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! ) 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?
I'm very fortunate to be 26 and have never been hospitalized for anything, except pneumonia when I was 2 (don't remember that, obviously)... However, one of the reasons I want to be a nurse is so I will be able to make peoples lives better. I only hope I can be as inspiring to my future patients as you were to this young lady.
WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY. I HOPE I MAKE SOMEONE WANT TO BE A NURSE SOMEDAY . MY MOM MADE ME WANT TO BE A NURSE WHEN I WAS IN 7TH GRADE. SHE BECAME A RN AND OUR LIVES COMPLETELY CHANGED. IT MADE ME REALIZE QUITE A FEW THINGS: THAT MY MOM WAS MORE THAN A MOM AND THAT SHE MUST LOVE OTHERS A LOT TO BE A NURSE, AND THAT ONE PERSON SINGLE HANDED CAN CHANGE OUR LIVES FOR THE BETTER AND MANY OTHERS LIVES TOO. SHE IS THE BEST MOM AND NURSE IN THE WORLD. AND I AM TRUELY HAPPY I FOLLOWED IN HER FOOTSTEPS.
I just got home from another hellish-shift; felt like quitting, unable to properly precept a new nurse due to the heavy group of patients and problems we had. But it felt good to sit down and read your lovely comments, and to remember ~once again~ that we hopefully can make a difference in spite of our workloads.
I forgot to mention that as I was leaving my floor the night this young woman spoke to me about becoming a nurse, the unit clerk I was going out with at the end of my shift mentioned what'd happened to me that night to some night shift nurses sitting at another nurses' station. When she told the story about this woman wanting to become a nurse, one RN said, "Well-- did you tell her to run for the hills and never look back?" :stone The thing is, it's hard to see such optimism and excitement about her beginning nursing school and to know what the reality is... *SIGH*
Thank you again to all of you for your support and kind words, and for sharing some of your own stories.
RN-PA, I do consider you and those others who do med-surg and do it well as Super nurses. I work in OB and get pulled to our med-surg units to act as a tech from time to time (they don't make us take an assignment at the present time). I know those nurse have an almost impossible job. One I would not take on at this point in my life. If you can work med-surg and still be an inspiration to others, you are super in my book.
Thank you for the compliments, imenid37-- There are many med-surg nurses out there that are trying to do their best under difficult circumstances due to high patient:nurse ratios-- I work with many who are inspirations to me and I'm sure, their patients, but I don't know how long we will last if the working conditions don't improve. We want to continue giving the same quality of care we were able to give when the ratios were lower, so it requires working double-speed if you want to try do it all, which of course leads to burn-out and high levels of stress. We can't do it all and are fighting ongoing frustration at not being able to do it all.
It's about my meeting with upper management to discuss nurse-to-patient ratios. The meeting is Monday, November 10, and I hope I can say something which will have an impact on them and possibly move them to get us more help.
Okay, I am officially crying now. That is a wonderful story that I hope I can relate to one day when I finish school. Thank you so much for sharing!!!!!
) 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.
Lecia
69 Posts
I'm very fortunate to be 26 and have never been hospitalized for anything, except pneumonia when I was 2 (don't remember that, obviously)... However, one of the reasons I want to be a nurse is so I will be able to make peoples lives better. I only hope I can be as inspiring to my future patients as you were to this young lady.
Congrats and keep up the good work!