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
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
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.
I was working one night and the mother of one of the children I was working with came in the unit. I had heard that she could be very demanding and so I was sort of dreading having to deal with that and take care of all the other problems of the day. Well she wasn't any problem at all. she asked me 1 question and then said she was going to go and asked if I was leaving at 11pm. I told her no that I was working the night (16hr) and she just looked at me with sad eyes and said, "Thank you so much." She didn't say anything else but that little phrase with the look on her face said so much and gave me a wonderful feeling of making a difference.
Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.
In the mid-70s I was working as a new graduate in the Hospital that I graduated from, St. Clare's Hospital and Health Center in Hells Kitchen, NYC.
Working in the ICU we would receive thank you cards, fruit baskets, $$ for the coffee/tea fund. But my all-time favorite "thank you" was from a family who knitted all the staff underwear i.e., "panties" and brought in a box of kittens!
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!
Sometimes that is exactly what it feels like , but life continues on and I am not willing to lie down and take it. I have so many people ask me why I don't go on disability, the reason is that I believe I am an excellent nurse. I love my patients and they love me, so why would I waste such a God given talent? :) thanks for you concern and support!!
I got another thank you this past weekend. It really helped because I felt down in the dumps the other two nights I worked (don't know what happened, but there were certain things I didn't pick up on that I needed to notify the doctor about, I blanked when my preceptor asked "what would you do in this situation" regarding a patient with a trach and was agitated, etc. Also once when I was changing a tube feeding bag for a patient, my brain farted again and thought we were supposed to pull the line in order to prime in, whereas we were supposed to use the machine to prime. And I also had an evaluation that didn't go too well. My precpetor and clinical nurse specialist were concerned with me. Don't know what happened. Just hoping that whatever went wrong with my mind this week will be isolated). But anyways, after two bad nights, my third night went so much better. Had a different preceptor since my regular one was off. Had the same patients. This time, I felt a lot more relaxed, and was able to care for the three patients almost on my own (I'm a new grad whose been working for 4 weeks). Anyways back on topic. Due to feeling more relaxed, I was able to communicate better with my one patient who had a parent at the bedside. I told the mother that when I give medications, I like to continue to check name and medical number with the MAR even though I'm sure the medication is to the right patient. The mother said that she really liked that idea and appreciate me doing it. Before I leave the room each time I ask if the mother or the patient needed anything. In the end, the mother thanked me for all my help. Gave me a big boost of confidence after such a horrible previous two nights. It's those thank yous, no matter how small it is, that makes nursing worth it.
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I was working one night and the mother of one of the children I was working with came in the unit. I had heard that she could be very demanding and so I was sort of dreading having to deal with that and take care of all the other problems of the day. Well she wasn't any problem at all. she asked me 1 question and then said she was going to go and asked if I was leaving at 11pm. I told her no that I was working the night (16hr) and she just looked at me with sad eyes and said, "Thank you so much." She didn't say anything else but that little phrase with the look on her face said so much and gave me a wonderful feeling of making a difference.
The poor mom... how old was the child?
16 hrs! wow!
It IS great to get that little bit of a "thank you " - that's not why we do it but it helps!
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
Sometimes that is exactly what it feels like , but life continues on and I am not willing to lie down and take it. I have so many people ask me why I don't go on disability, the reason is that I believe I am an excellent nurse. I love my patients and they love me, so why would I waste such a God given talent? :) thanks for you concern and support!!
KEllie
Hi Kelle
I did go on disability, but I have high hopes I can come off it, the past year has been good to me. I don't know if I will do nursing but I am thinking of doing ultrasonography (I did some trial work experience in activity therapy but it wasn't my cup of tea)
I am encouraged that you keep on walking the way you have - thanks for telling us about it!
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I got another thank you this past weekend. It really helped because I felt down in the dumps the other two nights I worked (don't know what happened, but there were certain things I didn't pick up on that I needed to notify the doctor about, I blanked when my preceptor asked "what would you do in this situation" regarding a patient with a trach and was agitated, etc. Also once when I was changing a tube feeding bag for a patient, my brain farted again and thought we were supposed to pull the line in order to prime in, whereas we were supposed to use the machine to prime. And I also had an evaluation that didn't go too well. My precpetor and clinical nurse specialist were concerned with me. Don't know what happened. Just hoping that whatever went wrong with my mind this week will be isolated). But anyways, after two bad nights, my third night went so much better. Had a different preceptor since my regular one was off. Had the same patients. This time, I felt a lot more relaxed, and was able to care for the three patients almost on my own (I'm a new grad whose been working for 4 weeks). Anyways back on topic. Due to feeling more relaxed, I was able to communicate better with my one patient who had a parent at the bedside. I told the mother that when I give medications, I like to continue to check name and medical number with the MAR even though I'm sure the medication is to the right patient. The mother said that she really liked that idea and appreciate me doing it. Before I leave the room each time I ask if the mother or the patient needed anything. In the end, the mother thanked me for all my help. Gave me a big boost of confidence after such a horrible previous two nights. It's those thank yous, no matter how small it is, that makes nursing worth it.
Great job! even seasoned nurses have bad nites where we (well, I did anyway!) wonder if we've still got it - use those positive experiences to hold you up during the not so great ones. I'm so glad you had a good nite and a good parent! :)
I've posted this before, but it has and will always remain one of my best thank you's.
Got a call and the woman was asking me "what do I need to do to be able to do what you do"..(education wise that is). So I spoke with her about her options. She told me that I didn't remember her but that she would never forget me. I took care of her through her labor and delivery. I had made such an impact on her life, she was wanting to follow in my footsteps and make an impact on someone else and become a nurse....wow.
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I've posted this before, but it has and will always remain one of my best thank you's.
Got a call and the woman was asking me "what do I need to do to be able to do what you do"..(education wise that is). So I spoke with her about her options. She told me that I didn't remember her but that she would never forget me. I took care of her through her labor and delivery. I had made such an impact on her life, she was wanting to follow in my footsteps and make an impact on someone else and become a nurse....wow.
Hey, don't feel bad, we all have bad days, especially when new. When I was a nursing student (19 years ago) I tried to remove a dressing around a biliary tube drain, it was taking to long to get the dressing and tape off so I decided to cut the dressing. What i didn't realize was that the drain tube was looped under the dressing and I cut it clean off, I had already had probs that day, letting an IV go dry and being written up for having a blood drop on my nursing shoes ( rolling eyes) so I freaked. Thank God my preceptor saw me in tears cuz I thought he was going to have to have an new drain put in and I was going to flunk my clinical. She showed me how to cut both ends of the tube and basically screw them together to repair until it was removed the next day. Sometimes I think it is the actual preceptor of instructor that makes us have brain farts cuz they make us nervous. And once you make one mistake an avalanche is not far behind due to nervousness when you are first starting off in the field. You got a thank you so you must be doing ok!!
Liddle Noodnik
3,789 Posts
awesome BE'd!