What do you call your "greatest" compliment?

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I have been referred to as MANY things over the years!

Smart , efficient... and some terms not printable on this site! Recently, I had a co-worker and a family member describe me as compassionate. Not an easy trait to maintain in the current nursing environment!

Truly, the highest compliment I can think of.

And what is yours?;)

Specializes in Med/Surg.

- When I had a patient who was critically ill, ask specifically for me to be her nurse 2 months later, she remembered me by name.

- When my colleagues tell me they want me to take care of them and their family members.

- When I get a letter from the DON saying that a nurse who's mother was a pt credited me for saving her mother's life. :redbeathe

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, ER.

"I can tell you're a Christian, arent you???" It's hard to beat THAT one (and YES I am!)...:yeah:

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Specializes in LTC, MDS, Education.

Heard my LPN students saying I was colorblind. ;)

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Specializes in acute care.

"You're a wonderful nurse"

Usually told to me by the patients that drive me the craziest.

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Specializes in Oncology.

A nurse I orienteed told me she had a hard time believing I had made a mistake I admitted to, because I am "way too diligent."

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I did a rotation in the NICU while in school and took care of a boy who needed a lot of care. He had been there for several days and his family was known for being difficult. As I was finishing up my (night) shift the mother mentioned that they had requested not to have students taking care of their son. I apologized as obviously there had been a mistake made on the assignment and told my preceptor about it so it wouldn't happen again. When I came back that night I saw I was assigned to him again and brought up the family's request expecting to be swapped around with another nurse. My preceptor assured me it wasn't a mistake, apparently the family thought I'd done a great job and asked that I be their son's nurse whenever possible. Knowing how fantastic the NICU nurses were, that was quite a compliment!

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Specializes in PACU, OR.

Those kiddies I recover who won't let go when I want to discharge them from PACU; I end up having to carry them back to their parents... And picking up a crying child who first looks up at me, then immediately buries his/her head in my shoulder and goes back to sleep.

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When I was in school doing a clinical rotation in a geriatric Psych unit. I answered a call light that had been going off (wasn't my patient but force of habit being a former patient tech). THe patient was an older lady with dementia issues who was abit of a handful and a time killer patient. The RN's on the unit started snickering when they saw me enter her room and basicly said "Bye, see ya in 8 hours".

The patient wanted to talk and walk the hall but needed assist to walk. So I walked her...for 3 hours straight. She was a firecracker, didnt care for nurses and anytime any of them offered her a good morning she would snap back with a four letter expletive and tell them what to do with their good morning. The unit was a secure unit and everytime we passed the unit door she would ask me to open it. When i said I couldnt she would cuss at me, then take my arm and continue walking.

Another nurse took pity on me and knew I had a patient to asses for a care plan and rescued me by calling me away and sending me off down the hall.

She told me to avoid the front of the unit and I wouldn't have to deal with my troublesome little old lady anymore, they would have her in a chair and if she didnt see me she would forget about me.

I went did my other patient care, had lunch, and was coming back when I heard my little old lady screaming at the front hall nurses. She was yelling and cussing that they were not her staff and then she called out my name and stated loudly "He is my NURSE, not any of you!"

my first impulse was to turn down the hall and retreat when I realized...after 2 years, this was the first time anyone had ever refered to me as a nurse. That word, nurse, hit me like a ton of bricks.

I turned the corner and as soon as she saw me she was all smiles. I walked her and sat with her through her lunch until the end of my shift. After years the title nurse may become ashes to me, the same way Mom can grate on ones nerves after years of Mom, Mom, Mom. But until then it was the greatest thing I ever heard from a patient about myself.

Semper Fi

Big J

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Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

I heard the compliment from my Dad. I took care of a friend of his and he told my Dad I was the best nurse he had during his entire stay. He told my Dad a bunch of really nice stuff. Not only did i love the nice things he said, my Dad was so proud of me.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

I had a very difficult case a few months ago. It was a multiple-day induction of labor, and it was very emotionally exhausting. Early on I had mentioned to the family that I was in school, studying to be a nurse-midwife. I took care of this patient and her family two nights in a row, and at the end of the second night, she went back for a C/S. I stayed for two hours beyond the end of my shift, until she was brought back to the OR. As I was saying goodbye to her family, her mother took my hands in hers and said "You are already a midwife."

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

My physician colleagues who have said, "you saved that patient's life with your persistence. Good job."

And when my co-workers beg for me to take care of them or their family...and when the VP's family comes to me.

Yikes. Very flattering, but at the same time a lot of PRESSURE.

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When I am discharging a pt and they hug me and tell me what a difference I made in their hospital experience! this has happened several times.

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