Have you received memorable cards and gifts from patients and families that made your day? I have always loved to see the cards, flowers, etc that people will send after our patients go home. Especially I like a progress report that shows our caring made a difference!
We may feel like "just another provider" but when we get a little thanks or recognition, for example, "The best unit my mom has been on" etc., it just helps ease the pain of the trials we face and feeling unappreciated.
I know we aren't supposed to take gifts but my supervisor once made an exception. I was caring for a lady in a nursing home and she passed away. Her family gave me a special watch that was made with abelone shell, it was gorgeous. They just liked how I had cared for her in her last days.
This is something that says "thanks" to all of us - and from some of us, to you. It is written as if people with disabilities might have written it, but it seems to apply to any of our nursing experiences:
BEATITUDES FOR SPECIAL PEOPLE
BLESSED ARE YOU who take time to listen to difficult speech, for you
help us to know that if we persevere we can be understood.
BLESSED ARE YOU who walk with us in public places, and ignore the
stares of strangers, for in your friendship we feel good to be
ourselves.
BLESSED ARE YOU who never bid us to "hurry up" and, more blessed,
you who do not snatch our tasks from our hands to do them for us,
for often we need time rather than help.
BLESSED ARE YOU who stand beside us as we enter new and untried
ventures, for our unsureness will be outweighed by the times when we
surprise ourselves and you.
BLESSED ARE YOU who ask for our help and realize our giftedness, for
our greatest need is to be needed.
BLESSED ARE YOU who help us with the graciousness of Christ, for
often we need the help we cannot ask for.
BLESSED ARE YOU when, by all things, you assure us that what makes
us individuals is not our particular disability or difficulty but
our beautiful God-given person-hood which no handicapping condition
can confine.
REJOICE AND BE EXCEEDINGLY GLAD for your understanding and love have
opened doors for us to enjoy life to its full and you have helped us
I had a Baby named after me, The parents were so pleased with the care I had provided in the NICU after a very rough start. The Parents gave the baby my first name for the babys middle name. I was very honored. :):wink2:
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I appreciate SO MUCH what you guys have posted here. I know that nursing can be MORE THAN rough sometimes, thank God for the better days that leave us whistling down the hallways :penguin:
I got an odd but touching thank you this weekend; a woman who had just been told (2 days prior) that her lung ca was in remission found out that it had mets'd to her brain and her prognosis is basically nonexistant. On Saturday night she was pretty much in denial and refused to talk to anyone about it, even her family; her husband said that she even refused to cry. While assessing her, I mentioned that I heard that she had a rough day at which point she buried her face in my stomach and bawled her eyes out. I just let her go and never said a word. After approx 10 minutes she stopped and dried her eyes and asked could I call the chaplain to come in at about 2:00 tomorrow afternoon. I made the arrangements and when I went back to tell her, she told me that she hadn't felt the freedom to cry until I "gave her" permission. I think this was her way of thanking me, and I let her know that I or any of my coworkers were glad to talk to her about anything if she needed it. I just hope I made a difference in what appears to be her last days--I am praying for a miracle, she was a very nice lady
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I got an odd but touching thank you this weekend; a woman who had just been told (2 days prior) that her lung ca was in remission found out that it had mets'd to her brain and her prognosis is basically nonexistant. On Saturday night she was pretty much in denial and refused to talk to anyone about it, even her family; her husband said that she even refused to cry. While assessing her, I mentioned that I heard that she had a rough day at which point she buried her face in my stomach and bawled her eyes out. I just let her go and never said a word. After approx 10 minutes she stopped and dried her eyes and asked could I call the chaplain to come in at about 2:00 tomorrow afternoon. I made the arrangements and when I went back to tell her, she told me that she hadn't felt the freedom to cry until I "gave her" permission. I think this was her way of thanking me, and I let her know that I or any of my coworkers were glad to talk to her about anything if she needed it. I just hope I made a difference in what appears to be her last days--I am praying for a miracle, she was a very nice lady
Giving someone permission to be themselves - priceless... you know, we often try to protect our families from seeing how we "really" feel, thank God you were there for her!
I work in LTC. One of my former residents had a room way, way, way in the back of the building, loved going to bingo and pokeno, but had a very difficult time walking. I had to really fight and push to get her room switched to a front hall closer to the activity room. I never told her I did this, but somehow she knew. She sent a very pretty planter to me at work the next day.
But, the most appreciative story I have to tell is about what I did to a nurse long before I became one....
I was only 17 when I had my son. I am hard headed and stubborn by nature, and had told my nurse, Stephanie, that I didn't want any drugs--I wanted a natural birth. (Of course, I had no idea what I was getting into at that age...lol) So, Stephanie worked really hard at keeping me calm. She rubbed my back, helped me change positions, and talked me through alot. Towards the end of my delivery, I just couldn't take it anymore. Stephanie was leaning over me trying to talk me through a contraction. I reached up, grabbed her by her ears, pulled her face down to mine, and said, "I want an epidural and I want it NOW!!" Stephanie told me I was too far along to have one then, never batted an eyelash, and just kept talking me through it. Because of her patience (and forgiveness for bad behavior), I had Mattie natural. He was bright-eyed and bushy tailed the moment he took his first breath. My mom was in the room when I did that to poor Stephanie and almost fainted in embarrassment. My mom and I sent Stephanie a dozen red roses the next day. We'll always be grateful to her for helping me reach my goal!!
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
... I never told her I did this, but somehow she knew. She sent a very pretty planter to me at work the next day.
But, the most appreciative story I have to tell is about what I did to a nurse long before I became one....
... I reached up, grabbed her by her ears, pulled her face down to mine, and said, "I want an epidural and I want it NOW!!" Stephanie told me I was too far along to have one then, never batted an eyelash, and just kept talking me through it. Because of her patience (and forgiveness for bad behavior), I had Mattie natural. He was bright-eyed and bushy tailed the moment he took his first breath. My mom was in the room when I did that to poor Stephanie and almost fainted in embarrassment. My mom and I sent Stephanie a dozen red roses the next day. We'll always be grateful to her for helping me reach my goal!!
Very cute stories! Thanks :) (Did you give Stephanie back her ears?)
So far, all of mine have been verbal, but they still touched my heart.
1. When I was a student in my med/surg clinical, I had this one patient who had hip surgery. Man this patient loved to talk. Whenever I went into her room, it was hard to come out because she just loved to talk. I took care of her for two days in a row. There was one time in which she said she felt her bottom feeling a bit numb. I suggested if she would like to try sitting on a pillow. At first she said she didn't need to. But then I told her about possible bedsores that could arise from sitting in one position too long. So then she agreed to the pillow. Later on, she told me sitting on the pillow felt a lot better. And when my instructor came into the room with me to help me do something, the patient told my instructor "she is really smart". And just before my shift ended on the second day, I went into her room to say goodbye. She told me she would be back in the hospital a few weeks later for a bigger surgery and she would love it if I were to take care of her. I told her my clinical would have ended by then. She looked a little disappointed but she wished me a lot of luck with the rest of my schooling and told me she believed I would become a great nurse.
2. This happened last year when I was doing my preceptorship in the NICU. I was at the point in which I could pretty much care for two grower and feeder babies on my own. My preceptor had even told me I had freed up a lot of her time and that she could practically go home and leave me to care for the patients (in a joking way). Anyways later on during that shift, this one grandmother (of a baby I was not even assigned to) told me she's been watching me work and she thinks I've been doing a really great job. She took my hand, looked me in the eye and said "thank you for all your hard work". Hearing those words just made me feel so good. A few hours later, the daughter (baby's mother) finished breastfeeding the baby and wanted her to get weighed. The nurse at the point was busy doing something else, so the mother asked me if I could weigh. It just made me feel good that even as a student (the mom and grandmother knew this), they trust me enough to weigh the kid, even though I was not assigned to them. I just love the verbal comments the best. Each time I get a compliment from a patient or family member, it just makes me more and more confident as a nurse, and it makes nursing worthwhile for me.
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
So far, all of mine have been verbal, but they still touched my heart.
1. When I was a student in my med/surg clinical, I had this one patient who had hip surgery. Man this patient loved to talk. Whenever I went into her room, it was hard to come out because she just loved to talk. I took care of her for two days in a row. There was one time in which she said she felt her bottom feeling a bit numb. I suggested if she would like to try sitting on a pillow. At first she said she didn't need to. But then I told her about possible bedsores that could arise from sitting in one position too long. So then she agreed to the pillow. Later on, she told me sitting on the pillow felt a lot better. And when my instructor came into the room with me to help me do something, the patient told my instructor "she is really smart". And just before my shift ended on the second day, I went into her room to say goodbye. She told me she would be back in the hospital a few weeks later for a bigger surgery and she would love it if I were to take care of her. I told her my clinical would have ended by then. She looked a little disappointed but she wished me a lot of luck with the rest of my schooling and told me she believed I would become a great nurse.
2. This happened last year when I was doing my preceptorship in the NICU. I was at the point in which I could pretty much care for two grower and feeder babies on my own. My preceptor had even told me I had freed up a lot of her time and that she could practically go home and leave me to care for the patients (in a joking way). Anyways later on during that shift, this one grandmother (of a baby I was not even assigned to) told me she's been watching me work and she thinks I've been doing a really great job. She took my hand, looked me in the eye and said "thank you for all your hard work". Hearing those words just made me feel so good. A few hours later, the daughter (baby's mother) finished breastfeeding the baby and wanted her to get weighed. The nurse at the point was busy doing something else, so the mother asked me if I could weigh. It just made me feel good that even as a student (the mom and grandmother knew this), they trust me enough to weigh the kid, even though I was not assigned to them. I just love the verbal comments the best. Each time I get a compliment from a patient or family member, it just makes me more and more confident as a nurse, and it makes nursing worthwhile for me.
Wicked cool! And people don't HAVE to say that kind of thing - they must have really seen something good in you. Keep it up!
Throughtout my 18 years of nursing my jobs have ranged from working on the open heart ICU unit to nursing home positions in administration. I love the people I care for and it was wonderful for me recently. I have suffered due to an attack which occurred in 1997 and have been working in a ambulatory walk in clinic which also has chiropractic and alternative medication. Anyhow I have always believed that we as nurses are their advocates, that when they leave it continues to be part of my job to call and see how they are doing, to make suggestions that may help to ease their everyday lives and that is what I do with all my patients. Recently I had to leave my job and have another surgical procedure, (this is my 15th surgery to repair the damage of a severe rape and assault), my employer graciously laid me off and I never got to tell any of our patients I wouldn't be back or wouldn't see them. One week later someone knocked on our door, and their stood a floral service delivering me a boquet, balloon and stuffed mouse with the word "Thank You" inscribed on his cute little belly. They were from a gentleman who hates having tests and going to the doctor. I had nagged him into finally having a colonoscopy due to his risk factors. He went and upon recieving the results of his test, found that he had colon cancer, due to catching it in it's early stages the cancer was removed and he is doing wonderful.. Those flowers and stuff were from him and his family, with a note thanking me and praying for my full recovery. It is a awesome and wonderful job we have lady's! Saving lives, how cool is that?!
Just the other night I had a patient that was very insistent that I come and see him right before I left to go home. It had been a very trying day for him and we had put him through a lot and I rather thought that he was sick of me and would never want to see me again. But I went in to say goodbye and he gave me a blessing of protection and safety for myself and my loved ones. It was so beautiful. I almost cried. I will never forget him.
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
... Recently I had to leave my job and have another surgical procedure, (this is my 15th surgery to repair the damage of a severe rape and assault), my employer graciously laid me off and I never got to tell any of our patients I wouldn't be back or wouldn't see them... Those flowers and stuff were from [the patient] and his family, with a note thanking me and praying for my full recovery. It is a awesome and wonderful job we have lady's! Saving lives, how cool is that?!
Kellie
Kellie, my goodness - you have been through so much! And to be laid off too, isn't that illegal to lay you off for illness etc?
Have you been able to work since? I am so sorry that happened to you!!! Fifteen surgeries after an assault must be like being assaulted over and over again
Isn't it great that you were able to get under this guy's skin and get him to get checked! Yes you did save his life!
royr
150 Posts
NICE JOB!! KUDOS!!