It Only Takes Five Minutes

I've be told by nurses from other units, "You're so lucky that you're in surgery --- your patient is asleep." (FYI - they are referring to the amount of interaction I have with patients.)

Huh? Who me? Lucky?!?

Honestly, I don't think they understand what I do. That's OK... I know it's hard to think about what other nurses do when you're up to your eyeballs in your own specialty.

In the operating room, nurses (specifically when you're the circulating nurse) get plenty of time with patients and their families. Enough time to make a connection, that is.

There was one day when I was pulled out of my normal service - orthopedics - to circulate in a general surgery room. All the cases for the day happened to be patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

My scrub nurse and I set up the room for the first case --- a complete mastectomy. I went to the holding area to pick up my patient, "Gloria". When I walked into her room, I gave my usual toothy grin and introduced myself.

"Hello! I'm Molly... I'm one of the nurses in surgery."

Gloria was flanked by her two daughters, one who is a nurse at the connecting children's hospital. The first thing that came out of the peds nurse's mouth was, "Thank God - a friendly nurse!!!"

"Gee thanks..." I said, wondering what kind of interactions they had prior to my arrival.

I did my usual assessment, asking the questions that at least two or three other people had already asked her. Then I did my Julie McCoy thing, explaining all the stuff that would happen --- giving her warm blankets, putting monitors on her, etc. I promised Gloria and her daughters that I was going to be in the room the whole time.

"Any questions for me?" I asked.

No questions. After I announced that it was time for some hugs and kisses before we left, the tears began to well up in all three ladies' eyes.

I thought, 'Aw man... Tears??? Please don't... Oh please... Geez. Here I go...'

My tears were threatening to appear. My heart was breaking as I witnessed this scene: the daughters who were so scared, worried, feeling so helpless and their mother trying to be so brave. What could I say to make it better? Nothing...

I promised to take good care of their mother and reassured them that she was in good hands with her surgeon and the rest of the team. The daughters were grateful that I was going to be in the room with her, they told me. It took everything for me not to cry.

Maybe for some people it takes a few days to make a connection, but for me it only takes five minutes.