Opinion: Handle With Care
A hospital stay can be extremely fragile.
Monday August 11, 2008
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Judith G. Berg, RN, MS, FACHE
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The sights, sounds, and smells are all unfamiliar to most, and usually there are people rushing about, speaking in acronyms and some sort of verbal shorthand. Thank goodness for the nurses who in the midst of all the busyness and chaos create a priority around connecting with the people for whom they are caring. It is that basic, but complex, essence of relationship that creates a sense of trust, confidence, and calm for patients and families. When a nurse takes the time and puts forth the effort to understand the context of the care situation being experienced by the patient and family, a different level of value is felt by all the individuals touched in that moment and in the future. Relationship is a remarkably powerful nursing behavior, and at the same time can be extremely fragile.
I remember David, who was a nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit where my father was hospitalized for a short while. While I'm sure he performed all the required care related to the ventilator, multiple IVs, cardiac pump, and monitors attached to my father, it was his caring touch, soothing voice, and transfer of courage to my dad, and all of us, that I remember.
It would have been easy for David to concentrate his efforts on all the technology surrounding Dad during this difficult time, but our experience was a very different one. He would give us a smile, a hug, ask about our observations, and talk to us — including Dad — the entire time he was in the room. He seemed to want to answer our questions and was open to our suggestions to make Dad more comfortable and involved. David almost singlehandedly made a difficult experience manageable and helped us all feel comfortable with discussions we needed to have and decisions we needed to make. This was only possible because we had enormous confidence in David, trusted him implicitly, and knew he was focused on the best outcome for Dad.
At the time, of course, there were several physicians, technicians, and other nurses involved in Dad's care, but David was the anchor. David made an enormous difference in our experience related to that hospitalization, and much of it happened because he created a relationship with us. He created the space we all needed for healing and ensuring the best possible outcome for Dad, while at the same time supporting us with clinical practice competence at the bedside.
I thanked David and sent a note later, but I wonder whether he really understood how profoundly important he was at that critical juncture in my father's life. I hope so. I also hope nurses everywhere understand the privilege and responsibility we have to do exactly what David did for my family and me.
No one else is as well positioned to create relationships that assist patients and families in achieving the best possible outcome. To David and to all of you who build relationships as a foundation of your practice, thank you.
Judith G. Berg, RN, MS, FACHE, is vice president of professional services for NurseWeek California, Northwest, and Southwest. To comment, e-mail jberg@gannetthg.com.
