On the other side of the badge

My grandmother died this morning. My mother and I arrived at the hospital about 10 minutes after she passed. We might have made it on time had we been quicker out the door, or had I not mentioned that we might want to have a copy of her living will available to give to the ER staff, or had we not had to make a "pit stop" due to my mom's "nervous stomach" prior to going into the ER.

Everyone in the ER was professional and kind (and yes, it most certainly is possible to be both, despite the occasional grumbling you hear), from the ER physician who broke the news, the nurse who was sympathetic and understanding, to the chaplain who came and sat with us and comforted my mother with a prayer.

My grandmother's nurse repeatedly assured us that there was no rush, and encouraged us to call any family we needed to and to wait for their arrival. She answered our questions, was open about what went on when my grandmother was brought into the ER (Grandma was unresponsive and slowly worsening as they worked on her, but did not appear to pass in pain, nor was she alone when she died), and was most of all kind.

I can't even really put my finger on what precisely she did to make the whole experience just a little bit better for us, but she did, and I appreciate that so very much.


Thinking back on this morning, that interaction is one of the many, many reasons that I am proud to be a nurse - the skills, the caring, the knowledge required, and so much more. I am proud to be a nurse.