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
When I was working Med/Surg, I had a diabetic patient that was less than compliant w/ her treatment, meaning she landed in the hospital on several occasions... the night I had her as my patient, her doctor blew up at her, practically screaming that he refused to take care of her anymore b/c she was uncompliant and was wasting his time (I don't care how uncompliant a patient is... that was totally uncalled for!)... the doc even went so far as putting in his orders that he was relinquishing this patient due to her being "OVER 450 lbs!!!", which was untrue, and went on to state several other demeaning things about the patient. To make matters worse, the patient was primarily spanish-speaking, and the doctor was not fluent in spanish, which made me think there could have been some communication problems to begin with.
Later that night, I went in the room and found the patient crying in her bed. I asked her what was wrong, and she just shook her head. I told her that she could talk to me, b/c that was what I am here for... after a few minutes, she told me she was very hurt by the doctors comments and that he was a horrible man (I wanted terribly to agree with her, but didn't want to put down a co-worker, so I explained to her that he normally isn't like this, must be under a lot of stress, blah-blah-blah, and that she shouldn't take his harsh words to heart) I didn't undermine his "teaching" that she should be more compliant, I just helped her realize that despite her condition and the doctors opinion, that she was a good person and shouldn't feel guilty. After talking for a while longer until she seemed better, she grasped my hand and squeezed it, and told me that I was her "big angel".
A few months later, I was walking down the hall when someone called to me from one of the rooms... it was that patient. She was visiting her husband who was admitted to the floor, and she stopped me so she could introduce me to her husband and daugter - she had forgotten my name, but still called me her big angel.
I also took care of a patient that was extremely obese, total care, very high maintenence. He called every 15 minutes or so, and most of the nurses/aides would try to shove him off on other ppl... When I had him as my patient, I tried my best to not do that... I knew that most of the time he just needed the urinal or bedpan, but even so, if I wasn't busy, I would go do it myself. Toward the end of one shift, he thanked me for being so kind. He said all the other nurses made him feel like a burden, and I never did.
I have been out of nursing since April 2005 (for several different reasons - am fully intending on returning), and even though I have some awful memories about that workplace, those 2 memories stand out above all the rest! It's days like those that keep me looking back into nursing!
Im a senior in high school and I want to become a RN. Last summer my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer so we spent alot of nights in the hospital and that was when I really decided that I wanted to be a nurse. It must be so rewarding being able to help people like that. Anyway Im trying to decide if I should go to a 4 year college and get a BSN (theres only one in my area) or there is a hospital dimploma program close to where I live, and theres a few community colleges that offer an ASN. I know everyones opinion differs but I really would love to either work in oncology or with the babies in critical care. But is there a salary difference? Is there a difference in how quickly you can get a job, or do hospitals only care if youre an RN? Thank yall so much!!!
I was working telephone triage on a Monday (busiest day). All patients being old and generallly medically complex made triage difficult at times. I was nearing the end of my patience with call after call and ended up convincing an elderly man he should call 911 because I suspected he was having an MI. It took a lot of convincing (sometimes I feel like a salesperson when triaging calls, and wonder why the heck they called if they aren't going to heed the advise), and our conversation ended with, "Well, maybe... I don't know if I need to go...". Usually with triage calls I rarely know the outcome of the advise given. Well, this man called the next week to thank me for insisting he needed to call 911. He said when he got to the hospital he was admitted right away, spent several days and was indeed having an MI, and that I probably saved his life.
I have several that really carry me through tough days. I remember one in particular.
I had this 3 year old in with RSV. He was really sick and had been in for 2 days already and was really getting tired of being there. I had him for the next 2 days and really tried to give him as much and activity that I could. (A bored toddler is a miserable toddler).
After he went home I received a thank you card with a little drawing of his in it. It was touching to not only be thanked but to have it sent from home after discharge! I still have it for those less than thankful days.
Funny thing, speaking of thank yous. I recently graduated from a nursing program in my home town, however, I have not passed my boards. To continue working in the medical field and also to gain more experience I recently started working on an In Patient Medical floor. My first night on I was working when this seemingly overprotective family arrived with their father. They brought pictures and everthing, the room literally looked like a home. We did everything we could to make him and his family comfortable. Tonight I just saw a card sent from his family thanking all of us for the care we took of their father. He passed two days after he arrived. It made me happy that they were appreciative of the care he recieved but it also made me realize families can very much sense when it is another family members time.
I am a home care RN. I recently helped a long term patient of mine (took care of off and on for 2 years) pass away at home per his wishes, surrounded by his friends and family. He hung on for days like no one I had ever seen and the long ordeal sapped me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. When all was said and done, I came home one day to a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a card. The card read: The word thanks doesn't begin to express the feeling I have for all you have done. You made my husband's life so much easier for him. I don't believe anyone could have given the attention or love that you did. And I know he was more peaceful when you were here. I know I felt better know your cared for all of us. We know God sent you to us. May God bless you. You are an angel doing the work God has chosen you to do. You are now a part of this crazy family so please stop by any time. We all love you.
Just a week before that I received a phone call from the brother of a patient of mine who was in the hospital. She had taken a turn for the worse and knew that she was dying. One of her last requests to her brother was that she call me and tell me that I was one of the best people she had ever known and thank you for all your help. I immediately went to the hospital to see her, not knowing that she was actually in the dying stage until that moment. When I got there it was too late.
I guess you really never know how you impact other people's lives. It's the ones who take the time to let you know that help make all the difference.
I got a home made knitted nurse doll from my very first pt I took care of fresh out of nursing school..I have gotten many gifts since then ,but that was the one i remember the most.
It's funny, but the most memorable thank you I received came from a doctor. I was working nights in ICU at a travel position. When I came in that night, one of my patients was a post op fem pop. On first assessment I couldn't doppler the pulses in his surgical leg. I tried, I got another nurse to try and got the charge nurse to try and could not get them. One nurse said that the doctor had just left before change of shift and she could hear the dopplered pulses from another room.
I called the doctor, and of course he thought I was stupid. Here was this traveler trying to tell him that the patient had no pulses when he had just left the hospital and the patient had excellent ones. After a few minutes of back and forth, the doctor came back in.
The patient had no pulses in the surgical leg. He took the patient back to surgery. I received the patient back and the doctor came back in to check him one last time before he went home. He asked me to go in the room with him. We stood at the end of the patient's bed and the doctor said.."Sir, do you see this nurse standing here? Well you have her to thank that you have a leg tonight". And then he turned to me and said "Thank you for what you did for my patient". Needless to say, that has stayed with me since the day he said that. So many times we know we've done a good job, but it's nice to hear that others recognize it too.
I haven´t been a nurse for very long but I have had two nice thank you´s.
I´m working in an emergency care ward and a woman was admitted with multiple rib fractures and a pelvic fracture, claiming she fell down the stairs. Her 10 year old daughter was with her the whole time and she told us that her mom´s boyfriend beat her mom. Before she was discharged all of us in the staff recieved a note from the daughter saying: Thank you for helping my mom. Lots of hughs.
The past two shifts I cared for a 50 year old alcoholic who had´nt been eating for the past few weeks, drinking A LOT of alcohol, and was in a really bad shape. He was really sad and anxious and depressed and told me that he wanted to die. His girlfriend and his children didn´t want to have anything to do with him and he felt really hopeless. I took a lot of time talking to him, comforting him and trying to encourage him. Right before my shift ended and he was about to transfer to psych he took my hand. he had tears streaming down his face and he said: Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am so lucky that there is a person like you willing to take care of someone like me. I told him that I hoped that if I see him again he will then feel at least a bit better and he said: I really hope so too. I heard him crying as I walked out the door and when I got home I just broke down in tears. I just really believe that there is still hope for people like him and I hope he gets the help he needs to start over.
Sorry about my language, I´m from Sweden and in Sweden we don´t speak english
i have received so many cards,letters and return visits where do i start.....i think i have several that have even invited the family over and become our friends.....the most memorable lives across the street now...hahha...here is that story......
i am a float nurse who works all over the hospital....all units including er...whereever they are short staffed...well, i had a woman who had a cardiac catheterization the day before....she had 2 daughters at her bedside..she was in her 70's they were in their 40's.....the patient was sleepy, had no appetite and looked pale....her daughter told me the other nurse was awful the day before after the procedure and they were worried about mom's behaviour and how she looked....her bp was alittle low but not outrageous, her loc was slight confusion which was new....i called the md and told him to please ultrasound the belly to rule out a slow bleed...he thought i was crazy but since i am a 14 yr nurse he took the advice...he was glad he did...she had a leaking artery and would have bled out in her abdomen...she had stat surgery ....later i was talking to the daughters about my son's birthday party coming that weekend, we discussed where the party was and realized one of them lived on my street, just on the other end of the loop.....they brought my son a present, and now the other sister is living across the street in a house rented to her by my brother in law......we are friends....unfortunately their mother died about 5 yrs after her ordeal with me.....they thank me often for the extra years with mom..she is now an angel.....oh yeah, the granddaughter of the pateint was inspired by me and went to rn school....she starts working at my hospital next month......pretty memorable if you ask me of a story....sorry so long.....:balloons:
McBx3
86 Posts
When I was working Med/Surg, I had a diabetic patient that was less than compliant w/ her treatment, meaning she landed in the hospital on several occasions... the night I had her as my patient, her doctor blew up at her, practically screaming that he refused to take care of her anymore b/c she was uncompliant and was wasting his time (I don't care how uncompliant a patient is... that was totally uncalled for!)... the doc even went so far as putting in his orders that he was relinquishing this patient due to her being "OVER 450 lbs!!!", which was untrue, and went on to state several other demeaning things about the patient. To make matters worse, the patient was primarily spanish-speaking, and the doctor was not fluent in spanish, which made me think there could have been some communication problems to begin with.
Later that night, I went in the room and found the patient crying in her bed. I asked her what was wrong, and she just shook her head. I told her that she could talk to me, b/c that was what I am here for... after a few minutes, she told me she was very hurt by the doctors comments and that he was a horrible man (I wanted terribly to agree with her, but didn't want to put down a co-worker, so I explained to her that he normally isn't like this, must be under a lot of stress, blah-blah-blah, and that she shouldn't take his harsh words to heart) I didn't undermine his "teaching" that she should be more compliant, I just helped her realize that despite her condition and the doctors opinion, that she was a good person and shouldn't feel guilty. After talking for a while longer until she seemed better, she grasped my hand and squeezed it, and told me that I was her "big angel".
A few months later, I was walking down the hall when someone called to me from one of the rooms... it was that patient. She was visiting her husband who was admitted to the floor, and she stopped me so she could introduce me to her husband and daugter - she had forgotten my name, but still called me her big angel.
I also took care of a patient that was extremely obese, total care, very high maintenence. He called every 15 minutes or so, and most of the nurses/aides would try to shove him off on other ppl... When I had him as my patient, I tried my best to not do that... I knew that most of the time he just needed the urinal or bedpan, but even so, if I wasn't busy, I would go do it myself. Toward the end of one shift, he thanked me for being so kind. He said all the other nurses made him feel like a burden, and I never did.
I have been out of nursing since April 2005 (for several different reasons - am fully intending on returning), and even though I have some awful memories about that workplace, those 2 memories stand out above all the rest! It's days like those that keep me looking back into nursing!