Nurses Week: Stories of Inspiration
Below is a selection of nursing stories of inspiration submitted by Value Care RNs in honor of Nurses Week. We'll post new stories each day of Nurses Week (May 6-12).
Submit your own story of inspiration
Submitted by JoAnn K.
Location: Mississippi
I am a registered nurse. I started
my career as a licensed practical nurse and was working on an oncology
floor at this time. We had received a patient from ICU, basically he came
to our floor to die. We were to keep him comfortable until he passed.
Day after day, I would conduct my nursing care as well as the
extras—those little things that we as nurses do that go unmentioned,
like cleaning his ears and putting lotion on them because they were so
dry. I did this everyday until the dryness had cleared up. I treated
this man as I did all my patients that were expected to live, no
different. This patient at the time was non-verbal, unable to
communicate his needs. When I would conduct his care he would look at
me with a horrible, mean look on his face that appeared to say “leave
me alone'” and if looks could kill I would be gone. Then one day I was
in his room wiping his face with a warm washcloth and he looked at me,
and as a tear drop fell from one of his eyes, he mouthed to me "I
appreciate what you do for me so much." This was very unexpected and
surprising to me and it brought tears to my eyes. This patient actually
improved and was discharged from our unit. He came back a few months
later to visit and was doing well. I learned a valuable lesson that day
to never assume anything about a patient; his visible facial expression
did not reflect what was in his heart. Also, I learned that you should
treat all patients like they will live until they are actually gone,
because thank goodness, miracles do still happen!
Submitted by Sandy R.
Location: Louisiana
Share Your Story: For almost 20 years, I have
volunteered as a nurse at the Louisiana Lions Camp. Started in the
1960's to provide a camp experience for 'crippled' children affected by
polio, orthopedic problems and birth defects, the camp expanded to
include children with mental challenges, cancer, muscular dystrophy,
pulmonary problems and diabetes. Sponsored by the Louisiana Lions Clubs
around the state, these children come to a camp adapted to their
special needs free of charge. My first summer, I watched in awe as a "thalidomide" child born without arms, launched an arrow holding the
bow with his toes and a great big smile on his face. These chronically
ill or medically challenged children face each day with not only
courage and perseverance but with a certain joie de vive (joy of
life) as we say here in Cajun country. Serving with me as counselors
inspired my children to enter the medical field. I keep coming back
each year to recharge my batteries and face the hard days of
nursing at my regular place of employment. For me, nursing has never
been a job but a vocation.
Submitted by Mary K.
Location: Armed Forces
I am an operating room nurse and
active duty Air Force. I am currently stationed in Germany. The
hospital in which I work receives all the wounded service men and women
prior to them heading back to the U.S. On a daily basis it is a
challenge to deal with some of the injuries we see. When the planes
arrive, and we are told we have so many patients coming in, rest
assured, we may see them in the OR that very day or the next day for
wash outs of multiple wounds. Sometimes the injuries we see are
horrific at best, but what keeps me and the rest of us serving going is
that we know in some way we are touching the life of that wounded hero,
who has done so much for the sake of freedom. It is extremely rewarding
for me to care for our service men and women, because they do so much
for us. Because no matter how tired I am, I know that their feat has
been much greater than mine. So, I will continue to plug away and care
for my patients with pride.
Submitted by Janet P.
Location: Nevada
I work as a flight nurse in
Nevada. One afternoon I was at a Halloween event with my grandchildren.
We were having a great time playing games, having lots of fun together.
Suddenly, a lady walked up to me and asked if I was a nurse. I told her
"yes," and she looked at her husband and said, "I told you so!" She
proceeded to tell me she had flown on our aircraft and I was the nurse
taking care of her. She told me she heard me speak and recognized my
voice. She described how she was intubated, very sick and had
remembered me talking to her and comforting her. She told me that as
long as I continued to talk to her, she knew she'd be "okay." I was
shocked, but so very thankful that someone would remember a voice—my
voice—comforting them. This was nine months after that flight took
place. I was so touched by this incident I will never forget. Happy
Nurses Week to all!
Submitted by Becky S.
Location: Texas
How many times are we asked why we
became a nurse? What motivates you to do this? Many times I have
wondered the same thing and have not really had an answer. Usually, I'm
too tired from working long hours, being under-staffed and feeling
under appreciated by doctors on a daily basis, but the other day was
different.
Here are the moments that built up to my "moment" of
realization. I'm a cath lab nurse and this particular weekend we were
called in five different times.
The first patient was brought into the
cath lab already bagged and upon arrival an agonal rhythm was noted.
CPR was initiated and continued for quite some time until the doctor "called it."The family was very dramatic and it was emotional for all
of us.
The second call in was just as bad, but thankfully the patient
made it. The other three calls weren't as eventful, they all made it
and we were exhausted from being at the hospital all weekend.
Finally,
on Sunday night, our beepers went silent and before I knew it I was
waking up to my Monday morning alarm and I started my day as if the
weekend never happened. After my first case I started to walk around to
the units and visit my patients from the weekend. I asked one of the
nurses on the Cardiac ICU if patient #2 was still alive and she said "yes, go see him." When I walked in, I noticed that he was still
intubated and still had restraints on his wrists and ankles. He didn't
look so good. I said "hi" to him, thinking that he wouldn't remember
me, and he opened his eyes and looked at me. He nodded his head in a
"yes" motion and opened up his hand and motioned for me to hold it. I
reached over and grabbed his restrained hand and I started to cry and
so did he. His nurse, who I didn't know, said "why are you crying?" And
that's when it hit me--I realized that this guy was alive, because of
what we did for him and the fact that he somehow knew me was amazing.
WOW!
I love what I do, and how my actions can make people's lives
better and that I make a difference in so many lives. I am truly
blessed to be a nurse and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Submitted by Peggy H.
Location: Wisconsin
The days I can make an acute
patient smile or a family laugh is when I know I have finally found the
job that most people struggle to find all their life. Knowing that I am
in the right profession. I have many days that I think to myself "why?"
and then realize it's not my job or patients that are getting me down,
it's the people in the carpeted rooms who haven't been in patient care
for years—or ever. My patients need me and I need them and that's what
matters. Thanks for listening.
Submitted by Ingrid F.Location: Florida
Thirty plus years, and many days I
feel like I just can't go on. It is not because I am old, tired or broken, but
because nursing has changed in more ways than I want to discuss at this time.
Just when one feels like quitting, you get to care for a ten year-old who's spent
the first four years of his life hospitalized, with multiple surgeries and many
noxious interventions. Six years later, he is bright, intelligent and super
opinionated, and once again very, very sick. I work the evening shift and as I sat
listening to report about him, shortly after he arrived from the Recovery Room,
I thought, "it's going to be a long night." It was a busy night what with two other patients and an orientee and no support staff, yet I wouldn't have traded
this shift or this assignment. I said his name softly as I touched him gently,
he opened his eyes, looked at me and said "are you going to be my nurse
tonight?" I said yes, he said "good, thank God." Every thing was okay after
that. It's days like this that get me through short-staffing, limited supplies,
empty linen carts, missing medications, etc. You all know the rest of
the story!
Submitted by: Carrie W.
Location: Alabama
Where do I find my inspiration? I
often look to the hope in the eyes of children. One of the many things
I love about working with pediatrics is the endless fountain of love
and giving. Kids seem to be extraordinarily adaptable to the changes in
their environment. Children accept whatever life throws at them without
complaint, and with resilience and perseverance unmatched by most
adults. They teach me everyday the definition of hope as they live it
in their actions. Whether healthy or seriously ill, children have
become my inspiration. I find hope for a better humanity in these
little people and this hope is what keeps me in the nursing profession.
Submitted by Deborah A.
Location: Kentucky
What inspires me to keep on nursing is when my
patients tell me what a great nurse I am and how much better they feel
having me as their nurse. It's also comforting to hear, "you truly make
me feel safe," and "I couldn't have made it without you." These are
just a few of the encouraging comments I've received from my patients
over the years. I'm so thankful that I became a nurse—even after the
distressing shifts and long weeks. I have never regretted my
career choice.
Submitted by Marie A.
Location: Florida
10 months ago, I was part of a "restructuring" in
the facility I had given almost 10 years of my professional life. As I
tried to find a job at the same professional level, I became more and
more discouraged. In January, I was fortunate enough to become part of
a magnet facility. It has been challenging to go back to bedside
nursing. I found as we progress to a paperless profession, there is
more time needed to accurately document, and less time to hold the hand
of a patient.
I recently had a patient who was in a pallative bed.
She noticed the gold cross and BSN chain I had around my neck. It was
getting close to report time, so I was preparing to give her the
scheduled pain medications. Of course my mind was thinking, "Did I
complete the pain assessment? How about my skin checks; I&Os; VS
etc." The patient asked me if I was wearing the jewelry for show or if
it meant something. It stopped my thinking, and I sat next to her, held
her hand and said "I wear them because they are why I am a nurse; I
believe in PATIENT care, and patient CARE." I explained I was Catholic
and believed it was what I was called to do. I also believed in my
profession. I held her hand for some time, and she passed within the
hour. Just holding her
hand instead of my pen on a flow sheet--even for that short period of
time--reminded me of why I get up and do it all over again. Why?
Because we make a real difference in our patients lives.