Thank you's - memorable ones you've received?

[Liddle Noodnik]

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

believe in ourselves as valued and gifted people.

[Little Panda RN, ASN, RN]

When I was a Certified Medical Assisstant, I was working in the mammography of a radiology dept. I used to do teaching on self breast exam and when to notify your physician and I also assissted the physician with breast biopsies. I had this older lady one day and while we were talking she mentioned to me that she was having problems with incontinence and that she was told by her primary physician that she would just have to live with it, that there was nothing she could do. I couldnt believe she had been told she needed to live with this, so I suggested that she go and see a doctor who specializes in this area, because I knew that they might be able to help her with a pessary if this was an option for her. Well we were done with our visit and she left. One year later, as all the women usually come back once a year for thier mammograms, well this particular day I hear one of the girls I worked with calling my name and telling me that this patient would like to speak with me. When I went in the room it was the lady who I spoke with about seeing a specialist. She told me that she did go and see a gynecologist and he did a pelvic exam, felt a mass, sent her for ultrasound then she underwent surgery to find out she had "ovarian cancer". She wanted to thank me for leading her in the right direction and she said that she would not be here today if it wasnt for my advice. "I cried, there was no way that I could have ever known that she had cancer, I believe that God gave me the knowledge to know when to advise a patient torwards a different course of action" I will never forget that "thank you".

[Jack39]

Wow! This 40 year old male CNA working toward his RN was caught completely off guard by this thread. The tears are still dripping off my cheek. What a wonderful thread and a wonderful profession we belong to. All is good in the world at this moment!

[csudani]

hi im so happy and touch to read your story for i also experience the same thing, same case but she's an only daughter with her mom and nanny to take care for her, she's admitted in my area for almost 4months, and within that period of time she became close to us esp to me for she said she felt secure whenever im on duty, she always say that she really admire our profession for our loving and understanding nature, for the months that she stayed with us we are able to feel the pain she had and she would always say don't wori chris i'll be fine my only regret is that when im gone nobody will takecare of my mom thats why i don't want to dye yet nut i know GOD is already waiting for me, everytime i saw her i admire her for her courage even though she's in pain when she hears somebody is approaching she will try to smile and greet hello, one night as i change her TPN she's already in coma and i can feel death approaching, i came close to her and said, mam alice if ever you want to go in heaven dont live when im not in duty ( for it happens i'll be having a 2 days off for my interview in my agency), the next day around 3pm while im having my interview i suddenly felt a cold wind engulf me at that moment i know she already passed away, when i return to duty my fellow nurses handed me a letter written by her mom saying thank you very much for i was able to help her daughter face death with courage, as i hold that letter i felt speechless coz for me it is her daughter that teach me something and that is whatever you have at the moment treasure it for maybe when you open your eyes again it will be gone forever, after a fourth night i was alone in the station around 3am and something caught my attention for in the hallway i saw a young woman clothe in white smiling and waving at me but i dont felt afraid for i know its mam alice saying goodbye forever......

[csudani]

When I worked as an aide, i took care of a very funny, gentle man, named Clayton. He always asked for money from his wife to give "his girls" a tip. He was quite alert upon admission but as time went on things changed. We were not allowed to accept gifts from patient's families or the patients without permission.

As his memory declined,we came up with the idea to give him poker chips--as he had alzheimer's and thought the chips were money. Every day he would give each of his girls a few chips as a tip of gratitude.

He died a short time later and we were all deeply saddened by the loss. Shortly after he died, we were all summoned to the conference room for a meeting. When we arrived, we were greeted by his widow. She presented all of "his girls" with a gift left to us in his will--a tip of $15.00 a piece. I still have the check..and the beautiful letter written to all of us in his own hand before he declined. I will treasure that gift for the rest of my career.

Every time I get down about the day's events, I pull that out and remind myself that I can and do make a difference.

thats so refreshing, i still felt the ache in my chest while reading it, it only shows that GOD has HIS reason why he choose us for HE knows that we are the best servant to extend HIS LOVE AND CARE to all HIS children, keep up the good work..........GODBLESS

[Liddle Noodnik]

I cried, there was no way that I could have ever known that she had cancer, I believe that God gave me the knowledge to know when to advise a patient torwards a different course of action" I will never forget that "thank you".

Oh my goodness, that's wonderful!

[Liddle Noodnik]

Wow! This 40 year old male CNA working toward his RN was caught completely off guard by this thread. The tears are still dripping off my cheek. What a wonderful thread and a wonderful profession we belong to. All is good in the world at this moment!

I'm so glad - I too have been so touched by it :) --

Now and then we do need a "shot in the arm", don't we?

[Liddle Noodnik]

when i return to duty my fellow nurses handed me a letter written by her mom saying thank you very much for i was able to help her daughter face death with courage, as i hold that letter i felt speechless coz for me it is her daughter that teach me something and that is whatever you have at the moment treasure it for maybe when you open your eyes again it will be gone forever, after a fourth night i was alone in the station around 3am and something caught my attention for in the hallway i saw a young woman clothe in white smiling and waving at me but i dont felt afraid for i know its mam alice saying goodbye forever......

Wonderful story, thanks :)

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

One thing that is the best for me is when, you come to work on like your second shift in a row, you see a parent in the hallway as you are about to get report, and they ask, "Are you our nurse tonight??" and they find out you are and say "Oh, good!!!" and are so glad that you will be there with them again. It sounds so small compared to these other stories, but it is a wonderful feeling that they trust you that much.

This morning after a shift where I had to meet with my manager and charge nurse over some stuff and left the meeting very upset, well on my last assessment of this little guy who had had pain through the night, had to have an IV restarted, and besides that I felt bad, he had such a difficulty time communicating- stuttered and couldn't get his words quite together, and some little delays, but such a sweet kid- one of the neatest ones I have taken care of. Well anyway, I'd had to come back to check after giving him a pain med, and also his parents wanted some labs explained, and I was talking with them about asking for pain meds, etc. and they said that I and the nurse's aide there had been so helpful all night and done so much for them, thanked me over and over and said we both had "more than made up for" a previous nurse who had been less than caring, apparently. It made my day. Someone who said thank-you's come on the days you most need them, is RIGHT!!! I'm just mad I forgot to tell THEM what a true pleasure it was to care for their son and what an amazing person he is.

It's things like that I got into nursing for. I helped this kid, I managed his pain and helped him be a little less scared of us, explained some things to his parents so they could understand better what we were doing, and more. And they thanked ME!! wow.

[Liddle Noodnik]

...you see a parent in the hallway as you are about to get report, and they ask, "Are you our nurse tonight??" and they find out you are and say "Oh, good!!!" and are so glad that you will be there with them again. It sounds so small compared to these other stories, but it is a wonderful feeling that they trust you that much.

YES! xo

[RainbowzLPN, LPN]

This is about a thank you, but among staff. I work in a LTC & treasure the CNA's that work on my shift/ unit. I wanted to do something nice for them for CNA appreciation week. I brought in a pizza for dinner for them, as well as a little "thank you package". I bought them all badge holders that I picked out for them, & gave them drug pens, with a note saying Thanks for all you do. They were all confused why I did it, but I told them it was a appreciation gift, not much, but from the heart. It made me feel good to see them (& their reactions) of my thanks. After all, if it weren't for them, the unit would be a disaster!!!!!

[Liddle Noodnik]

... After all, if it weren't for them, the unit would be a disaster!!!!!

AMEN! It's too bad they don't know how essential and appreciated they are (hint - they can't know if we don't tell them!)

I tried at one place to institute a thing called "KUDOS!" for those who did something special for someone, or who were consistently an asset to the unit, or whatever... management looked at me like I had two heads - well as any of us knows, a paycheck only goes so far ...

[SaraO'Hara]

One of the RNs bought Starbuck's for everybody on the station. I wasn't expecting to be included because I'm 1. a student 2. very quiet, but I ended up with a very nice cup of chai ^_^ Quite lovely on a difficult shift.

One of my residents had been upset for several days about her un-styled hair, so I stayed late and set it for her - and got hugged several times for it