Bryn Heyland

I got the opportunity to care for a patient who could not fully care for himself. When I heard I was going in to clean up a patient after he had a bowel movement on the commode, I immediately felt for him. Nurses are special, they can perform these skills that not everyone can and carry them out with sympathy and no judgment. This man was super friendly. I tried my best to make him feel as comfortable as possible given the situation. As the other student nurse was cleaning the pan, I stayed with the patient and talked to him. I feel that this simple gesture makes a difference in him feeling more human and more comfortable. Nobody wants someone else wiping their butt. However, sometimes you do not have a choice. That is why it is our role as the nurse to make sure the patient feels comfortable. They most likely feel more awkward about what is going on than you do. With that being said, by seeing him smile and hearing the excitement he had with talking to me, I could tell I made a difference in his day. With nurses being so busy throughout the day, and now with the visitor restrictions due to COVID, these patients are at greater risk of boredom and loneliness. That is why I always make it a priority to spend any down time I have, just talking to the patients. This patient also made a difference in my day. After leaving, I felt so happy to have been able to help him out. While talking to him, he made comments like “you’re going to make a great nurse. I can tell” and “you must be a perfectionist”.  These comments filled me with confidence. It is intimidating walking into a patient’s room at first and these encouragements made me feel more confident about my capabilities as a nurse. I know this is just the beginning and I will continue to see patients varying in health status, and I hope to continue to make an impact in their days as I care for them.