Small actions of HCPs that make you feel better

[GladysGeorgina]

For some reason today I was thinking about times I’ve felt comforted by small actions of HCPs. I’ve had a few invasive investigations recently so maybe that’s why:
Nurse bringing me a blanket and draping it round my shoulders when I was sitting next to my unconscious DH in ICU (he made a full recovery btw)
After a particularly difficult endoscopy the nurse noticed I was a bit hot and bothered and put a cool cloth on my forehead
After spinal surgery I was feeling quite overwhelmed. One of the student nurses brought a little table onto the ward and sat and did his paperwork. I found his quiet presence very reassuring.

Anyone else care to share little actions that have made a difference? Many thanks to all the hardworking HCPs out there.

I've been in hospital a few times lately for tests and everyone I've met has been lovely.

Had a bladder flow test recently and it was very painful for me. The nurse held my hand, which was so comforting.

I was on a trolley in a cold, empty corridor, waiting to be be wheeled into surgery for a MMC. I remember laying there sobbing. Suddenly there was an older Indian lady by my side, she wiped my eyes and stroked my face and said such kind things. Then she disappeared. I don’t know if she was a doctor, or a nurse, or cleaning staff. Sometimes I wonder if I imagined the whole thing. But I think I’ll never forget her.

I went to A&E in the middle of the night alone with extreme pain from what turned out to be a gall stone. I have a phobia of hospitals due to a sexual attack in one, which is in my notes, so I really don't like them. I was given painkillers and had to wait alone, still in excruciating pain for 20 mins for them to kick in. The pain was like the worst of childbirth and it had been going on at that level for 3hrs by then. I was breathing like a baby was about to come out plus shivering from fear of being there.

The receptionist came into the room I was in and just sat and held my hand.

I still cry thinking of it now. There aren't words to describe what she did for me that night.

@BertieBotts

Was in hospital in my early 20s with severe UTI. Terrified, very upset by the anticoagulant injections which I found very painful, and wanted my mum. A nurse sat down with me, told me it was the end of her shift and she was tired and chatted a bit, then went and raided the lunchboxes for leftover kitkats :o I didn't realise until later that the end of her shift meant she'd been working for twelve hours. The fact she had energy left to be kind and positive towards me was lovely.

When DS2 was born he had to go into NICU. We lived in Germany. When they heard we spoke English at home some of the staff opted to speak to him in English "so he would understand". I thought that was lovely. So many people would assume it didn't matter.

I love this. I’m imagining a bunch of German doctors and nurses speaking English to a newborn!

Small things do make the difference.

I have two. Towards the end of his life my Dad was under the care of a cardiac nurse who he had appointments with every month which I took him to so we got to know her quite well. Then he had to be blue-lighted into hospital and although the consultant was kind and quite forthright I still didn't really understand the prognosis. On the off chance that she was in, I rang the cardiac nurse and asked if I could speak to her for a few minutes about my Dad's condition. She said "wait there I'll come and find you" and took me through what to expect. My Dad's death was still awful but she helped me so much.

The other was having a broken wrist set in Myanmar while on holiday. I insisted I didn't want general anaesthetic so was sedated but conscious while about 5 medics hung onto my arm and hand to get things back into place. The anaesthetist, when he found out I was English, declared a love of British rock music so we bonded over chat about Led Zeppelin and Queen (me through gritted teeth )

I went to the dentist with an abscess a few months ago. I got into the room and burst into tears, and the dentist was so lovely to me. She was so kind and it meant a lot as I was so nervous.

I've had various nurses who have stopped to comfort me or stroke my arm or reassure me over various things. I'm so grateful for their kindness.

So many over the years, they're amazing. The two that I remember most.

I called my old GP when DS was about 6 mo, he had a temperature and very red cheeks. I'd moved out of their catchment area for home visits but he was happy to keep me on his books as I rarely saw them. He advised Calpol etc over the phone. A couple of hours later he appeared on my doorstep- said he was passing on his way home so he thought he'd check on us as it was so unusual for me to call.

More recently, I had a major op and was less than 48 hours post surgery when a difficult patient's relative came in and smashed up the bay we were in, the place was in uproar. It was really triggering for me, I had a panic attack and was sobbing. A lovely nurse came round, fished out her phone and started chatting and showing me pictures of her young nephew that she was about to go back to her home country to visit. I realised she was (successfully) trying to distract me whilst her colleagues were doing their best to sort out the chaos. Ended up taking refuge in the day room with the lady opposite me for a couple of hours. The sister and ward manager found us beds in another ward beside each other for the remainder of our stay.

I was in hospital for a long time before DS was born 14 years ago.
Two medical students who were the same age as me used to come into chat and have lunch with me, it passed the day as we lived 5 hours away from family and it was just me and DH who worked during the day.
When I was in labour the doctor who had looked after me came down to labour ward just to see how we were getting on and the lovely medical student came down at 8.30 pm after her shift (last day of her placement) to see how we were doing. I was pushing and the midwife asked her if she would like to stay to help deliver. It was so special and I’ll always be grateful. New born DS and I were napping the next day and when I woke up she had been in and left a teddy for him but didn’t like to wake us. I have the teddy in his memoery box and sometimes wonder how her career went and what a lovely doctor she must be.