Nursing Talk from Around the World
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05-12-2008, 07:39 AM
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A favorite nursing moment
I'm not sure why, but I was thinking about this lady this morning. It was New Year's eve, 1999, and I was working the 11-7 shift. One of my patients was a very elderly lady, in with a URI, and not doing to well. She slept most of the time. When I went in to do my assessment, she woke up. She told me she was born in 1899, and knew she was probably dying. Her only wish was to see "2000". "Imagine, I will have lived in 3 different centuries!". Then she asked me to come in at midnight, so she would have someone to ring the New Year in with. I spoke with my charge nurse, and she immediately (bless her heart) doled out my other patients to other nurses for the first hour of the shift. My wonderful team mates took the added burden on without complaint. I sat with my patient, we had the tv on to watch the ball drop, and she talked to me of her family. She had out lived both children, two husbands and a grandchild. She told me she was anxious to see them again. At midnight I gave her a hug. "I made it," she said with a twinkle in her eye. I sat a bit longer until she fell into a peaceful sleep, then went back to work, checking on her frequently. She was in a peaceful sleep, breathing a little easier, a faint smile on her lips. At the end of my shift I went in to said goodbye. She was awake and motioned me closer. She kissed my cheek. "Thank you for spending this wonderful New Year with me". I smiled, and told her I'd see her tonight. When I came in at 10:30 that night, her room was empty. She has peacefully passed away around noon. I got a bit teary, but then thought about how she got what she wanted- to have been alive in 3 different centuries. I will never forget this lovely lady.
Bev 
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05-12-2008, 11:43 AM
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That is an incredible story. I love it. I can't wait for little moments like this for myself. I get such gratification when my patients appreciate what I do for them. Sometimes I feel like I get more out of it than they do. Hope thats what makes a great nurse.
I am not an RN yet, but will start my first term of nursing school in September. I have been working as a medical assistant for some time. The last year has been at a pediatric clinic. After giving immunizations I will ask some of the older kids if they are mad at me. With tears in their eyes they reply "no". Sometimes I get a pretty big hug from them. I sure am going to miss all of that when I leave, but I just keep telling myself I have so many different things to look forward to. Kelly
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05-14-2008, 06:16 AM
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 what a great story!thank you for sharing!
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05-17-2008, 05:09 PM
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Somethings you just never forget!
__________________
www.MyOwnWoman.blogspot.com
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05-18-2008, 03:20 AM
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Ok, now I'm crying.
 What a beautiful story. You should sumbit this to Advance for Nurses or to Nursing Spectrum.MJ 
__________________
Sanity is madness put to good use. George Santayana. http://nurse-ratcheds.blogspot.com
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05-18-2008, 07:26 AM
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Thanks. Every so often something happens that makes all the bad stuff in nursing go away. This was one of those things.
Bev
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05-19-2008, 06:11 PM
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I agree with MJ - you need to submit that story somewhere. It was truly very touching, and that is saying a lot coming from this cold cynical black heart of mine :-)
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05-25-2008, 11:36 PM
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Geena...you can fool some of the people some of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool My Own Woman...she's pretty smart and knows you don't have a black heart!
__________________
www.MyOwnWoman.blogspot.com
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