Over the course of my clinical rotation I worked with many different patients. Each patient was unique and presented a different challenge. Whether it was getting them a cup of coffee, helping them use the bathroom, changing their bed, or just having a conversation with them. Each experience was special in its own way and helped me grow more as a nurse. However, one patient in particular sticks out the most to me. This patient was in a great deal of pain despite the medication he was on. Light movements such as turning in bed would cause this patient to yell out in pain and hyperventilate. This was my first time seeing someone in pain like this so I wanted to make sure I did my best to comfort them. I was constantly checking in on this patient and doing what I could for them. I helped the patient clean themselves up, got them icepacks, extra blankets, and coffee. In addition to this, I was able to assist the nurse with some of their tasks. I did all of these tasks with caution to minimize client pain as the client was my top priority. Each time I helped this patient they was so thankful for what I did for them. They were able to get out a smile each time despite the pain they were in. This had the greatest impact on me, it really made me feel like I was having a positive effect on this patient’s life. This was a very rewarding experience/feeling to make someone else smile.
Lastly, I thought that I was able to have a good conversation with this patient. Many of the patients I have worked with do not get many visitors because of COVID regulations and protocols. These patients spend a good amount of time with nobody to talk to. Also, they are in a different setting than they are used to and do not get the same interactions as they would at home. So, I really was able to enjoy talking with this patient in particular. They had a very interesting background and some good stories to tell. I think our conversation helped get what they were going through off their minds for a little bit. It really seemed to make them happy to talk about their past experiences. This was a great conversation and makes me feel like I truly made a real difference in someone’s life.
