Inspirational quotes and stories

9. Which day would you relive?

Sure, all nurses have had some bad days on the job that they’d like to forget, but they’ve also had days that they will remember for the rest of their careers—and their lives. We asked our Facebook fans which day they would choose if they could time-travel to any previous day on the job. Check out their heartfelt, touching responses below.

The day I was working at WMH as a unit coordinator awaiting my board results when—TA-DA!!! My “boss” showed me my license! I HAD PASSED!
—Patty Ann McGee

The first patient I had who coded on me…I was a newer nurse and was too scared of the doctor to argue with him, even though I knew exactly what the patient needed. I ended up calling a rapid response on him, and the ICU doc who came over for that ordered the med I knew the patient needed, but by then it was too late. He coded shortly after I called the rapid response and we lost him. Lesson learned: Sometimes you gotta be tough as nails to be a good patient advocate.
—Meg Freeman

I have been a Neonatal ICU nurse for 30 years, and I would go back to any day where I got to place a tiny, sick infant in a mom’s arms—who has been waiting for weeks to feel that miracle, always wondering if her baby would survive long enough for her to ever get that chance—for the first time. It still brings me to tears of joy and a feeling of honor to be allowed to share that precious moment.
—Terry Olson

Read the rest of the list.