What can nurses do to better help you?

Kitchell
Kitchell Member Posts: 62
edited March 2014 in Leukemia #1
I am an RN student and I would like to know what the nurses who care for you could do to better help you? I'm anxious to get your feedback! Please reply!

Comments

  • erica10
    erica10 Member Posts: 30
    #2
    Hi kitchell!
    I had leukemia when i was about 10. I was in the hospital a lot and i think they were closer to me than my own family when i was sick. All you have to do is listen, you know like a friend would do. We don't want to be pitied we just want to be treated like normal people. That's all you have to do. We need someone to talk to make jokes and stuff. There is nothing better than that. Thanks for caring about this stuff.

    later,
    erica10
  • Kitchell
    Kitchell Member Posts: 62
    #3
    erica10 said:

    Hi kitchell!
    I had leukemia when i was about 10. I was in the hospital a lot and i think they were closer to me than my own family when i was sick. All you have to do is listen, you know like a friend would do. We don't want to be pitied we just want to be treated like normal people. That's all you have to do. We need someone to talk to make jokes and stuff. There is nothing better than that. Thanks for caring about this stuff.

    later,
    erica10

    Thank you for replying to my question. It will help me be a better nurse. I wish you the best!
  • tiggertoo
    tiggertoo Member Posts: 25
    #4
    Hi! Erica hit it right on the head! I am almost 2 years in remission from ALL. I spent 17 weeks in the hospital over a 7 month period. I had 8 rounds of chemotherapy (1 week each) and spent the rest of the time dealing with "fun" side effects. I was the problem child -- "if anything can go wrong- it will!" I ankles the size of grapefruit, peticie (or however you spell it!), steroid induced diabetes, multiple (and I mean multiple) blood and platelet transfusions. I also developed some rather nasty headaches.
    During all of this, the nurses & nursing aids that I loved the best were the ones that came in with a cheerful attitude; were willing to help any way they could; kept me in the loop -- let me know they were going to be 15 more minutes with another pt, etc., before they can bring me a pain pill or they would get another nurse if at all possible. Bringing PAIN MEDS ASAP is the #1 priority in my opinion. The methotrexate, by the end, gave me excruciating headaches. It was like someone flipped a lightswitch on and it was instant debilitating pain that reduced me to a sobbing heap on the floor. (For anyone else reading DON'T BE FREAKED - I have a history of headaches, I get them easily) I had to be put on a Dilaudid drip. So to sum it up: Cheerful, upbeat attitude, quick response to pain...doing your best and letting the small stuff roll off YOUR back so that YOU can be the most effective YOU can be! Also, I was the youngest on the floor many times (I was 33 yrs. old) and the staff would bring in movies for me to watch and TV/VCR...that didn't hurt either! :) I also appreciated the aids and the occasional down times that the nurses would bring me chicken broth at 3 AM in the morning. The biggest thing you need is the HEART to help people. Hope this helps - And bless you for wanting to help us! Kathy
  • ellieoak
    ellieoak Member Posts: 1
    #5
    Some of the best nurses I have had were just caring, weather it was sitting with me as I filled out new forms, handing me a kleenex when I was having a meltdown, or asking me questions about my life, work, kids etc. while I was having blood drawn.

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