Nursing is a stressful job. When you’re carrying a heavy patient load, it can be difficult to see beyond the essential tasks and easy to feel you don’t get the gratitude you deserve. What we sometimes forget, however, is our patients are struggling as well. In reality, the stress, uncertainty, fear and pain that come along with any hospitalization are a tough burden for anyone to carry. What do you do to show your patients that you appreciate their efforts? Here are some easy ways to say “thank you” to your patients and co-workers.
1. Be available
When someone needs help in a hospital setting, they need it now! Being ready to help out at a moment’s notice, even without being asked, is the best way to show everyone you care. Therefore, it’s important to be alert to the needs of those around you. Maybe you’re relieved when someone else gets an admission instead of you, for example (bullet dodged!), but you can make sure they receive all the help they need. Likewise, don’t wait for your patients to ask for help. By anticipating their unique, personal needs, you can express your appreciation without a word.
2. Be polite
Prioritization is at the heart of nursing, and all on-duty nurses constantly have a prioritized worklist in their head. If a task isn’t near the top of that list, it doesn’t deserve as much time as more important issues.
When it comes to people, however, prioritization takes a back seat to kindness. It’s not always easy to keep a smile on your face at work, but both your patients and co-workers deserve the same kindness and consideration that you do. Even when you’re busy and stressed, be sure to treat those around you with consideration and respect for their value.
3. Pay attention
Maya Angelou famously wrote that people will forget your name, what you said, and what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel. For nurses, these words hold special value. Even a short conversation with a patient, one where you get to know them as a person, can be more significant and memorable to them than any complex treatment they might receive. In essence, such attention to detail shouldn’t be viewed as a secondary concern, but as a fundamental part of the treatment process.
If you work in nursing or health care, you deserve the biggest “thank you” we can give. We made the Nurse Backpack app so you would have the support you need to thrive in your career. To learn how it can transform the way you track and share your nursing credentials, contact one of our representatives today!
