Spirit intervention vs nursing intervention

[camtrom]

I would like to do some research on just how much spirit or divine intervention goes on in our work. Crazy as it may sound to some, I know there are good stories out there where things happen and as nurses, we just can't explain them. We all know just how much faith and spirituality play a role in healing (and dying) for our patients. Not only do I believe stories like this could help out patients, but it helps me as a nurse believe there is faith and where there is faith there is hope. I will tell you one of my stories and hope to hear some of yours. Names and places will change to protect privacy.

I had just started my night shift and right after report my patient's bed alarm went off. I ran in the room of "Bella" who was there for CHF exacerbation. She was a 92 yr old Italian women who was as short as she was wide and had the thickest accent ever. She was trying to get up to use the restroom, so I turned off the bed alarm, grabbed her walker, and helped her to the bathroom. She asked me to step out, so I did without shutting the bathroom door. While she sat there, I placed my name on the whiteboard, just on the other side of the bathroom wall. In big letters I wrote "RN : Camille".

Right after this, the Bi-Pap alarm on my other patient was going off and I asked a CNA to stay in the room to help Bella back to bed, while I check on my Respiratory patient.

When I came back to check on "Bella," she was sitting up in bed, staring at the whiteboard sobbing and crying. I asked why was she crying and if she was feeling any pain or chest pain. She replied no, but sternly asked me, "Are you Camille?" I said, "Yes, and I am your nurse for tonight." She then explained to me that she thought her daughter, who's name was Camille, had put her name on the board, but she had died 2 months earlier from stomach cancer.

While my patient was still crying, I explained to her that she could of gotten any nurse in the hospital, but I believed her daughter was watching over her and sent me to care for her. She shook her head and stopped crying at that moment.

Just then the on call cardiologist walked in and introduced herself as.....Dr. Camille Smith. I looked at my patient who was then smiling ear to ear. Bella then knew for sure her daughter was watching over her.

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

That's a very sweet story; I like that you put a spin on it so the patient got some comfort. What I would like to know though, is what kind of research are you doing? As in, solely anecdotal, or are you putting outcomes together with anecdotes, or what... And I am aware that the outcome is not the be-all and end-all of the experience, just trying to think and really I should stop that, it hurts.

[camtrom]

Really would just like to know how often things like this happen. Would eventually like to collect enough stories to show patients and nurses or future nurses, just how important faith is in healing. Maybe I could put together a "Soul Soup for the patient" book. :)

[AllieandTT]

I love this story thank you for sharing. I come from a huge family of nurses and have many friends who are nurses that have many stories like this. No matter what religion one follows or doesn’t follow, I do believe in a higher power but more on the spiritual side. Yes, I think you should put out that book you were talking about and I can send you some of my family’s stories.

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