Walking through the outpatient clinic, three vaccinations in hand for an anxious seven month old, I passed a room and curiously peered in as I walked by, just like I would any room with the door wide open. Though I stopped in my tracks past one room, backed up, and lit up in excitement upon hearing my name being called from inside. It was my patient and her mother from two weeks ago! Other than the fact that I was ecstatic that she was happy to see me, so much so that he mother was grinning from ear to ear as well, I was glad to see that she was discharged from the inpatient ward, and that she was walking extremely well on her leg that was once too painful to even move laterally in bed. I spent less than six hours with her the day I cared for her, but the look she gave me this afternoon made me feel like I’ve been her primary care physician since she was a little girl.
This is one day. One day out of hundreds (maybe even thousands), that I will experience as a nurse. I guess first impressions are everything. Even with those we disregard now and again.
