"You Made Me Want to be a Nurse."

Published

Specializes in Med-Surg, Long Term Care.

Tonight, in the midst of the usual chaos and mayhem on my med-surg unit, I was told that someone wanted to see me. I came out of a patient's room to find a young woman who said, "You probably don't remember me, but I was your patient back in the spring who had a kidney infection. You were my nurse for one night and I was so amazed at the care you gave me-- bringing me all those gingerales when I was so thirsty, wrapping me in blankets when I was shivering from the fever, and treating me like my grandmother would treat me. I just wanted you to know that on that night, I decided I wanted to be a nurse because of you. I changed my major from business to nursing and my family's so proud of me. I've been meaning to come and tell you and I know I should've told you and written to your management long before now, to tell them how you influenced me, and I feel bad that I didn't. So here I am to tell you now."

Oh my GOSH! I couldn't believe it was real at first, and I kept hugging her and telling her how much I appreciated her coming and telling me (all except that crack about my acting like her grandmother! :D ) One of my co-workers overheard part of our conversation and pulled out a piece of paper and addressed an envelope to our unit director and handed it to her. We exchanged emails and phone numbers and I said I'd do anything to help and encourage her in school and her nursing career.

I just thought I'd share what was such an uplifting, incredible experience since I feel like I tend to be somewhat negative discussing and venting all that's wrong with med-surg nursing. It doesn't change what's wrong with med-surg, but it certainly made me feel that I made a difference in this young woman's life, and there are hopefully many others that we just never hear about.

Do you have a similar experience-- of influencing someone to become a nurse?

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That must have made you feel so good! Congrats! You do us all proud! I only hope that I will be such a positive influence on someone!

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I haven't made anyone want to be a nurse yet, I'm still in school! I do know the exact person that made me want to be a nurse! That makes me realize that I should go back and tell her!

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I don't have a similar experience of inspiring someone to be a nurse (not yet at least), but a nurse like you did inspire me to pursue nursing. Thanks for posting your story. It was very touching. I should do the same and thank the nurse who cared for me!

~j

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RN-PA

I can think of no better validation of your compassion, nor of your skills as a nurse. Raises, commendations, honors and awards are all nice. But when you are told "your care changed the course of my life," that's when you know that you have embodied what nursing truly is.

Well done.

Kevin McHugh

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Speechless here-

That is just wonderful and certainly a day not to forget :).

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

wonderful story...

obviously, you make a real difference in people's lives.

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Whoo Hoo! Congratulations. I think med-surg is such a grind these days, so you must really be a super-nurse to be doing such a wonderful job!:D :nurse:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Long Term Care.
Originally posted by imenid37

Whoo Hoo! Congratulations. I think med-surg is such a grind these days, so you must really be a super-nurse to be doing such a wonderful job!:D :nurse:

I thank you for your kind words, but I promise you, I'm no super-nurse. I'm like so many of us out there in the trenches, slogging away, trying to do the best we can under rough conditions. I sometimes get affirmation and words of appreciation from patients and/or family members from trying to please them and give good care-- as most of us do, and it keeps me going. I feel a little funny blowing my own horn here, but it's just that this was so "over-the-top" for me, that I had to share it as the wonderfully positive experience it was.

I'll be slogging in the trenches again tonight, but the feeling I got from this young woman's words and what I would like to pass on here is: Hang in there. You ARE making a difference. Do what you need to to try to change working conditions, but we are needed, we can make a difference, and although many nights we may think, "It ain't worth it" and "nobody notices or appreciates what I'm doing", please remember that many do, even if they don't say so.

I want to thank you all for your wonderful responses and for sharing my joy in this experience. :kiss

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

What a wonderful story!! Thank you for sharing it with us!:kiss

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Its an awesome story that deserves to stay at the front of the line so that everyone can read it!! So often we do feel like nothing we do matters--and this just goes to prove that in doing the simplest of things you really can make a difference. RN-PA you truely are what it means to be a good nurse!

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The whole reason I went into nursing was because of the nursing care I received when I was hosplitalized as a child. I loved the ICU nurses at the Childrens's Hospital. I had a great surgeon and very caring nurse practitioner. Now I work in OR adn see the surgery and sware I will never go back into teh OR as a patient- :chuckle

Christine

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