Have you had those instances that if you weren’t there the outcome would be really different?
In our lives we often don’t see the impact we make on our family, friends, or colleagues. We don’t really understand our worth because we are often too busy to think about it. No one is going to run around yelling “I’m the best!” but it’s important to take a minute sometimes to realize the impact you make every day.
You chose to become a nurse for a reason.
Whether your mom was a nurse or you simply wanted to help people, you wanted to make an impact. Nursing is a profession that conveys the most unselfish, holistic view of human beings. Nursing embodies the very nature of Jesus Christ because it is caring for people without judgment but simply because they need help.
I’m sure there are moments and patients that you will never forget.
Some patients just burn in your memory, no matter how wonderful or difficult their story. Memorable moments with patients can also be something so ridiculous or unheard of that you just can’t forget … and probably laugh out loud when you think about it.
Whether you think so or not, you make a difference. You made it through the crazy pressure of nursing school, which is no easy feat. For those of you still in school … may the odds be ever in your favor!
You are never “just” a nurse (or a student nurse).
You spent how many hours away from your family, and the rest of the world, just to make it through school. Then you work so hard to take care of people in a way that cannot ever be reciprocated. No matter what type of nurse you are … you matter and you make a difference.
Here are a few stories that if the nurse wasn’t there … well … let’s just say THANK GOD THE NURSE WAS THERE! All of these are based on true events
A patient called for an appointment at his local doctor’s office. Symptoms were random and simple .. pain, fatigue etc. There wasn’t anything standing out to make anyone say “yep that’s a bowel obstruction” or “blood clot!” The nurse told the patient to go to the emergency room. The patient didn’t want to go to the emergency room so insisted on coming to the office.
Something just wasn’t right.
The nurse knew the symptoms didn’t sound serious, but something just wasn’t right. It wasn’t fitting together. “I think you should go to the emergency room; I feel it’s the best thing for you right now and it’s better to be safe than sorry” The patient finally listened.
The patient was rushed to the operating room for emergency surgery once the ER team was involved. “Good thing you came to the emergency room because you most likely would’ve died overnight without that surgery” The doctor told the patient. The nurse listened to the gut feeling inside and had to advocate for the patient … to the patient!!
A patient was unresponsive and blue, literally. “Call the code!” The team rushed to the scene and was able to get an airway for the patient and manually ventilate. Even though there was an open airway getting sufficient breaths, the patient’s oxygen level was still low.
The nurse noticed something odd about the patient’s chest.
It was lopsided every time the patient was ventilated. The nurse spoke up about it and the doctor listened. When a chest tube was placed in the patient the oxygen saturation immediately improved. “Way to go!” the doctor said. Once the tube was draining the patient turned to a warm pink color because the patient was actually getting oxygen to his body through his bloodstream.
Good catch by the nurse … and the doctor for listening.
An epidural was placed in a patient while in labor. “I can’t breathe!” the patient yelled but no one was able to understand. The patient spoke another language and at that moment it was a matter of life and death.
The team was petrified along with the patient because they couldn’t act on anything without having a translator, and it was time to act fast!
The communication breakdown led to even more intensity than not breathing. A page came across the system that led a specific nurse to attend to the room. That nurse was able to understand the patient and the gravity of the situation. She was the bridge of understanding and implementation. She provided comfort and understanding to the patient as well as conveyed vital assessments to the team.
If they had waited for a translator that patient’s health would’ve deteriorated much more, along with the child in her womb. Mom and baby were just fine afterward. A translator service was provided to manage her needs afterward, but if it wasn’t for that nurse in that moment it could’ve gotten much worse.
Get report on a patient that is a “walky talky.”
The assessment of the patient was much different than the report provided by the previous nurse, which doesn’t usually happen (insert sarcasm). The patient is young and just had a baby. She’s generally healthy but was agitated, confused, and wasn’t breathing great even though her saturation was in the 90’s.
The nurse had a feeling that wasn’t her normal behavior, which was confirmed when she asked the patient’s family. Blood tests looked terrible and stat CT scan showed pulmonary edema. Relief came in the form of a Foley and IV Lasix.
After 3500ml of urine output, the patient started feeling better. During labor, she had received about 6 liters of fluid that no one thought was an issue. When the patient and family had repeated concerns, no one listened. Except one nurse …