What do you call your "greatest" compliment?

Trauma Columnist · Oct 16, 2010

Took care of a pediatric full arrest in 1997 and brought in a rocking chair for the mother to hold her precious son and wrapped him in a nice warm blanket for her. Never thought anything of it, but the next night I got a call and it was the mother and she told me how much she appreciated that simple gesture. Made me tear up.

So nice of her to call in the midst of her grief.

You guys are awesome!

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 16, 2010

"If I ever need a nursing home I'm coming here."

klone, MSN, RN · Oct 16, 2010

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

When my OB was in the hospital, recovering from her own C/S, she requested me as her postpartum nurse. You're right, a lot of pressure!

leslie :-D · Oct 16, 2010

the feedback i've heard over the years, is that i've taken a person's worst nightmare (dying), and turned it into something bearable, peaceful, and even a blessing.

hospice is undoubtedly the most humbling work i've ever done.

leslie

allnurses Guide · Oct 16, 2010

Had a co-worker tell me one night the newer/younger nurses tended to be nervous (or scared) around me at first, because I "expect excellence" all the time; then when they get to know me find that I expect that of myself, and start to relax.

Its the "excellence" part I like! Not the fear...... :eek:

msjellybean · Oct 16, 2010

When a co-worker tells a pt's family that she would trust me to take care of her & her family. Also, when I have a pt's wife (who's a nurse) request me for her husband.

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Oct 16, 2010

Over the years, I've heard my best compliment several times, and it goes something like this: "I'm so glad you're Jimmy's nurse tonight. Now I can get some sleep." To know that parents trust me implicitly with the safety and well-being of their precious children is above rubies.

heron, ASN, RN · Oct 16, 2010

When a hospice patient's widow came back a year later to say thank you for helping her through it ... her spouse had become terminally ill and died very suddenly. Gave me an orchid!

As above, when a caregiver said she could go home to rest because she trusts the night staff.

When the caregiver of a member of a very traditional native american family writes to say that I made the family very comfortable and able to ask any questions they had. (patient was on hospice, still a full code and actively dying ... they were able to make the decision about half an hour before the patient expired)

mochamonster · Oct 16, 2010

When a new mom was able to deliver her baby naturally and said she couldn't have done it without me. She was close to transition and was losing her resolve, but I was her cheerleader and told her she had gotten that far and I knew she could do it. I wasn't there for the rest of the labor or the delivery (I'm a student and clinical was over :crying2: ), but I had her the next day and she was so generous with her compliments. She made me blush.

The funny thing was, she was reluctant to have a student in on her experience when my instructor asked if it was okay. I killed her with kindness. :heartbeat I was just happy to change her perception of students.

limestone · Oct 20, 2010

At the end of one evening shift when I had been run off my feet with too many patients on a busy surgical unit and was exhausted, one of my patients asked me, "Am I your only patient tonight? You've been taking great care of me."

That was my best compliment ever.

escpthemadnss · Oct 20, 2010

I work in LTC. The greatest compliment I received was a few months ago. It was the end of a long, bad shift and I was counting down the minutes until I could clock out and run home. I was taking care of some last minute prn pain med requests when one of the residents told me that she was always glad when I was assigned to her hall because she knew that I cared and that she would be well taken care of that day. It was exactly what I needed to hear to make the day better and to motivate me to keep going.

Jackie

LJordan · Oct 20, 2010

My greatest compliment was when I was an LPN going back to school to get my RN. My Peds instructor told me that if I ever decided to leave Med/Surg that she thought I would make a great Peds nurse. :nurse: