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 Brain injury,vent,peds ,geriatrics,home.
I recently received a good comment card from a patient that stated "Thank you for my soap suds enema. You made it as enjoyable as possible" That made my day I thought it was very cute.
Thats really funny. Itried to make the smiles come up but my computer isnt working right.
My most memorable moment was not a gift - card - flowers or candy but one young Navajo male walking to the door of his room to hug me.
To this day this "story" still brings me to tears. I was with the Indian Health Service at Gallup(New Mexico) Indian Medical Center working the Med/Srug ICU. We received a 22 yo male from an MVA on the reservation. It was November - snowing - a very bad night. The force of the accident sent him through the windshield landing him on snow covered asphalt. J was brought to us at 0145 to monitor due to a chest contusion - his only other injury was a fractured ankle. Around 0300 J totally crashed out of the blue - one minute he and his vitals were fine - the next we thought tampenade and we were losing him. No tampenade - CT showed his entire abdominal muscle was disentegrated - there was nothing holding his insides together. J went to OR - we were all on our knees praying. Weather did not permit a transfer to higher care.
Long story short - J was in our ICU for 5 1/2 months. His abdomen was OPEN for 4 of those months - with frequent I&D - J survived ARDS - J survived anything and everything that was thrown his way. His family lived very far out on the reservation and could only visit once a year.
We tried to make his stay as "normal" as possible: decorating his room for Christmas - through his drug induced vented haze - I read every card he had received on Christmas Day. We would "watch" TV together on our many nights together - I read him books he enjoyed - newpapers - just tried to make it as human a stay as possible. Mid April he was off the vent and making very slow progress.
J was 6'3" - on admit he weighed 224 - on transfer 145. j NEVER complained about ANY of his care - all you could see was gratitude in his eyes. The beginning of May he was transferred to a Rehab in Albuquerque - he could no longer walk - but boy could he talk. The ENTIRE Medical Center was in tears the day he left.
I went to ABQ to shop one day in October and went to see J at the Rehab facility. I found his room and knocked - softly he said who is it - told him my name - he said to wait a few minutes - he needed to get ready. After a few minutes of hearing drawers close - the TV off - this very tall - now heavier and healthier 22 yo Navajo male opened the door - standing fully upright and with tears in his eyes hugged me and hugged me and hugged me. J hugged me - standing up!!! I totally lost it and HE ended up having to help ME sit down. That hug and his words of THANKS have never ever been forgotten.
His abd wound had been coverd with Teflon and closed.
This is one patient - this one beautiful human being - this young Navajo male - is the one person who reminds me of WHY I do what I do. No matter how bad the situation is I always think of J.
One night, a month or so ago, while giving one of my elderly patients a footrub, she said, "This is what nurses used to do. I didn't know it still existed". She was so appreciative and thanked me over and over. The next day she had surgery. Unfortunately, she suffered complications and passed away a few days later.
Some nights I don't have time for this but it changed how I prioritize. I really try to squeeze in that five minutes for someone every night.
What she gave me will stay longer than any box of candy or bouquet of flowers.
Specializes in med surg, oncology, outpt and hospice.
my most memorable thank you came from a family months after the patient died.
i was working on an oncology unit, mostly medical oncology. we had 12 beds and we also did out pt chemo for one of the gyn oncologist in the area. i had an ovarian cancer pt who was my patient everytime she came in i gave her chemo, 6 carbo/taxol and then after a recurrence i gave her all her chemo. we had conversations about everything under the sun. she was a great lady. the way the out pt chemo worked after the patients were done with their chemo we would not see them again. the patient finished her chemo, and i did not see her. i ran into her husband at the local mall and he told me she died in the summer of the same year it was sept or oct at the time. we talked for a little while and said our good byes. i was working in december around christmas, i came to work one night in the break room was a little present on the table for me. much to my surprize it was from her husband and daughter with a card telling how the patient appriciated our conversations. in the box was a nurse ornament. i treasure it still.
I took care of a baby for about 4 months in the NICU when I was a new nurse, her mother was very young and single, I came to love them both. For the holidays I made her dresses and took pics for her mom. About a year after she had gone home I ran into them in the cafeteria in the hospital stopped and oohed and cooed at the baby and was on my way. While I was waiting for the elevator a young resident approached me and said "You should be very proud, I just heard that mom telling her baby that you were the one who cared most about them both during that time and if you hadnt been there she didn't know what she would have done."
I have gotten many tokens of appreciation from families but that is one I will never forget.
This is going to sound super cheesy...but it's the honest to god truth. To me, the feeling that comes from helping people is enough of a thank-you for me.
Ive been a nurse for 15 yrs, whew where did time go? early in my career i worked in a nursing home and then switched to another, come to find out the receptionists mother was one of my patients since i have my license as a pastor too when her mom died she asked me to do the service since i new her well and she didnt want a strange pastor doing the service. i was honored to minister in that way,, another time i worked at a hospital and an older lady came to my floor after a stroke, she had laid on the floor all night after the stroke, i too care of here for almost 2 weeks and became close to the family and they gave me a housewarming gift when i move to my new apt. well after she was transfered to rehab i saw her once and she went to a nsg home and passed away in a few weeks, i saw the obit and stoped by for the viewing and the family asked me to come to the funeral, at the funeral at a local ch that was packed i sat in the back, at the end everyone filed down the isle to pay last respects and when passing the family the dtr reached out and hugged me, since i was new to the area i heard wispers of asking who i was, i heard the family state 'that was her nurse'. being a traveler and working er i loose track of some of my patients when they go to the floor, once i had a rough day and lots of patients and when i went to the cafateria i was waiting for my order and a person came up to me and said you prob dont remember me since you were so busy but thanks for taking such good care of my mom in the er, thats what makes me drag myself in somedays :)
As an RN with few years experience, I have recieved lots of written and verbal praises from my patients. However, about ten months ago, one of my patients who have been on our unit for over 4 months reported me to our nurse manager. In her letter of numerous accusation, she stated that I did not answer her call bell on time, refused to medicate her for pain, took her lunch tray away before she finish eating, did not do anything when she complaint of her room being too cold, etc. She even said that I deserved to be fired. Boy, I wasn't just shocked but angry as well when my nurse manager called my attension to the accusations. Luckily for me every single nurse on my unit came to my defense. Even the nurse that I considered my enemy on the unit backed me up. I was depressed for some time about the accusations even with all the support I got from the job. So now I don't expect every patient to appreciate getting the ultimate best care from me. Perhaps my ultimate best is just not enough all patient. But I always try to remember those who specifically call my nurse manager and request for me to be their nurse.
But I always try to remember those who specifically call my nurse manager and request for me to be their nurse.
I love when I'm giving report and I can tell the night nurse, "Yup, little Sally's mother asked if you were going to be here tonight and wanted you to be her nurse." It's nice to be able to pass on "warm fuzzies" instead of "cold pricklys."
The thank yous in nursing take many shapes and sizes I have always appreciated the notes of regard and appreciation, sent to the DON, etc. One night while working in a small rural hospital, that often had more longterm patients than acute, there was a little lady, that had been a "old maid school teacher" till she married in her 60s to a gentleman that really doted on her. "AM" didn't get around on her own, and was often confused, but the light in her eyes and the smile on her face when her beloved "RIchard " was around, was unmistakable. We weren't busy and often bathed confused patients in the night when they weren't sleeping. That night we gave AM a bath, lathered her in lotion, and then decided to become hairdressers, in addition. We washed, gently dried, and then set her hair to the best of our ability. We combed it out, and applied a little makeup and dressed her in her best gown, and then handed her a mirror. Her only words were :"Richard like, RIchard Like" as she smiled from ear to ear That was thanks enough.
Another time was on OB, when a friend came in and after a long, hard labor finally delivered a beautiful baby boy, without benefit of husband, etc. After the baby was born and placed in her arms , she turned to me and said T- THANK YOU> The doctor almost dropped through the floor, but it meant alot to me.
One other OB labored through day, night, day night again, and finally we delivered her and again though exhaustion, she thanked me and told me she would never had made it without me, and the others, but she was NEVER NEVER having another baby. At Christmas, for the next several years, I got thankyou Cards, and she started raising horses, naming them after us. NO MORE BABIES>
Sometimes we seem to get thanks at the expense of a co worker, esp. from physcians, and it puts us in a difficult situation > In the same rural hospital, I was on call for OB, only if the new RN , (from Holland, and a very educated, very experienced nurse) could not handle it. I was called in and assessed the situation in the labor room as I came through the door. It is so natural, after awhile in nursing, to just do what you know the patient needs, and I did this. Within seconds, the Doctor asked the other nurse to get out of the way and let me take over. I knew the patient needed me, but this was also my friend, and I hoped it would not destroy the trust and friendship we shared. After the delivery, and in the privacy of an empty room, she confronted the DR. telling him it hurt her feelings, and that it made the patient think she was inept. He just told her, she did not have the situation under control, and for the patients sake, he needed me to be there and take over. I was waiting to see what she would say to me. BUT she handled it like a pro, and with the forgiveness that is a vital part of nursing, and told me she did not blame me, but respected me for the amount of trust I had earned from the physcian, but resented the fact that he handled it the way he did. The patient, too, was embarassed for her, and did thank her.
I took care of a lady that bore no resemblance to the happy, long haired beautiful mom in a pic with her children and husband that sat on the bed. Every orifice of her body had been invaded with a "medically necessary survival device" . Her family hovered at her bedside. I was only there to provide what comfort measures I could, as she was in Gods Hands. Hours into the shift, her eyes cleared, her cheeks brightened, and I could almost see her spirit soar as she achieved death with dignity. I unashamedly dabbed at the tears that ran down my cheeks, as she was able to tell her family goodbye as she left us for whatever was ahead. Though I had not "nursed " her back to health, the family thanked and thanked me for just "being there" and helping her to die with the same dignity she lived.
Oh my goodness! This completely brought me to tears! Thank you because I believe things like this make being a nurse such a rewarding job.
God Bless
I am an aide and this is my story. I recently had a patient I had been helping to take care of for several months. She had cervical cancer with mets. When I first met her she had shoulder length hair that was very curly and pretty. She would constantly walk the halls with her twin sister. Her twin sister never left her side. She spent the night at the hopsital with her in the next bed. I had never seen such devotion and it broke my heart to watch this story play out. I always dreaded going into her room because it was so difficult for me to handle seeing her towards the end. (I am still trying to learn how to deal with my emotions on the job.) However, if she needed something I would walk to the moon for her.
Well, I happened to be on the last nights with her when she was on CMO. I walked into her room and her twin sister was reading her a story book. It t brought tears my eyes. As I was cleaning her up and washing her mouth out her sister said, "I bet you didn't think you'd be dealing with stuff like this, huh?" I said I knew I would but that it was so hard. I confessed to the sister that it had been very hard to take care of her sister like this. I told her that I would treat her like I would my own sister even though that fact alone made it even harder but that she deserved that from me.
Well, when I went back in later to clean her up I was rolling her over and she died in my arms. It was so hard for me and I let loose. I started crying and her sister was there with us. She gave me a big hug over the bed and told me that this was what her sister needed and that I had done a great job and that it was okay to cry. Later that night she came up to me and thanked me for treating her sister like she was someone I knew. It was very special to me when I realized that she had been taken care of in the gentlest manner and that I knew this for sure because I took care of her. Very hard situation though-one of many I will face in my career I'm sure!
allantiques4me
481 Posts
Thats really funny. Itried to make the smiles come up but my computer isnt working right.