What a Patient Says Can Make Your Day

Sometimes a few words from a patient can make a world of difference

A nurse’s job is never easy — even on a relatively slow day. But just as a colleague’s or manager’s words can give you the boost you need to make it through a shift, so can a patient’s. Their expressions of appreciation or even a humorous comment can live on in a nurse’s memory for days or forever. On Facebook, we asked nurses, “What has a patient said that made your day?” Many of the comments showed that a simple “Thank you” is all nurses need to hear.

Here are just a few of the other encouraging responses we received. Click here to read more.

“You nurses are like the ‘Star-Spangled Banner.’ You’re here from the dawn’s early light till the twilight’s last gleaming.”

— Maryann Rice

“Will you come back to work tomorrow and be my nurse.”

— Erin Nicole

When I returned from vacation to a psych unit: "I'm glad you're back. It's much safer when you are here."

— John Donoghue

“You knew what I needed before I knew what I wanted.”

— Charlene Vass

“Thank you so much for taking such good care of my dad." I work in assisted living. We FaceTime his daughter every day because of the visitors restrictions with the pandemic.

— Peg Bozich

“Please don’t leave.”

— Nancy Kwiatkowski McCormick

“I always feel safe when you are on duty.”

— Reese Napoli

“You are so full of sunshine, and I love you to bits.”

— Ann Gorski

“You have a good heart. I feel safe to have you as my nurse.”

— Romi O's

“You're my angel.”

— Betty Potter

“When she just asked me to hold her hand when she feels scared. It just made me feel special.”

— Yvonne Mokawane

“Anytime a patient says ‘thank you’ is reward enough. But just to see them recover and get discharged is pretty rewarding too.”

— Susan Turton-Weeks

"When I see you I know everything will be ok."

— Rebekah Mayer

“Sister, were it not for you, my children would be orphans.”

— Cathy Kate

“Many years ago, I admitted a lovely young man to hospital. He was very ill and HIV positive. I will never forget the words he said to me, ‘Thank you for touching me!’”

— Avril Simpson

“I took care of a military man’s wife, and when I told him, ‘Thank you for your service,’ he said back to me, ‘No, thank you for yours!’”

— Mary Anne Ramos

“I had a 17-year-old in the hospital with Rhabdo. She did fine. A week later her mom saw me in Walmart and hugged me and thanked me for caring for her daughter!! One of many wonderful moments during my 50 years in the business!!”

— Brenda Windsor

“I worked on Intensive care and was looking after a very ill young girl on a ventilator. She had beautiful long hair. Her parents came to visit and their first words as they walked through the door was, ‘Oh, you've washed her hair. She looks beautiful. Thank you."

— Jean Dawson

“Promise me one thing. Just please keep doing what you are doing.”

— Jake Aoun

“Thank you for being nice to me.”

— Aliceann Reilley

"When I see you, my worries are gone."

— Iphrain Vega