I went back next week, she had been transferred to another room. I went into the room to visit her, and she didn't remember anything about me. Didn't know me from adam. I don't know what I expected, but my feelings were hurt a little bit. It's kind of funny actually. Anyway I will never forget her. I never thought I would like working with the geriatric population, but I'm finding that it's for me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I've not been in nursing school too long... but the pts that really tug on my heart strings are the mentally handicapped. It's so cute how they vie (sp?) for attention. I just want to hug them all and make them feel wanted and needed.

Well if you want a great job with the mentally and physically challenged in NC, I can recommend a wonderful place. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psychiatric.

I'm still in school, but I have a fondness for the psych patients and I've decided that I am going to go into psych nursing...While in the rotation I was able to stay with one patient the entire 8 weeks because we did our rotation in a state inpatient facility...one day I asked him something...I dunno what...but it started us talking about all of the students that come in and out of the hospital...he then said, 'You know, I really have enjoyed you coming to visit because you don't treat us like animals and you don't act like you're afraid of us.'

I also volunteer at a place here in town that works kinda like a clubhouse for folks living in group homes, and it's been wonderful over the past few months to see them come out of themselves as they get to know me better...

So I guess my soft spot is with the psych patients... :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I work in a LTC facility and all of the patients there get to me. I do have a few favorites though. Sadly on of my favorite little ladies passed away last week:crying2: I cried the whole first part of my shift. I was a sight crying and trying to pass out morning meds. I miss her dearly. It's always hard losing a patient. To me all of the patients there are like extened family.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

To everyone who posted about the elderly -- I just read a fantastic book by Mary Pipher (she wrote Reviving Ophelia). It's called Another Country, Navigating the Emotional

Terrain of Our Elders. Amazing. I should probably post this in geriatric sections of this site as well. It really opened to SO much.

This is on my mind alot because my parents have just sold their "big house" and moved to a condo; it's beautiful and it's not a LTC/Assisted Living place, but to them it represents what is perhaps going to be their "last house." This is very liberating for my mother, but my dad's very depressed.

But I digress -- read the book if you love old people!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Home Health Care,LTC.

I have to say that my soft spot is with preemies and with the disabled. I had a premature son and then I have worked with the disabled either physically or mentally. I just love working with the kids. They really tug at your heart strings.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.

Something about charming a cranky demented elderly person into cooperation just tickles me to no end. Love the older folks. It's the ONLY reason I keep going back to the hospital PRN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in oncology.

I have a "soft spot" for the elderly too. I work in LTC and I love it. I can't wait to get to work. It's the reason I went into nursing. We have one man that is a 100. He is quite the charmer! :p He always has a smile on his face. It does not matter how rotten everything seems to be going when he rolls up in his wc and gives me that big smile - I just melt. I cannot imagine ever wanting do anything else.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I love them all..Even when I "hate" em, I love em..I can find something good in just about everyone.....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment