Taking care of older patients can sometimes prove to be a challenge when they are set in their ways and not as culturally accepting as others.
On one particular day, Anju came to the desk to let the Charge Nurse know she had a sick patient who wanted to have a new nurse. Not because she wasn't one of the kindest nurses on the unit or because she wasn't caring, but because she wasn't from this country. He wanted her to return to her country and didn't want her to care for him.
Anju is a wonderful nurse. I watch her with compassion for others exceeding most on a daily basis. She smiles and provides so much care and compassion to patients, to be treated like that was so unfair to her. The amazing thing for me to see is that she was more upset that she could no longer provide care for this patient and had to pass him to another nurse. He was "very sick" and she wanted to take care of him regardless of what he was saying.
It is so easy to lose sight when you're being treated unfairly in any situation. She never wavered her compassion. I thought it was above and beyond to be treated this way and still want to take care of, and provide very good care to someone not so nice to you.
It is very admirable to see compassion of this level. Anju, we are so lucky to have you here with us! You are such a role model for all of us.