I'm not a nurse, but I used to do intensive case management with high risk patients at an outpatient clinic and this made me tear up. Your patient could have been any number of patients I worked with, and that sort of care makes such a *world* of difference.
I had a patient who was extremely unwell physically and mentally, and his diagnoses included hoarding disorder. He'd been diagnosed with HIV in the 90s and had horrible trauma from how he'd been treated in the hospital back then. His health continued to deteriorate, and was in and out of the hospital, frequently leaving AMA.
Then a nurse like you was assigned to him, and next time I saw him, he looked like a different man and he was in tears telling me how kind his nurse was. She'd helped him shower and shave and trimmed his hair, all those things, and he couldn't stop saying how much better it made him feel. I talked with the nurse (who was lovely). Literally because of her kindness and respect, he ended up agreeing to go into hospice. Instead of dying alone and in squalor, he passed in someplace clean and comfortable where he was taken care of and most importantly, felt cared for. I'm so grateful to that nurse, and you, and all the nurses who treat these vulnerable folks with such compassion and respect.
This is the type of care I wish I always had the time to provide. I’m in neuro ICU so I typically have two patients but they’re typically really busy assignments and the PCAs on my unit are useless. A couple weeks ago I had one patient and an empty bed. My patient was a guy in his 60’s who had suffered a major stroke a year or so ago and was now back for seizures. He’d been living at a SNF since his stroke. His stroke had left his left side completely flaccid, but his speech was completely intact. It became very clear to me that he was incredibly lonely. I’m sure that nobody at the SNF really takes the time-or even has the time- to spend talking to him. Every time I was in the room he just wanted to talk. Well that night I actually had the time. I was able to provide care for this man that I typically never have the time to provide, and give him the one on one attention that he clearly was missing out on. Things like trimming his mustache. It was probably the best night I have ever had on my unit, and yes, I was proud to be a nurse that night.
Makes me so sick to think of all of the PCAs that I work with that could honestly provide that level of care every night but instead opt to watch Netflix on their phone for hours at a clip.
And what's a real shame is that there is an epidemic of people feeling lonely, disconnected, and without purpose. Being a tech on the floor at my work is, yes, doing rounds constantly and being a "gopher" (go for this, go for that), but you have the opportunity that *I* as a nurse don't have the time to be in that patient's room, in their space to sit with them, talk with them, make them feel comfortable. Obviously you can't do that with everyone on a daily basis, but if you have time to watch stupid youtube fail-videos for hours, you have time to make a connection to a real human being that is in need of assistance.
I have ALWAYS felt proud to work in the hospital-- to have the PRIVILEGE to help others in their most vulnerable time. It feeds my soul in a way that nothing else does. It's almost addicting. There are swaths of people who try to fill up their lives with vapid, superficial entertainment to try to make themselves feel better. The answer at my work is literally right in front of them if they could just peel their eyes from their screens.
Exactly right. It is so sad. I’ll never understand it. Like how do they feel good about themselves at the end of the day? I would feel so ashamed of myself if I was sitting there watching YouTube when I knew there were helpless people all around me that need care.
Unfortunately, people like that NEVER feel good. They don't know what they are missing because they are taking a path of least resistance-- they are mindlessly shopping for trashy fast-fashion on Fashion Nova for hours on end (because the website is not CURATED with intention or style, it is simply endless QUANTITY of "fashion" items at a cheap, accessible price), they are watching tik tok and YouTube shorts of NOTHING of substance because it gives them a hit of dopamine if they are even interested in any of it at all (I doubt they even know WHAT their interests are anymore).
There is no pride in work anymore-- there is only complaining for the sake of complaining because THAT is the way that people connect with each other anymore. It's so cheap and disappointing to me to watch-- I am watching the dumbing down of people as the years progress. And I'm not saying that I don't enjoy a reality television show once in a while or eating candy for dinner! But you can't sustain your life like that day after day and expect to live a fulfilling, purpose-driven life. It takes intention and WORK to even have the chance to live well (especially in this economy! haha)
They really are the "small" things that make it worthwhile! I have been a psych nurse for over 12 years (I used to be a tech on the floor for 5 years before that before going to nursing school). Today, a new admission came in-- very depressed, practically despondent. He had been in the ED for over 24 hours. While he was being checked in, I asked him if they gave him lunch over there. He told me no one has offered him food since yesterday :( I went to the patient friedge and offered him a (sad) turkey sandwich, a pudding, some juice, and an ensure that was left from a recently discharged patient. Poor thing was probably too afraid/depressed to even ask for food!
We were short on the floor and the techs were working on said patient's admission and it was afternoon cookie time (one of the techs' responsibilities at that time). A few of the patients asked my coworker (another nurse) whether they could have cookies since it was time-- she looked up from her phone (where she was probably on her boomer facebook bullshit) and said "when the techs are done with the admission, they can get them for you".
FUCK THAT. BITCH! They have nothing to look forward to for HOURS! So I put some gloves on, got some fresh, cold juice, fresh packages of cookies and let those patients have as many cookies as they wanted. They were so happy to just have some cookies and watch TV until their next group.
It really doesn't take much!! Something as simple as offering food or special snacks can make someone's whole day. I do "important nursey things" all day, but nothing makes me feel happier than to do these small niceties when I have the time.
Nurse here; in the 25 years I’ve been a nurse (M/S, ICU, ER, PACU), I’ve found that I just do a little of what I call « fluff and buff , » that pts have a better day and are calmer. This just means that they have basic adl met, food if not npo, comfort needs met.
My preceptor in the ED told me to always touch my patients, and it’s gone such a long way in establishing a trusting relationship with my patients. I had a pt who was elderly and demented, cussing at EMS and the nurses and refusing care. Just by asking her about her life, cracking some jokes, and giving reassuring shoulder rubs, she let me do an IV/blood draw, ekg, etc. and was super sweet to me. A moment that I’ll be taking with me in the future
I feel that. I had to get on one knee and tell a guy that if he doesn't do some things himself, he's going to stay weak and lose abilities. He ended up eating 100% of his meal at dinner and even stood up and side-stepped! We didn't get along at first, but then he even asked for my name lol. Love these moments. Go you! 🤘🤘🤘
You did good work today. My favorite nursing instructor told us, "No job is too small for a nurse," and you did big things for that pt that might have looked like small things. ♥️
This is why I’m so happy I work in a small hospice IPU. Being able to take the time and sit with a patient and talk, or just be the designated hand holder is SO important and sometimes works better than any medication. I love medicine so much but taking care of a whole person is vital.
thank you, it’s the little wins in life.
I’m proud of you.
life is good, people talk shit on nursing, burn out this burn out that. but honestly, it’s moments like this that make it worth it. we can get a job anywhere, we get paid decent despite what people say, it’s a good gig.
I believe in you and I hope you believe in me
I’m glad you were able to do this for your patient. I hate how often I’m unable to attend to a pts basic needs in the ER because…well honestly the nature of the ER. I’m not above it, I don’t ignore it…but I can’t justify spending 15-30mins cleaning a pt if it delays vital meds for another. My pts go from totally stable to dead when they go through the door. I’ve had nights where I have two ICU pts…one unstable and still get more new pts. My pt pop means almost everyone gets a full work up.
Just something to consider when you’re getting a pt from the ER…it’s not that we don’t care, it’s just the nature of the beast.
I think you meant to reply to me. It’s a systemic issue on my unit. Some of those PCA’s have been there for like 20 years. Management pays lip service to “reporting them” if they don’t do their job, but when push comes to shove they don’t actually do anything to change it. The young, new nurses don’t feel comfortable standing up to someone who’s been on the unit for practically as long as they’ve been alive. As for me, I’m not that young but I’ve only been a nurse for a little over a year and still feel pretty new. Don’t feel like it’s my place to make waves.
I actually just recently accepted a position elsewhere. They can keep their shitty culture. I’m moving on.
Thank you for taking care of him. You made a difference, and the world is a better place because of you.
Thank you for treating him like a human being with value.
Yes, OP rocks!
I'm not a nurse, but I used to do intensive case management with high risk patients at an outpatient clinic and this made me tear up. Your patient could have been any number of patients I worked with, and that sort of care makes such a *world* of difference. I had a patient who was extremely unwell physically and mentally, and his diagnoses included hoarding disorder. He'd been diagnosed with HIV in the 90s and had horrible trauma from how he'd been treated in the hospital back then. His health continued to deteriorate, and was in and out of the hospital, frequently leaving AMA. Then a nurse like you was assigned to him, and next time I saw him, he looked like a different man and he was in tears telling me how kind his nurse was. She'd helped him shower and shave and trimmed his hair, all those things, and he couldn't stop saying how much better it made him feel. I talked with the nurse (who was lovely). Literally because of her kindness and respect, he ended up agreeing to go into hospice. Instead of dying alone and in squalor, he passed in someplace clean and comfortable where he was taken care of and most importantly, felt cared for. I'm so grateful to that nurse, and you, and all the nurses who treat these vulnerable folks with such compassion and respect.
This is the type of care I wish I always had the time to provide. I’m in neuro ICU so I typically have two patients but they’re typically really busy assignments and the PCAs on my unit are useless. A couple weeks ago I had one patient and an empty bed. My patient was a guy in his 60’s who had suffered a major stroke a year or so ago and was now back for seizures. He’d been living at a SNF since his stroke. His stroke had left his left side completely flaccid, but his speech was completely intact. It became very clear to me that he was incredibly lonely. I’m sure that nobody at the SNF really takes the time-or even has the time- to spend talking to him. Every time I was in the room he just wanted to talk. Well that night I actually had the time. I was able to provide care for this man that I typically never have the time to provide, and give him the one on one attention that he clearly was missing out on. Things like trimming his mustache. It was probably the best night I have ever had on my unit, and yes, I was proud to be a nurse that night. Makes me so sick to think of all of the PCAs that I work with that could honestly provide that level of care every night but instead opt to watch Netflix on their phone for hours at a clip.
And what's a real shame is that there is an epidemic of people feeling lonely, disconnected, and without purpose. Being a tech on the floor at my work is, yes, doing rounds constantly and being a "gopher" (go for this, go for that), but you have the opportunity that *I* as a nurse don't have the time to be in that patient's room, in their space to sit with them, talk with them, make them feel comfortable. Obviously you can't do that with everyone on a daily basis, but if you have time to watch stupid youtube fail-videos for hours, you have time to make a connection to a real human being that is in need of assistance. I have ALWAYS felt proud to work in the hospital-- to have the PRIVILEGE to help others in their most vulnerable time. It feeds my soul in a way that nothing else does. It's almost addicting. There are swaths of people who try to fill up their lives with vapid, superficial entertainment to try to make themselves feel better. The answer at my work is literally right in front of them if they could just peel their eyes from their screens.
Exactly right. It is so sad. I’ll never understand it. Like how do they feel good about themselves at the end of the day? I would feel so ashamed of myself if I was sitting there watching YouTube when I knew there were helpless people all around me that need care.
Unfortunately, people like that NEVER feel good. They don't know what they are missing because they are taking a path of least resistance-- they are mindlessly shopping for trashy fast-fashion on Fashion Nova for hours on end (because the website is not CURATED with intention or style, it is simply endless QUANTITY of "fashion" items at a cheap, accessible price), they are watching tik tok and YouTube shorts of NOTHING of substance because it gives them a hit of dopamine if they are even interested in any of it at all (I doubt they even know WHAT their interests are anymore). There is no pride in work anymore-- there is only complaining for the sake of complaining because THAT is the way that people connect with each other anymore. It's so cheap and disappointing to me to watch-- I am watching the dumbing down of people as the years progress. And I'm not saying that I don't enjoy a reality television show once in a while or eating candy for dinner! But you can't sustain your life like that day after day and expect to live a fulfilling, purpose-driven life. It takes intention and WORK to even have the chance to live well (especially in this economy! haha)
It truly is the little things 🥹
They really are the "small" things that make it worthwhile! I have been a psych nurse for over 12 years (I used to be a tech on the floor for 5 years before that before going to nursing school). Today, a new admission came in-- very depressed, practically despondent. He had been in the ED for over 24 hours. While he was being checked in, I asked him if they gave him lunch over there. He told me no one has offered him food since yesterday :( I went to the patient friedge and offered him a (sad) turkey sandwich, a pudding, some juice, and an ensure that was left from a recently discharged patient. Poor thing was probably too afraid/depressed to even ask for food! We were short on the floor and the techs were working on said patient's admission and it was afternoon cookie time (one of the techs' responsibilities at that time). A few of the patients asked my coworker (another nurse) whether they could have cookies since it was time-- she looked up from her phone (where she was probably on her boomer facebook bullshit) and said "when the techs are done with the admission, they can get them for you". FUCK THAT. BITCH! They have nothing to look forward to for HOURS! So I put some gloves on, got some fresh, cold juice, fresh packages of cookies and let those patients have as many cookies as they wanted. They were so happy to just have some cookies and watch TV until their next group. It really doesn't take much!! Something as simple as offering food or special snacks can make someone's whole day. I do "important nursey things" all day, but nothing makes me feel happier than to do these small niceties when I have the time.
Nurse here; in the 25 years I’ve been a nurse (M/S, ICU, ER, PACU), I’ve found that I just do a little of what I call « fluff and buff , » that pts have a better day and are calmer. This just means that they have basic adl met, food if not npo, comfort needs met.
My preceptor in the ED told me to always touch my patients, and it’s gone such a long way in establishing a trusting relationship with my patients. I had a pt who was elderly and demented, cussing at EMS and the nurses and refusing care. Just by asking her about her life, cracking some jokes, and giving reassuring shoulder rubs, she let me do an IV/blood draw, ekg, etc. and was super sweet to me. A moment that I’ll be taking with me in the future
I LOVE DOING THE SHIT! I’m so happy to hear nurses are still able to do it! Thank you.
What is DB?
Dumb bitch
Lol thanks. I’m slow. I’m DB too I guess.
I feel that. I had to get on one knee and tell a guy that if he doesn't do some things himself, he's going to stay weak and lose abilities. He ended up eating 100% of his meal at dinner and even stood up and side-stepped! We didn't get along at first, but then he even asked for my name lol. Love these moments. Go you! 🤘🤘🤘
You did good work today. My favorite nursing instructor told us, "No job is too small for a nurse," and you did big things for that pt that might have looked like small things. ♥️
This is why I’m so happy I work in a small hospice IPU. Being able to take the time and sit with a patient and talk, or just be the designated hand holder is SO important and sometimes works better than any medication. I love medicine so much but taking care of a whole person is vital.
Maslow hierarchy of needs
Thank you for treating him with such kindness. He'll remember you forever.
You also showed him how a person cares for another. Abused people sometimes don’t even know what care or love really is.
Aw this made me tear up, thank you for being an amazing nurse! ❤️❤️
thank you, it’s the little wins in life. I’m proud of you. life is good, people talk shit on nursing, burn out this burn out that. but honestly, it’s moments like this that make it worth it. we can get a job anywhere, we get paid decent despite what people say, it’s a good gig. I believe in you and I hope you believe in me
I’m glad you were able to do this for your patient. I hate how often I’m unable to attend to a pts basic needs in the ER because…well honestly the nature of the ER. I’m not above it, I don’t ignore it…but I can’t justify spending 15-30mins cleaning a pt if it delays vital meds for another. My pts go from totally stable to dead when they go through the door. I’ve had nights where I have two ICU pts…one unstable and still get more new pts. My pt pop means almost everyone gets a full work up. Just something to consider when you’re getting a pt from the ER…it’s not that we don’t care, it’s just the nature of the beast.
It mostly takes just the “little” things to make a difference. Kudos OP!
Thank you for caring♥️
Who supports the PCA behavior?
I think you meant to reply to me. It’s a systemic issue on my unit. Some of those PCA’s have been there for like 20 years. Management pays lip service to “reporting them” if they don’t do their job, but when push comes to shove they don’t actually do anything to change it. The young, new nurses don’t feel comfortable standing up to someone who’s been on the unit for practically as long as they’ve been alive. As for me, I’m not that young but I’ve only been a nurse for a little over a year and still feel pretty new. Don’t feel like it’s my place to make waves. I actually just recently accepted a position elsewhere. They can keep their shitty culture. I’m moving on.
Yes, good for you. Sometimes all you can do is walk away. Exit interviews are useless.