What is the nicest thing a patient has ever said to you?

[AngelfireRN]

How about a happy thread? What are some nice things patients have said?

The three nicest I have heard are:

"Every time you walk in, you're like a ray of sunshine." (I choose to think she meant my personality, and not my neon green scrubs!

"You were born to do this"

And, lastly, after I had told a man I had had for 3 days staright that the next day was my off day,

"If I pay you, will you come be my nurse, just for me?"

What are some of your good ones?

[momthenRN]

I have recieved several handwritten notes thanking me for my "gentle loving care" of their relatives. One gentleman in particular was a young man 43 y/o that dissected his Aorta after surgery. He went into renal failure and had multiple complicaitons. To make a long story short, I had taken care of him probably 80% of the time on my shift and the patient and family would literally request me so to speak. They were very gracious and appreciative of me even during his sad last days.

I have been told that I have "the touch," as well. And every thank you means so much to me.

[njbikernurse]

I did wound care on a man who was one of the nit-pickiest, crankiest, unthankful patients I have ever had. This went on for 6 weeks, nothing I ever did was good enough,whenever I left the room he would hit the call bell 2 seconds later and say I forgot something or could I please move his tissue box. I always just did whatever he needed, asked if he needed anything else, and smiled as I left. He never smiled back. Well, on the day he was being discharged, he called me into his room and while looking very uncomfortable and averting his gaze, said "thank you for putting up with me. You never got mad once." It meant so much, because he never thanked anyone for anything, but made a point of calling me in and saying that.

[lindyjoe]

As a student during my transition to practice, I got report for a 79 year old women who was nonverbal, and resistant since admitted. During my assessment she didn't speak and barely responded. I kept talking telling her about the weather and various things in the room. As I finished up and started walking out of the room, I heard her make a sound. I went over to the bed and saw that she was smiling. I asked her if she had said something, and she said yes. Her voice was very low and soft, I had to bend in close to hear her, but she spoke. After that, throughout the rest of the day we talked about her life, family, and friends. At the end of my shift, I went in to say goodbye. She grabbed my hand and told me that I was an angel. She said " I mean a real angel from heaven, I can feel it, in all my life I have never met a person as good as you." She started to cry and asked me to stay this way for the rest of my career.

I will never forget her face or the words she spoke. It made me realize how important it is just to listen and talk with our patients.

[Jen1228]

You are not only the sweetest, but the prettiest nurse I have ever had.

This patient was in rehab for L knee replacement. She decided she liked it so much there, she was going to go ahead and get her R knee done as well, as long as I would be her nurse.

While doing PT, she and the therapist would walk past me at the med cart and I could hear the patient saying, "isn't she just so pretty?".

It got a little embarassing because I'm sure everyone didn't agree. But she always brightened my day!

[sharona97, BSN, RN]

I worked in the heart cath lab. This patient was scared to all get out, he asked for a washcloth to be put over his face. So I Did. Post cath (Sick Man), he called out my name, and had his son escort me to his daughter's wedding. Platonically!!!

[JailRN]

Well, I had an elderly patient, a "Grumpy Old Man", who kept telling his family that he was dying.... every day for 6 months...

I kept telling the family that I didn't have a crystal ball, but, that his vital signs were good, appetite was good, labs were good, he was walking, talking, etc. and that, in my nursing judgement, I didn't think that today would be the 'day', but, to keep and eye on him and call me if there were any problems...

finally, one day the patient looked at me and said, "well, heck, I know YOU won't die today."

'really sir..?'

"yes, YOU'RE gonna live forever..because heaven doesn't want you and hell is afraid you'll take over..."

The family was agahst..I roared with laughter...'Ah, sir, I see that you understand me'...the patient FINALLY smiled at me...

He died the next day.

I have used that line ever since....and have cheated death on more than one ocassion.

[luvdaisy]

"I wish I could adopt you as a daughter"

[Ari RN, BSN, RN]

A total dependent muscular dystrophy patient say..... Thanks for caring!

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

plain and simply "you remind me of someone i know!"

now that says it all. i know i won half the battle. most certainly, most undoubtedly i am seen in a positive light, almost like family. for most say this phrase with a positive smile not a sarcastic grin. ok ok perhaps they do come out with you look like so and so on such and such tv show, but it still is an attempt to express honor and regard for me working my butt off in their behalf, right? just stay away from those loony tune "scrubs" nursey nurses.!

ps. on a serious note i had an a hep c patient with his head in a halo, he'd had one of his cervicals fxd...anyway, i was a carepartner at the time and i just remember him. he was an inmate and had a co in the room with him all the time. he was very frail and his soul and body did cry out to me for gentle care. i did his bed bath and got him to bsc and back again several times. so he told me upon my telling him that he was no longer going to be in step down, that we were sending him up to the locked down unit, " and you'll still be my nurse, right?" his voice said it all; it almost feels like a parent abandoning a child. but we face that everyday don't we even at change of shift!?

[Diana,RN]

This is just a small portion out of a letter I received from a patient recently:

"My favorite nurse period. Everyone else was great, I just felt comfortable with you, like I made a new instant friend.....I was going to write sooner but every time I thought about it I would get all mushy and sappy, and didnt want to come across that way. Not out of shame but out of shyness. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the great work you do. I cant even picture what you look like without a smile on your face. So Please for your benefit and everyone around you, Keep Smiling. I hope this wasnt too much. I just like to let people know they are appreciated. I'll stop in some evening for a quick hello."

And also:

"Are you going to be taking care of me tonight. You're a wonderful nurse."

"Do you have kids yet? (no) You will be such a great mother!"

Diana

[leslie :-D]

"you have made my dying, worth dying for".

leslie

[sistasoul]

These stories are all so beautiful and I am sitting here with the tears running down my face.

I am not a nurse yet but work as an aide on a cardiac floor. As one patient was getting ready to be discharged to a nursing home she asked me to come over to her as she wanted to speak to me. She thanked me for taking such good care of her and she gave me a kiss and hug. I was not expecting that at all as I was just doing my job the best I could. Her daughter also thanked me. I was really taken aback as I didn't feel like I had done anything special. Of course this brought me to tears.

I have had other patients ask if I would be working with them tomorrow and would be disappointed that I wasn't. Patient's have also told me I would make a great nurse and that really meant a lot to me and made me feel I was on the right career path.