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AIBU?

To pay this nurse a visit

18 replies

JaffaMyCake · 27/06/2013 19:44

I am a regular poster, have name changed due to personal issues I'm posting in this and another thread.

About 6 years ago I went through a serious bout of bad mental health aged 20. I was admitted to hospital a&e several times with suicide attempts/self harm or being out of my face on painkillers. There was one particular nurse who went out of her way to care for me, who was always kind and compassionate and would spend ages talking to me and reassuring me when a lot of the other staff just saw me as a nuisance. She would always ask to swap with other nurses so she could specifically care for me and would often stay on after her shift to make sure I was ok. I think she saw me for what I really was - a frightened child, and I firmly believe that she really really helped me to recover and be where I am today.

I am now married with a damn good job and a baby son, I'm fit and mentally healthy and I honestly think she would be proud.

So WIBU to try and track her down at the hospital and give her a huge bunch of flowers and a hug, or do you think she would find this weird?

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currywurst3 · 27/06/2013 19:45

I think that would make her day.

Hassled · 27/06/2013 19:47

Not weird at all - I'm sure she would be delighted. Go for it. And well done for getting through what sounds like an horrific time.

tiptapkeyboard · 27/06/2013 19:47

do it

Fairyegg · 27/06/2013 19:47

I think she would love it. Not sure how you could find out if she's still working there though.

glorious · 27/06/2013 19:52

Definitely do it. This isn't in the same league but yesterday I took some homemade cake to the birth centre where I had DD. I was a bit worried they'd say 'go away, we're too busy and you're disturbing us' but they were thrilled and even called me later on to say how much they'd enjoyed it.

I'm sure tracking down this nurse would be wonderful. Perhaps you could see if the RCN would pass on a message if you can't find her.

Eddie107 · 27/06/2013 19:52

I think she would be delighted to know that you are doing so well, happy to know that she made a difference & really touched that you made the effort to contact her. I used to be a nurse & still think about some of the patients I looked after & wonder how they're getting on.

georgie22 · 27/06/2013 19:54

I'm a nurse and would be completely delighted if someone took the effort to find me and thank me for the care I had given. She would be so pleased to see you with a happy life too.

attheendoftheday · 27/06/2013 19:54

As long as it's through the hospital (rather than, for example, through facebook or showing up at her door) then that would be lovely.

I'm a bit concerned that swapping shifts to care for a specific patient sounds a bit unprofessional though.

Have you thought about contacting the feedback department (what most people call the complaints dept) to give a positive account about her? Our trust prints these in the monthly bulletin that goes round all staff.

x2boys · 27/06/2013 19:55

I,m a mental health nurse its always nice to know patients are well and doing fine .

ZillionChocolate · 27/06/2013 19:55

Sounds like a lovely idea.

SmiteYouWithThunderbolts · 27/06/2013 19:56

I think that would be lovely. It must be a hard part of the job to say goodbye to patients and not know what happens to them. I imagine it would make her day to see you doing so well now.

x2boys · 27/06/2013 19:57

though not sure how the RCN as they are a union which she may or may not be in

ilovechips · 27/06/2013 20:12

Well I'm a nurse and I would be really happy if someone did this for me. She may well wonder sometimes how you are doing anyway if she was that involved in your care. I think knowing that you have made a difference to someone is why most of us go into nursing, and she would likely be delighted to know how much she helped you :)

50shadesofknackered · 27/06/2013 21:13

I'm a nurse and a few years ago, someone I cared for on a ward sent me a lovely letter via the hospital thanking me. It was so lovely and I was so touched that she had remembered me and it was amazing to know that I had helped her through something awful. Do it, you will make her week. I still have the letter I received.

xigris · 27/06/2013 21:22

I'm a nurse too and would be bloody thrilled if a former patient did this for me! I'm not in mental health but I love it when patients come back to see us, one of the best parts of the job! Congratulations on having done so well

DisgraceToTheYChromosome · 27/06/2013 23:12

A bloke writes: I'm married to a nurse. She loves getting bouquets. I like looking at them too. Cake is even better. You can eat it.

piffpoff · 28/06/2013 00:54

I think this would be a lovely thing to do if you can track her down. Particularly in mental health, nurses often feel under appreciated and I think she would be delighted.
Many moons ago when I was doing my nurse training (mental health) a woman got on a bus, sat next to me and thanked me for helping her while she had been admitted to hospital. I hadn't even recognised her as she was on her way to work and looked really different
I had felt completely out of my depth as I was a student and this woman had been very unwell and I just remember making her cups of tea as I didn't know what else to do. It's still a really nice memory for me.

cronullansw · 28/06/2013 01:05

Do it :)

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