Soul to Soul

Wow, don't you love the thrill of bonding with a patient like that! How wonderful for you. You know we are so lucky to get to meet, know, and care for so many different people in our lifetimes as nurses. It sounds like she was a special gift from God sent to give you that encouragement and reassurance that you are on the right path. If you ever work in long term care you will be able to share your singing with the patients and staff and they will LOVE it. If you don't I hope that you will volunteer to entertain the folks at the holiday in a local nursing home. Use your gift for singing along with your gift of caring. I promise you will be glad you did.

Yes it was a significant experience for me. After I was licensed and started working on an ortho/neuro floor at my local hospital, I had another neat experience. After getting report, I wondered if the gentleman's last name was related to a musician from my town who has gone on to fame. Turned out he indeed was this blues/rock artist's grandfather, and shortly the parents and extended family were in his room visiting and we talked away about when his next tour was coming up etc. But the neatest thing was, this patient started out very cantankerous with the staff, but after him and I were sharing and acknowledging the music he was a pleasant joy. He asked me if I knew this old blues artist or certain songs etc. Really makes a difference and a wonderful distraction from a patient's pain, self image and depression while hospitalized. You know, I wouldn't have submitted this particular article now that I see the final winners of the article contest were related to holiday spirit and giving. I followed the instructions for the writing contest and I there was no guidline pertaining to making it a holiday themed story. A bit disappointed with this contest I must say, but glad someone found the meaning and feeling behind my story. Appreciate your post.

Wow, music really sets the tone, I was precepting a new icu nurse he was whistling and then apologized to the family when he caught himself whistling... The family told him to keep whistling cause they enjoyed the song he was whistling... Whether singing or whistling it tells our patients we are happy and content with what we are doing..

Bravo! I concur.

Neat story! Life's experiences often bring people together and good things happen and memories are made....I'm thinking that's what LIFE is all about.....memories!

Love it!!!

Appreciate that! y'all make me feel like a winner.

This is what makes us the "caring profession". We touch the hearts of those who put their wellbeing in our hands. In return we are touched by our patients. Those are the patients that we remember most and probable remember us as well. Don't be afraid to share part of yourself. Thank you for being a caring individual, carry that throughout your nursing career.

Keep singing. Use at as part of your healing gift.

....and if neither nursing or singing work for you, you could be a writer! You are a very talented person! I enjoyed your post tremendously! S

I don't know about your school, but in mine, you would have earned many extra brownie points from our instructors for your connection to your patient.DC, ED NOC RN ADNAbbreviations R Us

To samyRN and DC Collins, your replies sure did me a world of good. I'm happy to know that others gained a good feeling from reading my article. I do love writing. There is an absolute freedom in the written word, just as much as certain music makes people free to express themselves. You remember the rock concerts you went to. A lot of "expressing" going on there!