Stories of Purpose, Worthwhile Work, and Making a Difference
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You Are My Sunshine
Day 63
At Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, 9 West is dubbed the "cancer floor," and the nurses who work there are known for their compassion.
One afternoon, a patient named Libby received some disheartening news from her oncologist. Libby's nurse, Yvonne, sat with Libby as the young mother broke down and cried—and soon Yvonne found herself in tears along with her patient. The nurses on the floor realized Libby needed a break and so one of them secured Libby an afternoon pass, thinking some time outside of the facility with her husband, Brad, might cheer her a bit.
On their way out, Brad asked one of the nurses if Libby could be moved to a room with a view, as he thought that might help lift her spirits. All the nurses—Renee, Marie, Linda, Yvonne, Eloise, Judy, Julie, and Kim—devised a plan to put a smile on Libby's face.
Quickly, the nurses moved Libby's belongings to another room where sunshine streamed through the windows. But something was still lacking and the nurses decided the room needed further embellishment. Jessica, from Dietary, called one of her friends who was known for her flower garden, and she produced a colorful bouquet of fresh-cut flowers, which added a special touch to Libby's room. The caregivers all chipped in some money and bought Libby a new gown. And the nurses? Well, they had their reward, too. A wonderful smile lit up their patient's face once more. They felt the sunshine had truly returned.
When Brad and Libby returned from their afternoon out, the nurses were gathered in Libby's room, and sang "You Are My Sunshine" when she arrived. Both Brad and Libby were overwhelmed, greatly touched by the special caring these nurses had so freely shown.
—Submitted by Linda Pledge, Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, Jackson, TN
This story was excerpted from What's Right in Health Care, 365 Stories of Purpose Worthwhile Work, and Making a Difference (Fire Starter Publishing, ISBN 978-0-9749986-4-0) and is available at www.studergroup.com.
