We Never Know When!!!

I couldn’t do my job every day, if at the root, I didn’t have a profound love and respect for nurses! It is why I am so committed to ending incivility and improving their work environment – so they can do what they do, and so they can do it in peace!

During this special week, and in honor of all of the great nurses I have had the privilege to work with, as well as to honor Florence, I want to share some of my favorite nurse stories – The ones where nurses acted, not for patient engagement scores, not because of policy, but because of their eternal empathy, their compassion, and their calling…

I worked with a nursing team once – The patient was dying. He told them that he could die in peace if he could just have the opportunity to see his granddaughter on her newly obtained horse. This team, with zero input for upper management, arranged for the monitor tech to meet the granddaughter and load the horse in the monitor tech’s trailer. The unit manager worked with respiratory to set up the portable oxygen and they then told the patient that he was being taken to the patio for fresh air. I can assure you there was not a single dry eye as his granddaughter rode up the parking lot on her new horse – a memory this family has forever! I was so proud of this manager and her team and so honored to work with them. (Thanks Debi!)

She had surgery and was recovering at home. She said that today was a good day to visit, that the kids could swim. We ordered pizza. It took forever to be delivered. All the girls got their pizza and I said, “Where’s Michael?” At that exact moment, I saw him – face down in the bottom of their pool. I dove in and pulled him out – his lips were blue, his eyes were rolled back. I knew he needed CPR- but how? And then her voice came to me…she said, “chest compressions X2, stop, listen for his heart rate!” No monitors, no defibrillator, just me, his dad, and her voice helping me count the compressions – He now plays college football and loves Jesus! (Thanks Kris!)

I worked with a nurse – the dad was dying. The son wrote back weeks later thanking the whole team for caring for his dad. He wrote that although everyone was fantastic, one nurse stood out. He said, “she didn’t only care for our dad, she cared about us as a family.” He said it wasn’t even her words, it was her soft touch, it was the extra minute she stood in the room, it was that my dad was not just a patient to her, he was important! (Thanks Laura P!)

I have seen weddings arranged in hospital rooms, I have seen the nurses drive family members to Walgreens and/or get an “items needed list” and go out and purchase whatever is on this list with their own money. I have seen baby showers for moms with terminal, newly diagnosed heart cancer. I have seen nurses start a “food pantry” in the break room to help staff who are struggling – the sign said, “Bring what you can, take what you need!” I have seen them take home laundry for their patient’s family and not only wash it but also IRON it. I have seen them bring home cooked food for the families! I have seen them take care of their own when their own has newly diagnosed terminal brain cancer! I have seen pictures of them having water gun fights and of them playing hide and seek around the nurse’s station with kids with cancer!

I believe that for so many, nursing is a calling. We don’t know how we get here, some days we are crazy because we are here, but some days, we know exactly why/how/and for who we exist.

My most recent favorite nurse story – and one I am incredibly proud of! I talked to her after a tough day at work. She said "she was only 14." She said “they think it is suicide.” She said “we worked on her for an hour.” She said, “I knew they were going to call it – and so I held her hand while the code was called.” She said, “I said a prayer for her and for her family.” (Thanks Ryan – i.e., my daughter!)

These incredible humans, these angels, they deserve peace at work! #EndIncivilitytoday #NursesAreTheBest #NursesAreAngels #NursesRock #SoProudToBeANurse