I'm 6 weeks into my job as a Nursing Assistant. Friends ask all the time how it's going, and I usually say, "It's hard, but I'm getting the hang of it," or something in that vein. Which, of course, is true. I'm getting my rhythm down and have created my own routine. I've learned how to put on clean incontinence briefs (we're not allowed to call them diapers), without taking off a patient's pants. Think about that for a second. Try putting on clean underwear while wearing pants! I'm getting really good at emptying colostomy bags, and am slowly getting to know my co-workers.
I'm also getting to know my patients. They are in the rehab unit anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months. Almost every day one of my patients leave and another one takes their place. Some I'm sad to see go; others cause an internal moment of rejoicing! Overall, it's been wonderful serving these men and women. They are in a vulnerable place: no privacy or personal is space allowed when I'm the one to wipe their rear end!
Last night I experienced one of my favorite patient encounters thus far. One of my very sweetest patients made a simple, quick rude comment to me when I offered to take her to the restroom. I remember being surprised at her comment, but quickly moved on and didn't give it much thought. Many of my patients suffer from dementia, and it's not unusual to get yelled at several times a day. A few weeks ago another little old lady dumped a glass of water on me! Anyway, at the end of my shift, one of the nurses told me this woman wanted to apologize for what she said. At first, I didn't think she could mean me. What she said was so minor compared to how I'm treated by other patients, that I thought maybe she was just confused. However, I headed over to her room and sat down beside her on her bed. Tears welled in her eyes as she told me that she was so sorry about how she treated me. I was shocked! I genuinely hadn't been offended, but she said she couldn't fall asleep because she was so upset. I stroked her hand as I told her that I forgave her, and tried to encourage her with anything that felt right to say in the moment. As I slipped out of her room and headed home, I had a tear in my eye, and a smile as well, grateful for this small moment in my day. It's so easy to think that all I do is help people go to the bathroom, get dressed, and brush their teeth. Of course, I need to remember it's always more than that. It's a mission field and a ministry. My job is very hard, both physically and mentally, but it is rewarding as well!
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