What makes nursing so special?

When I finished high school, it was considered as the “Nursing Era” of the Philippines. During that time each Filipino family has at least one nursing student. It was thought that nurses abroad really get the best pay so they are able to help their families back home. Honestly this is the main reason that my mother enrolled for this course. As a mother, she did not think of herself but it was the most stable, decent profession she could give me for a more secured future.

I really good wanted to become a lawyer. Unfortunately, my parents cannot sustain the financial demands of having a law student in the family.

As an effect, I became a nursing student. During the first 2 years, I felt that I was just an ordinary, easy-go-lucky, relaxed type of student. By that said, I mean, I just study when needed. As long as I do not fail, I’m fine. But when my 3^rd year, I began to realize something special in nursing.

Grateful mother and son….

My first patient was an old lady who had suffered from cardiovascular accident (CVA) and was unable to move the right side of her body. I checked her vital signs, gave her sponge bath, because it was just my first time to handle a patient, my clinical instructor just gave me some tasks/paper works that I need to complete while staying on patient’s bedside. Eventually, I have established rapport towards her and her family. I attended to her needs as much as I can. At the end of the day, the son who was on his 50’s, gave me a bouquet of flowers as a sign of their appreciation and gratefulness to the care I have given to his mom. He talked to my clinical instructor and to the rest of the nurses in the station, telling them how they have felt my sincerest concern to them.

Receiving that appreciation from helping a patient, I felt unusual thrill yet fulfilling feeling plus an added bonus which is hearing the “thank you’s” from the mouths  of my patient’s family members. I went home that night, telling myself that it must be the reason why God put me in that place.

Stabbed wounds from a happy night that had gone wrong…..

A 24-year-old male sustained ten stabbed wounds from a stranger during a birthday party. The worst wounds he got were in his stomach that damaged his intestines. He underwent through a surgery—cut and stitching of the functional intestinal area (Anastomosis.) Patient had to defecate through a small plastic cellophane which served a his improvised colostomy bag attached to his lower abdomen.

Due the injury, surgery, stress  and lack of complete nutrients, he immediately lost around 10 kilograms of his weight.

I fed him through his nasogastric tube, I assessed the stoma or the hole where the colostomy bag was attached. Assessment if very important post-surgery because infection can develop and may lead to serious complications.

The mother of the patient said “thank you” to me for taking care of her son. She was so worried that she did not know where to ask for financial help to sustain their daily medical expenses. Knowing that a student nurse takes care of her son just relieves her somehow from the problems her son got into. Eventually, he started to gain weight and became stronger day after day until he got discharged from the hospital.

Again, I have felt the selfless and most sincere thanks from the patient and his mom during the length of time I was assigned to him.

A teenager’s broken heart led into her tragic suicide……

18-year-old young lady just broke up with her boyfriend, bathed with gasoline and set her body on fire. She was rushed to our hospital after 99% of her body got burned. She was still talking, she told me she cannot feel her extremities.

 I was eagerly looking for a vein to start in intravenous line as dehydration can be the main critical condition that I have to watch into, then infection—sepsis.

While I was taking care of her, after medications were given, I had a chance to talk to her. She told me how hurt she was because of the break-up. She kept of apologizing to me and to anyone who enters the room.

I told her to be strong, pray and that trials come to be overcome. I saw by the look in her eyes, that she was regretful of what she did and of course grateful for the help I extended towards her.

We were able to refer her to a bigger hospital for further management where she stayed for a week. Unfortunately, we were informed by her family that she died thereafter due to sepsis.

Every day, I face more stories and experiences of different people who need my help, my care and my service. This is something that cannot be found in all of the professions. I do not just deal with pen and paper, nurses, doctors and other members of the healthcare team deal with lives—that is the thing that makes it special and I am proud to be one of the angels in the sickroom.