I don’t know why, and it’s probably strange, and I don’t have a rational explanation for it, but I think the moments I feel most rewarded by my career are when a patient says, “Wow! I just can’t believe how hard nurses work!”

Usually they say this as they watch me perform no less than eighty-seven distinct tasks within a record fourteen minute time-span. I always want to reply with, “Yes! I am busy! This is a tough job! we do struggle on a daily basis!”

I think it’s the equivalent of telling a complex patient, “Wow, you are going through a tough time. This must be a really hard for you.” After all, showing empathy and understanding is an important part of communication, right? So, it only goes to reason that it feels good when patients empathize with you, as their nurse, and show understanding as to just how tough your chosen career can be.

It sure is a stark contrast from those patients who assume we are doing absolutely nothing and are quite easily available at any given time to perform whatever mundane task they simply don’t feel like doing.

A patient yesterday said, “I don’t like asking for pain meds. You are so busy and I don’t want you to get stressed out.”

Now that he was my favorite patient, I said, “You’d be amazed how hard it is to stress me out. It’s even harder to fluster me. Please ask for pain meds whenever you need to–and I don’t want you feeling any guilt. OK?”

“OK”