National Nurses’ Week 2011
“My Most Memorable Experience as a Nurse” Writing Contest
All of us have had that one experience as a nurse that we will never forget, the patient or family who touched our hearts, the extraordinarily funny experience that still keeps us laughing years later, or the incredibly sad loss of a patient that still aches at our hearts today. Whatever that experience may be. We want to hear about it!
The Nurses Week 2011 Theme is Nurses: Trusted to Care. Research has shown that Nursing is a highly trusted profession. We became that way because of our heart, soul, and passion for what we do. That’s why we remember those days that may have gone forgotten!
My Entry:
My Most Memorable Experience as a Nurse
One day years ago in central NY State I received what seemed to be a simple Home Health (HH) Nursing referral. My new patient (pt) was described as an elderly gentleman diagnosed with bilateral lower extremity cellulitis.
Upon arriving at his apartment, I noticed that my new pt struggled with mental health issues. We took it slow and began to develop a good nurse: patient trusting relationship. I gathered some background information… assessed his vital signs… and asked if I could take a look at his legs and feet.
He was apprehensive… but eventually sat down and agreed to my request.
As he lifted his pant legs I noted his once white, now dark yellow, tube socks had become physically embedded in his legs. With demonstrated caring, I asked my unfortunate patient when he last had removed his socks…
“I don’t know… it has been a pretty long time I guess”…
“Ok Mr. “X”… I am concerned about your legs and feet… would it be ok if I removed your socks???”
With apparent apprehension, he agreed to let me proceed.
At first I tried to use bandage scissors to cut the socks off…
It was not to be.
His skin was one with the socks.
The skin began to tear with slight pulling.
I asked… “Could we soak your feet/legs in the tub to help release the fabric”?
My pt adamantly refused to use the tub.
I discovered that he battled a great fear of both the tub and of “too much” water.
Hmm I thought…
“Do you have any small basins, bowls or buckets?”
“No”.
“No”.
And…
“No” to all.
I looked around thinking “out of the box”…
I noticed two fairly new, small trash cans.
I asked if we could use the trash cans to soak his feet/legs…
I promised to use as little water as possible and to stay next to him throughout the process.
Reluctantly, he agreed!
I used antibacterial dish soap to thoroughly clean both containers then filled each half full with warm water.
He apprehensively put one foot in each container…
We waited…
As we waited we talked…
He shared more about his life, his fears and his coping strategies.
Our nurse: patient relationship continued to bloom and grow.
After about thirty minutes I tried to separate the sock fabric from his skin…
Slowly and gently success was achieved… revealing SEVERELY impacted skin tissue…
His toenails were so long they formed cork-screws up to two and a half inches in length!
The physical pain that this man must have endured just to walk was overwhelming!
The dead white skin covering the soles of his feet was at minimum one inch thick.
Empathy welled within my nursing heart.
I called his referring HCP and gave a thorough report.
With GREAT apprehension… calmed by gentle nursing reassurance, my patient was transported via ambulance to the local hospital where he received multiple surgical debridement procedures over a period of time.
When he was finally discharged home, HH Nursing was ordered to follow-up.
I returned to see my pt.
Oh… What a transformation!
My patient was a new man!
He valued our collaborative progress (and his pain relief) so much that he agreed to a progressive personal hygiene plan.
He actively participated in personal hygiene instruction/ assistance 3 times per week with a HH Aide!
Like the metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly… Mr. “X” slowly changed throughout our working relationship… as his need for HH came to an end my once “unfortunate” pt had addressed his fears and developed new coping strategies…
He showered 2 to 3x/wk and changed all of his clothes (including his socks) every time he bathed! He had a long-term professional Podiatry plan and participated regularly in out-patient Psychiatric Therapy.
I will always remember my pt… his unfortunate beginning… and our collaborative effort that resulted in a significant quality of life improvement impacting both of us!
“My Most Memorable Experience as a Nurse” Writing Contest
All of us have had that one experience as a nurse that we will never forget, the patient or family who touched our hearts, the extraordinarily funny experience that still keeps us laughing years later, or the incredibly sad loss of a patient that still aches at our hearts today. Whatever that experience may be. We want to hear about it!
The Nurses Week 2011 Theme is Nurses: Trusted to Care. Research has shown that Nursing is a highly trusted profession. We became that way because of our heart, soul, and passion for what we do. That’s why we remember those days that may have gone forgotten!
My Entry:
My Most Memorable Experience as a Nurse
One day years ago in central NY State I received what seemed to be a simple Home Health (HH) Nursing referral. My new patient (pt) was described as an elderly gentleman diagnosed with bilateral lower extremity cellulitis.
Upon arriving at his apartment, I noticed that my new pt struggled with mental health issues. We took it slow and began to develop a good nurse: patient trusting relationship. I gathered some background information… assessed his vital signs… and asked if I could take a look at his legs and feet.
He was apprehensive… but eventually sat down and agreed to my request.
As he lifted his pant legs I noted his once white, now dark yellow, tube socks had become physically embedded in his legs. With demonstrated caring, I asked my unfortunate patient when he last had removed his socks…
“I don’t know… it has been a pretty long time I guess”…
“Ok Mr. “X”… I am concerned about your legs and feet… would it be ok if I removed your socks???”
With apparent apprehension, he agreed to let me proceed.
At first I tried to use bandage scissors to cut the socks off…
It was not to be.
His skin was one with the socks.
The skin began to tear with slight pulling.
I asked… “Could we soak your feet/legs in the tub to help release the fabric”?
My pt adamantly refused to use the tub.
I discovered that he battled a great fear of both the tub and of “too much” water.
Hmm I thought…
“Do you have any small basins, bowls or buckets?”
“No”.
“No”.
And…
“No” to all.
I looked around thinking “out of the box”…
I noticed two fairly new, small trash cans.
I asked if we could use the trash cans to soak his feet/legs…
I promised to use as little water as possible and to stay next to him throughout the process.
Reluctantly, he agreed!
I used antibacterial dish soap to thoroughly clean both containers then filled each half full with warm water.
He apprehensively put one foot in each container…
We waited…
As we waited we talked…
He shared more about his life, his fears and his coping strategies.
Our nurse: patient relationship continued to bloom and grow.
After about thirty minutes I tried to separate the sock fabric from his skin…
Slowly and gently success was achieved… revealing SEVERELY impacted skin tissue…
His toenails were so long they formed cork-screws up to two and a half inches in length!
The physical pain that this man must have endured just to walk was overwhelming!
The dead white skin covering the soles of his feet was at minimum one inch thick.
Empathy welled within my nursing heart.
I called his referring HCP and gave a thorough report.
With GREAT apprehension… calmed by gentle nursing reassurance, my patient was transported via ambulance to the local hospital where he received multiple surgical debridement procedures over a period of time.
When he was finally discharged home, HH Nursing was ordered to follow-up.
I returned to see my pt.
Oh… What a transformation!
My patient was a new man!
He valued our collaborative progress (and his pain relief) so much that he agreed to a progressive personal hygiene plan.
He actively participated in personal hygiene instruction/ assistance 3 times per week with a HH Aide!
Like the metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly… Mr. “X” slowly changed throughout our working relationship… as his need for HH came to an end my once “unfortunate” pt had addressed his fears and developed new coping strategies…
He showered 2 to 3x/wk and changed all of his clothes (including his socks) every time he bathed! He had a long-term professional Podiatry plan and participated regularly in out-patient Psychiatric Therapy.
I will always remember my pt… his unfortunate beginning… and our collaborative effort that resulted in a significant quality of life improvement impacting both of us!
"She Loves The Broken Ones".....You never fail to touch my heart, simply by being "You"!
ReplyDeleteYou know what... I am drawn to help others... I really am blessed with huge amounts of fufillment when I am able to make a difference. The flip side is when I am powerless to make a difference my heart swells with empathetic pain... I guess... I guess, I still try to make a difference just by listening and truely caring... this helps ease the harsh reality of most difficult situations... thank God for my parents and grandparents...their values have helped mold me into who I am today!
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