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How nurses make it better

10 short stories on how I made a difference

By Michelle KingPublished 3 years ago 14 min read
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How nurses make it better
Photo by Rusty Watson on Unsplash

I knew what I wanted to be from a very young age, as my sister drew her last breath I vowed I would become the best nurse I could possibly be. 2013 I applied for my nursing and was accepted. I passed with straight A's and a destinction. I wished I had applied earlier but low confidence and self-esteem led me to believe I wasn't good enough. I let the years slip by me when I was more than capable of doing it, the effects of a cruel mother and her words over my whole child hood made me think I couldn't but I did!

I excelled at my job and was given title of charge nurse in a 60 bedded care home after 3 years qualified.

By JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

I chose to work with the elderly, I love their wisdom, their quirky ways and stories. I could listen all day... my motto though was to put myself in their shoes, how would I like to be cared for.

I will tell you a few stories of times I have made a difference to the world through my practice as a nurse...

Story 1

I had a resident who had the most stunning flowers on her window ledge, her view was breathtaking. Her window looked out onto the grasslands and forrest, birds, squirrels, deer and rabbits everywhere. This lady would gaze out her window for hours and tend to her flowers. It made her happy.

By Walter Sturn on Unsplash

One day this lady had a stroke and lost her mobilty she was also fighting end stage cancer and was becoming weaker. Eventually she could no longer gaze out of her window as she was unable to get out of bed.

Her mood became lower and you could see she was starting to give up. Each day I was on shift I would enter her room when it was time for her to have her medication, but I always snuck my phone into my pocket. The reason was so I could take a picture of her view in all weathers and seasons and show it to her, this made her smile and one day she took her hands and cupped them around my face she looked right into my soul and said the words "Thank you dear" "you are the only one who does this for me and for that I am thankful" it brought a lump to my throat as I left she passed away soon after that but her window flowers still bloom to this day.

By Danie Franco on Unsplash

Story 2

One day on shift within a hospital setting there was a huge commotion from one of the side rooms, it was early morning and one of the nursing assistants had went into an older gentlemans room to see if he would like washed and dressed. He was throwing cups and other various items from his table and launching them in our direction. The reason was because he was having a PTSD flash back he thought he was back in the war and we were all german soldiers.

By Stijn Swinnen on Unsplash

He would not let anyone near him and was getting more aggitated by the minute, I had an idea so left the room I went and put my work overal in the cupboard and put my own clothes on so I was the same as him. I walked into his room and got down on all fours. I slowly approached him repeating the words "thank god the war is over we are all safe now" he let me near him and I thanked him for his service and reassured him he was safe. He took hold of me and cried "thank god" he said over and over. The simple gesture of putting plain clothes on brought him back enough were I could calm him down and resolve the issue. He soon went back to his cross word and got on with his day.

By Eepeng Cheong on Unsplash

Story 3

I was a student nurse at this time working in a stroke ward, the wards were full and sometimes beds would be used for other patients. We got a lady brought in with a severe urine infection she also had severe mental health issues and would self harm. She would hear voices and see things that were not there, she wanted to attack everyone. I lived with a mother who had similar issues I felt confident enough to approach her.

I approached her carefully as she was unpredictable but she let me in, I managed to build a rapore with her very quickly to the point all she wanted was me by her side, my mentor allowed me to stay in her room as it was allowing them to get on with their job, I did her hair, painted her nails, massaged her hands and just spoke with her. She lay in my lap one day and just lay there saying "thank you"

I had to leave that ward to move to another placement the lady broke down and asked if I could take her with me. It was one of my felow students I was studying with that got that placement after me so I went with her to introduce her so she knew even though I was leaving she would have someone else to look after her. Few weeks into the placement I got a message saying "you have left big shoes to fill she won't stop talking about you"

Feedback like that is priceless!!

Story 4

I had a gentleman who sufferred from Parkinson's, his mobility wasn't that great and he couldn't walk far a few steps if that. One day I was getting him ready for bed, I was humming the tune somewhere over the rainbow as I was getting his things ready. He looked at me and smiled saying "you have a good voice" I told him it was one of my favourite songs to sing and he said the same, he told me about his days singing in the choir with his wife who sadly passed away.

By Omar Flores on Unsplash

I decided to ask him if he would like to sing with me and his eyes lit up like a light, I started and he joined in we both broke into song, the carer who was in the next room heard us and came to the door with tears in her eyes saying 'that was brilliant' it made him happy so each night I tended to him we would sing our song together. He would boast to the other residents about it and a few of the others started asking for songs at bedtime too, I became the singing nurse and would get singsongs going in the lounge as we were sat after breakfast. The residents loved my singing and it got them all joining in so improved their wellbeing which in turn made me feel I was doing something right.

Story 5

This was on a day off as I was walking along the promonade at the beach, there was an elderly man in a motorised wheelchair and he was staring out into the ocean but looked like he had a lot on his mind. As a nurse we can spot things in people's behaviour that other might not see so I decided to approach him and ask how his day was going.

By Ben Collins on Unsplash

He went on to tell me he had just been admitted to a care home and so had lost his house, and although he was able to leave the home safely in his wheelchair he felt his freedom and independance were not the same. He was a billateral amputee which meant he had no legs from the hip downwards. War injury he told me.

I sat with him for a good hour discussing weather, food, hobbies everything and anything just so he had someone to talk to in that moment, when it was time for him to head back he said to me "you have made my day today I really needed someone to talk to and your a nurse!! haha can't ask for anything better" as we said our goodbyes we both had a content smile on our faces and I went home fullfilled that day.

By Aziz Acharki on Unsplash

Story 6

Another memory from my student days.

I was working in the orthapeadic trauma unit and was going about my business when I heard someone crying, I poked my head around the door and asked the gentleman if he was okay and he said "I am not ok" I asked him to hold on whilst I went and got a chair so I could sit and chat with him about what was wrong. I learned this man was a policeman who had lost his job and his wife due to alcohol abuse, he was admitted due to a fractured skull and eye socket as he fell down a flight of concrete stairs anebriated.

He was super upset but I sat and listened, once we had our conversation he felt better, I made sure to check on this man a lot as I was worried about his mental state. On the day he was due to be discharged he told me he was contemplating taking his own life that day but he changed his mind after talking with me. He gave me a hug and said he was away to straighten his life up. I really hope he did!

By National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Story 7

I was working in a care home at the time and one of my female residents was dying of cancer and she took a turn for the worst. I called her family and they came quickly. I ensured this lady had pain relief every 4 hours as she was sore on turning. Her family were all standing around her bed I went and got recliner chairs from other rooms and placed them in there so her family could have shots about resting and being there holding her hand. I ensured the family had tea, biscuits, sandwhiches that I made myself and moral support.

She took her last breath that night, the family left for home but a few days later I came on shift to flowers and chocolates given to me by the director of the care home. This was due to the family calling my boss and telling her what a fantastic job I did making her mothers last moments comfortable, respected and with great care. I was commended for that night, I just felt privilidged to be a part of it and for enabling the lady to die with dignity and grace like she should have.

By Meritt Thomas on Unsplash

Story 8

This one always makes me smile...

One day on shift within the Acute medical centre for the elderly a lady was admitted to my bay with sepsis. I took to this lady quickly as she reminded me so much of my gran, same laugh and humour.

One morning as I was washing her and getting her dressed we were chatting and the topic of jokes came into topic I said "I know some jokes so I started with my dad jokes you ready!!

"What do you call a deer with no eyes?

"No I Deer!!

"What do you call a fish with no eye?"

"A fsh"

Terrible huh!! not to this lady though she laughed so much even the charge nurse poked her head to see what was so hillarious, then out of no where GUSH!!

Yep she peed!

By Stefano Ciociola on Unsplash

she just looked at me and said with a straight face "You made me pish myself laughing!" sorry for the swear her words not mines! then she abrupted into laughter once again then said in a straight face "you will need to change me now"

We both chuckled away...

Was the funniest time I've ever had with a patient and a memory that always makes me laugh.

By Dan Cook on Unsplash

Story 9

This is a story of before I became a nurse but was still working in the care profession. This story is from when I worked with RNIB & VILD services. A service for people who are visually impaired with learning disabilities.

One day we had a new girl come in it was her first day and she was very behavioral especially with spitting and hitting. She was having a difficult time in the hallway and would not settle, she lay on the floor crying, kicking her legs and flapping her arms. No one could settle her so I decided to get down on the floor with her this stopped her instantly she turned and just stared at me trying to work out what I was doing.

She was lying on her back and she lifted her leg in the air I did the same, she looked at me again and moved her arm I did the same, she started to smile as she realised I was making a game of the situation and she joined in we lay there for half and hour copying each others movement and she bagan to laugh histerically this then allowed me to coax her into the sensory room where I could finish the session with her. We played with toys, lights, water and she lay on the water bed.

Each time I was on shift and she was there she would instantly follow me around, holding onto my arm or playing with my hair. I didn't mind at all as long as she was happy. My boss gave me an appraisal due to the de-esculating tactics I showed around people who were distressed. I calmed people down and in turn that made their wellbeing better.

I loved making people feel better!

By Ave Calvar on Unsplash

Story 10

This one hit me hard...

I was in the supermarket doing my shopping, I noticed a man hovering around the isles I was in so I kept moving around. Again he kept popping up and by this time I was feeling uneasy so I carried on with my shopping and he was in the same isle again! this time he approached me.

"do you mean what you say on your badge?

confused I began to look for what he was talking about and I noticed I had a key fob from my suicide training that told people I am a trained person to talk with if they needed. I looked up at him holding the badge and asked him "do you mean this badge?"

He replied yes and I could see the tears in his eyes, there was a Mcdonald's in the supermarket so asked him if he would like to sit and have a coffee and a chat. His eyes lit up and he said "would you do that for me?" I said "of course lets go"

I ordered the drinks and sat with him, he had his face in his hands and I could see he was upset. I learned that he had lost his wife to cancer and as a coping mechanism he had turned to drinking alcohol to numb the pain he was feeling. He went on to say how his life was not the same and he was here to buy things to kill himself, he told me he was about to buy a bottle of vodka and over the counter medicines and he was going to go home and take them all.

I told him that I was glad he had approached me then, we sat for 3 hours til 11.30pm just talking about everything, I gave him advice and services that could help him, I told him I had lost my ex to suicide and told him about the pain that leaves behind. Something switched inside him he found strength from something I said that changed his mind, he no longer wanted to buy the things he came for he left the store empty handed and I'm glad about that. I hope he found peace and strength to get help.

Well these are just some stories that stick out to me but as you can imagine a nurse sees many many people and encounters many many things. All through my life I have cared for something if not a pet, a rescue, a baby, my profession working with the elderly it all taught me so much, compassion always at the route of everything I do.

And don't get me started about COVID man!! working through that is hard going but what got me most was that people were dying and the family could only see them on an Ipad. Having to hold someone's hand as they are at the end requires great knowledge and compassion, but to see the need for their family to be there and there was nothing you could do, I went home crying at times.

I felt so helpless!

I want everyone out there to have a blessed day and if I could give any advice it would be do everything you dream about, leave yourself and awesome bucket list but don't die with regrets, consensus amongst most elderly patients I have encountered and that is thousands! they all tell me to leave myself with no regrets I want each and everyone of you to have the same. Stay safe.

By Debby Hudson on Unsplash

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About the Creator

Michelle King

I write from the heart

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