One evening last month as I was working through my night shift assessments, I noticed a day shift coworker in a room. It was well after Kelsey's usual shift end, and starting out as a busy night. I stopped in to see if I could help, as she is also a fairly new nurse. Kelsey gave me a smile and refused. It was obvious that the day shift had been just as busy as our night was, and here was Kelsey making a bed. I learned that she had promised this particular patient a bath before her anticipated surgery in the morning. It was such a busy day that it had never happened. As a nurse you can only accomplish so much in a 12-hour shift. Yet, Kelsey decided to stay and give her patient a bath and refresh her bed. I see her compassion for our patients on a regular basis. Being a new nurse is hard. There is so much to learn, absorb, and do. To see a nurse like Kelsey, with her drive to learn, is a wonderful thing.
Nurses do so much for our patients, all for the greater good and better outcome, sometimes these 'little' things are not recognized as the 'big' things that they truly are. We are lucky to have such a compassionate, bright new nurse on 7-North, and it's a pleasure to work with her and be reminded about why we became nurses in the first place. Thanks Kelsey!