This semester I had the opportunity to sit and have a conversation as well as just sit with a patient who needed someone to talk to. Due to COVID it was difficult for his family to come and visit him in the hospital and unfortunately, he had a long hospital stay ahead of him. His injury left him almost completely immobile so even doing basic tasks for himself was not an option. When I first arrived at the hospital, he was the patient that the nurses seemed frustrated with because he was constantly ringing his call bell just wanting someone to talk to. I saw this as my opportunity to not only get more comfortable talking with patients, but to make him feel a little less lonely. We talked about where he grew up, how many siblings he has, and even what his favorite activities were before he ended up in the hospital. This man, who everyone saw as a nuisance, just wanted someone to listen to him.
Throughout the day, the nurse and CNA made a few stops into the room to assist me with moving him from the bed to his wheelchair and every time he would tell them how great I was. I could tell that a therapeutic conversation and just a friend made his day so much better. As the day went on, I would come and go from his room, but each time I returned he would get a smile on his face. He asked me questions about where I go to school and how many more years I had before becoming a nurse, and just kept thanking me for sitting with him. I could tell that being in the hospital was difficult for him. Giving up his independence and accepting that he cannot do most tasks for himself anymore was a big task for him. I also got an opportunity to go PT with him which was exciting for me because I got to see the process, but it was also exciting for him, I think. The therapist had a mirror in front of him so he could see himself stand up, and each time he did he just said, “look at me”. I could tell that from the start of the end to the end of the day he was a whole new person just by having someone sitting there to talk with him.
