I'm ashamed I had no idea--until recently-- about the medical field's necessary dependence on in-patient nursing assistants. Aside from when I delivered my two babies, 15 and 19 years ago, I'm lucky to say I've never been hospitalized. I admit I've always had an unfamiliarity with hospital procedures and a general lack of awareness of how the overall structure of the in-patient medical world is run.
This past summer, my older daughter, Shelley, underwent surgery on her spine for an issue that had caused her chronic pain over the past five years.
Being with Shelley in the hospital for five days, I was able to see up close just how significant a role the nursing assistants play in the well-oiled machine of the hospital system. Until Shelley's surgery and subsequent hospital stay, I naively had no idea just how essential nursing assistants are to the process of post-op, healing, and recovery.
I was impressed with the high level of dedication that patient care and comfort are prioritized by the nursing assistants; they were consistently working to meet their patients' needs. Eventually, the relationship, being that of professional/patient, morphed into the aides also becoming Shelley's "hospital friends". They were positive, friendly, and focused. What a difference that made to her state of mind, and, ultimately, her physical improvement.
Surgery can be very stressful, both emotionally and physically, and having such supportive hospital staff with her best interest at heart made the biggest difference.
The respect and gratitude I developed over those five days for these incredible, hard-working individuals was overwhelming to me as they clearly put forth an investment and concern for Shelley's well-being. As a worried mom, the nursing assistants were priceless to me. Their confidence in what they were doing put me at ease; it was apparent Shelley was in good hands. I relied on them for everything from helping turn her over in the bed (a precarious process), adjusting the compression socks for the leg circulation, bringing her food, to staying on top of checking her breathing via the spirometer. The list of all they did could go on and on, but, suffice it to say, the nursing assistants were constantly in motion up and down the hospital corridors. It was easy to see the dedication they have to their job-- that of being the fuel keeping the bigger vehicle running.
Yet, these tireless and determined individuals too infrequently get recognized for their indispensable responsibilities. The common assumption is that the nurses and physicians do it all. While the nurses and physicians deserve massive recognition in their own right, they often do receive that validation. But it is the nursing assistants who fail to regularly get the acknowledgement they have earned. Our society gives the credit to the nurses and physicians for their vital contributions and daily life-saving decisions. And yes, the major decisions must be made by the aforementioned professionals--it is what they were trained to do and why their many years of schooling is mandatory. But that doesn't mean the nursing assistants deserve to fly under the radar. Their contributions, no matter how small they may seem in comparison to the physicians' and nurses', should not be overlooked. What they do day-to-day is critical in the patients' comfort level--both physically and emotionally. And those contributions should not be discounted.
Although all the nursing assistants we met were incredibly helpful, it was one in particular who had the ability to make a tremendous difference. This woman's name was Carol and, to this day, Shelley and I still talk about her with reverence. It was her warm, effusive demeanor and unwavering encouragement that ultimately motivated Shelley to get up and walk post-surgery. Shelley's surgeon had emphasized the importance of getting her to walk as soon and as frequently as possible. He explained this was critical as it would strengthen the muscles so as to enable quicker healing. But most of the time Shelley was either so frustrated from the pain or half-asleep from narcotics that she had no desire to get up and try to walk. Aside from the incision on her back, she had rods and screws now permanently set in place in her spine. Getting her to walk was almost impossible. Almost.
Without a doubt, Carol the nursing assistant was the impetus that kept Shelley wanting to continue walking. She pushed Shelley in a non-threatening, encouraging way. Carol's warmth brightened up the room every time she entered and it was apparent this had a motivating effect on Shelley. The physical therapist came twice a day to try and get Shelley walking; it wasn't easy. Most of the time that Shelley walked more than twenty feet she became nauseous and would subsequently need to use the plastic bag we brought with us. But Carol, with all her enthusiasm and optimism cheering Shelley on, gave her the incentive to keep going. We would be walking down the hallway of the hospital, with the compassionate, understanding physical therapist, very slowly, and Shelley would feel like giving up; all of a sudden Carol would round the corner, see us, and shout, "Shelley! Great job! You can do it! You're doing so great! I'm so proud of you!" It was as though Shelley had her own personally-assigned cheerleader. Carol's genuinely effusive manner invigorated Shelley. You really can't put a price on the good that Carol did for Shelley and, I'm certain, for all her patients. My description of her isn't even doing her justice.
When I look back at that week in August, it is not just Carol, but all the nursing assistants who stand out most in my mind as having made the biggest impact on my daughter's positive state. And that was vital for the motivation required for healing.
If you are ever in any circumstance in which a nursing assistant is partaking in your care, I hope these professionals will not just be seen as "the help" but rather a crucial, engaged part of the whole team with one goal in mind- that of getting you well. Their importance should not be undervalued but, rather, applauded.