Holistic care

She was such a lovely patient. I was there to witness the excitement and love on her grandmother's face as she was wheeled in to see her granddaughter. I stood there a while longer, unsure if that it was the right choice as Patient N was gasping for air. However, grandma was just happy to see patient N. I left them for their own private time together.

A few days later, patient N slipped away. I was however saddened when I heard how she left the world. Fear gripped her as she faced the gates of death. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she breathed her last breath. She died crying. She wasn't ready to go at all. She was a petite young lady just like you and I. She was just 34. She died leaving behind a 4 year old son.

Somewhere in my heart sunk as I heard of this news. It was not so much of death that saddened me. What struck me deeply was the way she left the world. The words " she wasn't ready, she wasn't ready" kept ringing in my head. I asked God why she had to go just after I finished my shift. Why couldn't she go during my shift so that I could be there for her? It struck me then that patient N was actually afraid of dying when she refused to be left alone a few days before her death. Why did I not pick that out? How could I have missed such an obvious sign?

All along I knew that patients require more than just medical care. However, patients like N, S, and many others allowed me to experience what I always talk about. Yes indeed, patients need more than medical care. They desire emotional and spiritual care. All nurses know this. However, how many actually do live that out, esp during times of busyness?

Taking cases now and being nurse-in-charge of more than one patient, I got a taste of why nurses are always so busy people. Indeed, there is much work to do and many things to think about. Your attention is just spilt up to the many patients you have. You've got to know everything of all your patients. While serving one patient, your mind is already racing ahead of what to do next. Even as you move on to other tasks, your mind is always constantly on the look out for all your other patients. Yes, even sitting there to write report, your senses have got to be sharp to notice anything amiss that can possibly happen. And because of so many of these things to think about, it sometimes can be quite easy to forget that you are caring for the patient and not the disease. Knowing this, I constantly remind myself each day that I am there to serve and bless my patients. Having a right perspective is so important in nursing. Because it is so easy to lose it, I am even more convinced of the need for prayer groups to keep meeting up. To build a strong support and encouragement for all christian nurses in NUS. ( of course, anyone else is welcomed to join:)

I realised too, that all the things I have learnt- basic to advanced skills- they are all for the same purpose. ie, To serve my patients in every way possible. Even the time spent to build myself up personally, be it emotionally, spiritually or intellectually, it all boils down to the same thing. What I present before the patient is what my patient will recieve. Who I am determines what kind of nurse I will be to my patients.

I pray that I will always remember, no matter how busy, that I am still a servant of God. And a servant of God needs to follow and provide for the patients with the same kind of healing model Jesus first showed. It may not be easy, but I know that with a little wisdom, a little prayer, a little love and concern, it will be possible by God's strength.