Power of Touch....

So today's act of random kindness was important to me....made me feel better as a Nurse and as a person. We have a 92 year patient that is on Dialysis and unfortunately with the Dialysis the patients tend to have horrible cramps, esp in the legs. There was not much I could do for the legs but I went in and rubbed his back as he was sitting on the edge of the bed. He is not my patient, I just know he is suffering and wanted to do what I could to attempt to make him feel better in anyway...and if spending that 5 minutes out of my crazy day and helping him would do it, then I was going to try. I may not have taken away the pain but I did distract him for a bit and that helped him :) The power of touch astounds me always.

I do believe that we as a humans are losing touch with one of the most basic of necessities. The need and want for human physical contact. I have another patient who is at the end stage of dementia...everyone tells me "oh she spits, she will not let anyone give her care etc" and yes she can be mean as spitfire....but I went with the lab tech so the patient could have her blood drawn. I gently spoke with her, I touched her arm ( without the feel of gloves... simple human skin to skin contact) I let her know, that yes this will hurt but only for a brief moment...and guess what...the lab tech was able to draw her blood on the first try. Amazing right??? I think not really...I did nothing crazy..I simple touched my patients in a way that allowed them to feel human and in my eyes valued.