I slept in my mother’s hospital room the first night after my parents’ car accident. Although both my parents were in ICU, her condition was worse than his. The next morning, Mom woke up and pointed to the ventilator tube in her mouth. I explained that the ventilator was due to a car accident and that dad was in the same hospital and doing well. She took my hand when I told her that she was going to surgery to repair her broken vertebrae. I promised her that we were going to take care of everything. She squeezed my hand tight and wasn’t about to let go. She would start to drift off to sleep, but as soon as she felt my hand slip out of her hand, her eyes would open and she would squeeze my hand again. I knew she was scared and didn’t want me to leave her side.

After only 24 hours in the hospital, I began to comprehend the gravity of my mother’s injuries. As I waited for her to be taken to the first of several surgeries and what would become a lengthy hospital stay, the emotions seemed to engulf me. Before I could reach for the box of tissues, Mom’s nurse noticed and instinctively knew exactly what I needed. Without a word, she grabbed the box and passed me tissues. Her name was Megan and that gesture was the first of countless kind acts from the nurses who cared for my mother.


National Nurses Week on May 6 – May 12 is a time to recognize nurses for their compassion, dedication, and vital role in patient care.


For me and my family, it’s the perfect time to express our love and appreciation for the nurses who cared for my mother and my entire family. The compassion these nurses showed my mother was always noticeable. They also showed the same understanding, sympathy, and kindness to me and other family members, particularly during those moments when we were absolutely overwhelmed. They seemed to know just what we needed to continue on.

One family member commented that when she felt there were a million reasons to give up, a thoughtful gesture by a nurse became the one reason to keep going. The doctors warned us that Mom’s recovery would be a process. The process was emotionally taxing and sometimes physically exhausting. During those times, a kind word or act from a nurse made it a little easier to get through that day.


You cannot force kindness; all you can do is hope for it.


I should qualify that many of the amazing doctors, respiratory technicians, nurse aids, therapists, and other members of the medical staff showed genuine concern for Mom. It is, however, National Nurses Week, so this article will focus on the kindness of the nurses who cared for Mom.

Megan was Mom’s nurse several times in ICU. I learned that because of her experience as an ICU nurse, she had frequent interaction with the families of those in critical condition. She had witnessed the emotional trauma of having a family member severely injured, and as a result, she showed my family an abundance of compassion, sympathy, and understanding. After a doctor or team of doctors gave us their report, Megan often returned to Mom’s room to ask, “Did you understand what was said and do you have any questions?” She never left the room without asking if we needed anything or if she could do anything for us.

Megan was also keenly aware of Mom’s needs even when Mom couldn’t communicate. She diligently monitored for bed sores, examined surgical sites for proper healing, and watched for the smallest change in Mom’s status. She was quick to phone a doctor to address a medical concern and mindful of Mom’s basic, routine needs. Megan sometimes stayed after her shift ended and never left something undone for the next nurse to address.

Daniel was another ICU nurse who was completely in tune with Mom’s needs and the family’s needs. Once Mom was conscious, she only wanted female nurses when it was necessary to remove her gown. Daniel completely understood and would leave the room to return with a female nurse. Eventually, we came to understand that nurses are overworked and short-staffed, making it difficult to always provide a female nurse. Daniel did not complain that we were causing a hardship or pressure Mom to accept a male nurse. He showed an abundance of understanding and preserved the dignity that was important to her.

Even when Daniel was assigned to another wing or a different floor, he often stopped by Mom’s room to check her status. He didn’t just do his job; he truly and personally cared for Mom.

Please know that Megan and Daniel were just two of many nurses who cared for Mom with devotion and dedication. I would like them all to know how much our family loves and appreciates them for their understanding, concern, and compassion. At times, it was as if they were taking care of their own mom instead of ours.

In recent years, nurses have been handed additional hurdles including COVID protocols, increased patient count, and expected additional hours to make up for nurses who left the profession, all while being expected to maintain high standards of patient care. This makes it all the more remarkable that the nurses we encountered supported us and helped us get through each day.

For all the Megans and Daniels in the nursing profession, know that your kindness, compassion, and concern are desperately needed by hurting families. You celebrate the good days with us and encourage us on the bad days. For that, we say, “Thank you!”