Simple acts

It is always so nice to see patients friends and family members come visit, especially when they recognize how to brighten the patients day. It's nice when they come and sit with the patient, even if the patient is sleeping. It is an act of compassion when they add more ice to the patients water, or offer to straighten up the room. Even simple things like coming to help brush thier hair, or more incredibly wash thier hair. I have seen acts of service in coming and clipping thier friends nails for them, or helping them shave. Little stuff that, unfortunately, us nurses rarely ever have the time for. But I would imagine it makes a world of difference. My "good deed of the day" was that I let my patient get most of his meds through his ng tube instead of making him swallow all 24 pills. (I did insist that he take the 2 I couldn't crush.)
It is good to be me when I can make a patients hour just that much less inconvenient. I don't know if it makes a difference, but that's okay. I am almost more pleased with myself when I can "sneak in" something nice that won't even be noticed. Like refilling the box with saline flushes. You don't notice when it is done, but boy do you ever when it's not!