As a seasoned ER nurse, I know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed and burned out. We don't always get treated the best by patients, and we truly see the worst of the worst. After years of this, it’s easy to become complacent and lose sight of what being a nurse truly can do for others.

Last night, we had a new homeless man brought into the ER by ambulance. One we weren't familiar with but quickly learned he needed to be attended to. He was covered in bugs and feces, and his layers of clothes were visibly matted to his skin. Now, I have seen people like this time and time again in the ER. And after so many times, it becomes routine to look past these issues; just to quickly treat the patient, feed them and get them out of the ER. But last night was a great reminder for me of why being a nurse can change the lives of some, even if it's just for one night. When this patient was brought into his room, you could smell him from down the hallway.

Emily Moltion, without question or fear of helping this patient, slowly started undressing the patient and talking him through the process. At this point, we discovered how bad his condition really was, and this man desperately needed medical attention but also needed to be cleaned up. We called for help from a colleague, who also, without question, gowned up and helped Emily wheel and then carry this man into the ER shower. From there, the patient told us this was his first shower in over 8 months, and he was so appreciative of the help he was receiving. They were able to clean all the feces off him, wash his wounds and his hair, scrub in between his toes, etc... The patient, at one point, had tears in his eyes and asked if he could just sit in the shower and enjoy the hot water a little longer, as this would probably be the last time he got to enjoy one for a while. Once he was all clean, Emily and her colleague picked this patient up from the shower and put him into a clean bed. They provided him with warm blankets and new clothes and shoes from the ED closet. There was a visible change in this man's attitude towards staff. You could see it on his face he already felt better and safe.

I know this is such a simple and basic skill we as nurses learn, but it is easily forgotten about in the ER. We get so caught up in the critical patients, traumas or moving onto the next, we sometimes forget to stop and just look at these patients as people. Last night I was reminded why I wanted to become a nurse 13 years ago, and it was all because of the compassion showed by Emily Moltion and her colleague. I'm happy to call them both my co-workers, and Upstate should be proud to have such great employees who truly care about their patients!