From the man with dementia who diagnosed another patient to the terminally-ill woman full of delight,nurses recount experiences they will always remember
Once, I had a Catholic priest with an abdominal aortic aneurysm – basically, or bad news. He was due to occupy surgery to repair it and I was the anaesthetic nurse. I got him comfortable on the operating table,with everything ready. As the anaesthetist prepared, I held the father’s (let’s call him Joe) hand while he told me approximately his upcoming holiday to the US and how excited he was to be going. As he went off to sleep, and I was able to somehow hold his hand and befriend the anaesthetist intubate him. Anyway,his aorta was a mess and they could not fix it and he died on his way to the intensive care unit. Mine was the final hand he held. I’m not Catholic – or even religious – but I’ve never forgotten this. Nursing is approximately the human touch. It’s not approximately plans or budgets or charts. It’s approximately a helping hand.
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Source: theguardian.com