International Nurses Day - May 12th, 2023

@Jaeteuk

Awww this is such an important day, and I so agree, Nurses should be recognized year round for being their selflessly caring and supportive self, saving and supporting so many lives! ❤

Honestly "lives" here include not just the person being treated, but the family too, nurses have been so much more connected to families of the patients, and it does help having someone we can trust to look after our love ones, or people in general! ❤

I do remember one, a couple of years back when a love one was hospitalized, and we couldn't be there in-person around them, there was this kind nurse who used to update us regularly about their health and also gave plenty reassurance to not worry, and be hopeful for their recovery!

I don't think I could take a moment to properly thank them then, in the middle of other stuff going around, but they sure are in my good thoughts always! Thankyou for allowing me to think of them again and reflect on it! ❤

And a big yay to you for being so helpful and committed in your work! ❤

Oh yes, you're right about how those "lives" include families of the patients too. Nurses are the ones that communicate with the family and pass the message on as to what the family can do to help their loved ones getting the treatment. Nurses are the ones that do most of the caring of a patient who is terrified during pre-surgery, and the ones who are there to calm them after they wake up from Anesthesia.

My grandmother has dementia, and when she fell and fractured her hip, she was in the hospital for 3 months. During the Pandemic, no family were allowed to visit. It is Nurses that took care of her, I heard when she finally discharged, she forgot the names of her sons that picked her up. She recognized that they were family, but don't know who's who. There's now a care aid/nurse taking care of her at her own home. So, kudos to Nursres who care for the elderly.

@Jaeteuk

Exactly, a big support in so many ways! 💛 Sending love to your grandmum! 💛

@Jaeteuk

@Jaeteuk. Thank you for the kind words about nurses (I’m a retired nurse).

As a retired nurse, would you have any memorable stories you'd like to share?

@adventurousBranch3786

@Jaeteuk. Some patients and family member are in a very bad mood and take it out on the nurse when they are in the hospital. There was one particular family that gave me a particularly hard time. I saw one of them in the grocery store and tried to slip away without talking with her. She saw me before I got away. She came up to me and said, “Hi, I wanted to apologize for the way we treated you, we were going through a very bad time.” I always remembered this when I had difficult days at the hospital!

That must've been a very touching moment for you. Reading this, made me see that there are kind people out there. Family of patients must have it the hardest during the moment their loved ones are suffering, although they shouldn't be taking it out on the Nurses who are caring for their loved ones, but sometimes, those are who they are in contact with the most. As they probably won't be in much of a mood to meet with friends to vent their emotions.

I'm glad they apologized, although you tried to avoid them, they went out of their way to apologize for their misconduct.

@adventurousBranch3786

Hi, @Jaeteuk . I just found this post and I'm glad there is a thread that talks about appreciation for Nurses around the world here in 7cups.

My mother is currently staff nurse of over 30 years ever since she migrated to the US as a recruit back in the early 90s. She has been working in the ER and throughout the decades it has always been understaffed, so she would handle 10-30 patients during her nightshifts. Living in a city that never sleeps, the stories she would tell me about her work are often fueled with stress, anger and sadness among both colleagues and patients. She also witnessed historical events and lost people she once knew. Even during the past few years, she became the only most-senior staff nurse among her colleagues, and has been grieving for some who didn't make it through the pandemic. Until today, she continues to persevere and take care of patients, despite most having their unruly behavior.

Although I don't follow the same career path as her, I get to know my mother more every time she comes home from work in the morning and often rant to me about her experiences. It's like she pulls off a different side of herself when she's at her hospital compared to seeing her at home. Anyway, she deserves a lot more credit than what she has been given for her years of service. My sister is following her footsteps now, and she's currently studying to take the NCLEX this June. 💙

Ohh, she works overnight shifts?! That must have been difficult at first for her biological clock to get used to. She pulled through the Pandemic working in the ER, I can imagine that it was a very emotional ride for her.

I believe Nurses, and all healthcare workers, need to have a strong mindset. They need to be able to handle their emotions and learn how to let go. During the Pandemic, Nurses have become like a family member to the patients, since no family were allowed to visit.

I'm glad to hear that she can be herself when she gets home from work and good luck to your sister in the upcoming NCLEX exam! Will she also want to work in the ER?

@compassionateOak202

@Jaeteuk

Yes, I don't always see my mother at night time. And during the day, that's when she sleeps. I used to call her a vampire for that haha.

As for my sister, I think she has her own goals in mind. I only know so far that my sister won't be back in the US until she at least learns some hands-on work since my mom isn't impressed with her younger colleagues not having much experience and she isn't getting paid enough to teach some of them whenever they ask for her assistance.

Lolz, a vampire! In a previous job I did, I worked overnight shifts for a year and half. It was tough, sleeping during the day, my parents had to buy black-out curtains for my bedroom. And they would purposely be out of the house during the day, so that I can catch my Zzz's. When I woke up for "breakfast", it was dinner time for them. But, I still ate a meal similar to dinner, since my work back then was very physical, needed the energy.

Oh yes, I think most Nurses that apply to hospitals, usually have some experience in Nursing already. At least, that is what it seems like when I'm working in the OR. The nursing students going through their program, were already experienced nurses in other departments, so it's just learning different ways of doing things in the OR compared to where they had once worked.

@compassionateOak202