I want to share a little story about a new grad nurse I recently trained at work. New RNs get around 13 weeks of orientation before they go to nights & start on their own in the ICU. I got to give her a patient and I told her I would be back in the morning for updates. The next morning, she tells me about their night & says, “oh yeah if you get in touch with family please let them know the hearing aid batteries are dead & ask if they can bring new ones.” This patient is in isolation so no visitors are allowed & we rely on the phones to keep families up to date with patients & their needs. We hadn’t heard back from a message we left to update them but I told her when they called that day I would let them know. I started my day, which on a Monday with a new doctor for the week rounding on dayshift is BUSY. We had nursing students on the unit with lots of questions. I’m sitting at the desk writing down medications for the day, looking at labs, etc. and a while after this nurse left, I see her on the unit. I said, “what are you doing here?!” She went to the store & bought the patient's batteries because she just couldn’t go home & sleep wondering if the patient's spouse with Alzheimer’s would be able to get him some to the hospital. I am not going to lie, I had to hold in tears because of how much something so small meant. She told me not to tell him they were from her. (Well sorry, I sure did tell him & now I’m telling everyone that will listen.)

Being a new RN in the ICU is overwhelming enough and I’m sure trying to make sure you remember to pay attention to every detail, medication, lab, intake/output, and more about the patients is a lot. I knew her heart was big when we worked together because she always spent extra time with the patients just talking and listening no matter how many things were on our to-do list. I am very proud of how she has advanced as a nurse already and I just can’t wait to see how she grows over time.

It took a while for me to learn it’s not just about making sure their medical needs are met but more. Many times, it's more about giving a listening ear to a concern that you address for them & taking off any stressor you can, even when you don’t have to. I pray that if I ever have a loved one in the hospital that doesn’t allow visitors & they can’t get in touch with family- they get a nurse like Genna who will do what she doesn’t have to for a stranger she only just met 12 hours ago.