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 Medical and general practice now LTC.
I used to work on a ward which was well know if any gifts was left for the staff nothing would ever reach the permanent night staff. Many a time staff had been left a big tin of chocolates and would be devided among the day staff to ensure none reached the night staff. Anyway we had a patient whom a few times we thought we was going to loose her but she finally went home and bought everyone gift vouchers, she filled them out and made sure the night staff got theirs and managed to forget to give gift vouchers to the main culprits who didn't like to give night staff anything. I will always remember her because she proved everyone wrong and went home
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
This happened at a time and on a unit where I was really feeling like I didn't fit, and so feeling the appreciation of someone who I had cared for was really rewarding, I'll probably always remember it.
There is an expression, "Don't leave before the miracle happens", and oftentimes, at the end of our rope, is that miracle - thank God!!! (phew!)
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I got another thank you today from a patient. She kept telling me how wonderful I was to her, and how happy she was that I was her nurse for two days. Each time I went to her room, she always had some sort of compliment for me. I was totally flattered. She told me she had a lot of very nice people to take care of her, but I was the best. Anyways, she was feeling much better today and doctors gave orders to discharge her home around change of shift. Since there really was nothing that needed to be done for her medically, I did not even bother passing report about her onto the upcoming nurse. After I gave report on my other patients, I gave her the discharge instructions and all that. She knew it was time for me to leave and she gave me a vase of Orchids to bring home with me. And she told me she filled out this one form my floor has that allows patients to commend staff when they feel really good about the people who have taken care of them. I think whoever the form is about will get some sort of certificate. I don't know because I"m still relatively new to the hopsital. Man, it just makes my day to see how happy I could make a patient feel.
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I used to work on a ward which was well know if any gifts was left for the staff nothing would ever reach the permanent night staff. Many a time staff had been left a big tin of chocolates and would be devided among the day staff to ensure none reached the night staff. Anyway we had a patient whom a few times we thought we was going to loose her but she finally went home and bought everyone gift vouchers, she filled them out and made sure the night staff got theirs and managed to forget to give gift vouchers to the main culprits who didn't like to give night staff anything. I will always remember her because she proved everyone wrong and went home
Good woman, that! lol
Lots of our patients would mark goodies "7-3", "3-11" and etc. Harder to get away with eating all our food!
Sometimes, different places I've worked would give pizza parties, and learned to let each shift order their own.
We had a family come in about a month after their daughter was discharged. They came with balloons, cards, and 4 platters of food- sandwiches and desserts for days, and sandwiches and desserts for night. SO nice! And you know what? The food was yummy, but seeing that girl on her feet and walking and getting ready to go back to school was the real treat (as corny as that might sound). She was one of those "mystery diagnosis" kids ... it took us 10 days to get a diagnosis for her, and her family was incredibly understanding throughout the ordeal.
Well so far I have only had one thing that has stuck with me. I have been trying to get into nursing school for 2.5 years already. I was working my first shift at the fire department as an EMT student last semester... We got a call to a patient who had had a seizure and was post ictle(sp). Well she was coming around by the time we got there, (delayed call much?) and I calmed her down, and actually talked to her while assessing her to make sure she wasnt scared. (i.e. rubbing her back, soothing her, letting her know we were going to make sure she was ok and comfortable)
Well she asked me what my story was, and in the 10 minutes it took us to get to the hospital I had given her the gist of it. We dropped her off and as we were leaving one of the nurses came and got me and said that the Patient wanted to tell me something very important.
So I went to her room, #17, and she grabbed my hand and smiled and just looked at me very teary eyed. She told me that I had helped her when she was the most scared she had ever been, and that she would pray for me every day until I got into a nursing program so that I could help other people like her.
At the time all I did was smile, say thank you, and told her I wished her well. Then the chain of events that happened that lead me to actually getting into the program I got into a few months later.. All I can say was, I think she really did pray like she said she would. :balloons:
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
... So I went to her room, #17, and she grabbed my hand and smiled and just looked at me very teary eyed. She told me that I had helped her when she was the most scared she had ever been, and that she would pray for me every day until I got into a nursing program so that I could help other people like her.
At the time all I did was smile, say thank you, and told her I wished her well. Then the chain of events that happened that lead me to actually getting into the program I got into a few months later.. All I can say was, I think she really did pray like she said she would. :balloons:
I've received many thank-yous over the years, but one small comment stands out in my mind. I just came on shift and was assigned to a pt I'd cared for all week. I asked the pt how he was doing that evening. He replied "I'm doing much better just knowing that you're my nurse tonight." He then smiled such a sweet smile.
I'll never forget those sweet and simple words, and the sincere look of gratitude on his face.
:lol2:
Silverdragon102, BSN
1 Article; 39,477 Posts
I used to work on a ward which was well know if any gifts was left for the staff nothing would ever reach the permanent night staff. Many a time staff had been left a big tin of chocolates and would be devided among the day staff to ensure none reached the night staff. Anyway we had a patient whom a few times we thought we was going to loose her but she finally went home and bought everyone gift vouchers, she filled them out and made sure the night staff got theirs and managed to forget to give gift vouchers to the main culprits who didn't like to give night staff anything. I will always remember her because she proved everyone wrong and went home