The Other Side of the Bed

Have you ever been a patient?

Some people think you can’t really be a good and/or sympathetic nurse, physician or any other caregiver unless you’ve been the “caregivee.”

Having been on the other side of the bed several times, I tend to agree.

I’ve spent several stints in hospitals for broken bones, surgeries, infections and other assorted illnesses—once for more than a month. This hospitalization taught me what it felt like to be nearly helpless and completely dependent on caregivers.

This also was the occasion I came across a couple of really nasty nurses.

They seemed not only to lack understanding of my frustration and fear, but at times actually caused pain. It was many years ago and I wasn’t a very assertive patient. Perhaps part of the problem was that I lacked the energy to complain, or figured my complaints would fall on deaf ears. I certainly wouldn’t let that happen today as long as I were conscious.

During that month-long hospitalization, the best care I received was from a nurse’s aide who obviously knew how to handle orthopedic patients. She deftly moved my broken body and I never felt any pain. I looked forward to seeing her each morning and missed her terribly on her days off. I can still see her face, but can’t remember her name.

The nicest thing this aide did for me was to wash my hair. After two weeks of lying in bed, nearly always flat on my back, I was in heaven as she lathered my locks and massaged my scalp. It was a real challenge to do this, considering what little mobility I had, but she acted like it was no big deal.

So I ask: Have you ever been a patient and did the experience change you or the way you care for patients?

Have you ever been extraordinarily grateful for the care you received from a nurse or anyone else?

Tell me about it.