We are honouring Health Care Workers by providing a place to share their stories as well as the stories of people that have worked with health care workers, or have received their care.
We invite you to submit your story, starting with one of the phrases below.
I love being a Health Care Worker because….
orI value Health Care Workers because….
Scroll to the bottom of this post to add your story in the “Reply” window.
I will send copies of the text “Essentials in Hospice Palliative Care” to the first five Health Care Workers to post a story.
I will also send copies of “Reflections in Hospice Palliative Care: A Personal Writing Journal” to the first five care recipients, educators or supervisors to post a story.
While I will miss the celebrations in Victoria, I am looking forward to seeing everyone in Vancouver and Niagara.
English
French
Spanish
7 Responses
Hi Everyone
Why I love being a health care Worker.
My career has allowed me to work with cancer patients with their hair loss for the past 25 years. We see patients come in with their heads down ,feeling sad and and wishing they didn’t need to be at our centre. They leave our office smiling, wishing they could go to lunch with a friend or diner with a loved one.
Everyone perks up and feels happy with their new look.
One day I had a women who asked for the least expensive wig we had. She said the wig was for her coffin. She was terminal and had only a few weeks to live.
I smiled and said “then lets make these next few minutes the best few minutes that you could have.”
Lets have fun. Would you like to be a red head or a blonde ? Lets try long and short hair.
She was in my office for an hour laughing and truly enjoying her day.
When I think of the difference that those moments made for her and others I am so grateful that I am a Health Care Worker.,
Sincere Regards
Joanne Davison
Your story is amazing. We as health care works sometimes focus on giving medications or dealing with illness but forget there is a person behind this diagnosis. This story truly touches my heart and reminds me of all the little things that matter. Thank you Joanne for being you and having the time and the love to show someone else that they matter. We need to nurse with our hearts not our heads.
Hi Leslie,
You are so right… when it comes right down to it, the most important things are the “little” things. The basic skills are essentials so that we can move beyond and “do those little things”.
We are in Toronto today. And though we have met some fabulous people on the streets, and in the stores etc… the people on the subway were really not looking too happy to be in their job until we met a young woman, “Katherine” who smiled, helped us, and smiled again. I could not resist. I went into Purdy’s, bought her a small chocolate bar, and when I gave it to her, told her that she won the customer service award. She was thrilled.
Those little things, those gifts of the heart are such fun to share.
That is the best part of working from the heart – eh?!
K
Story from Randy Tapp
Why I love being a health care worker. This is almost hard to explain because words really don’t describe how I feel. I guess the only way to tell you is to try to find the best words I can. One word would be HONOR. To be allowed into such a personal place with someone while they are at their most vulnerable. To have that person or their family put their complete trust in you and your abilities to help them through either an illness or injury or passing on to the next stage in life. This can be from complex issues and wounds to something as simple as finding an answer or being a shoulder to lean on. WELCOME would be another word, when family and patients let you into their lives even if only a short time. How happy they are to see you when you come into the room because they know you are there to help. By healing or comforting their loved ones. Or just by listening to the concerns or fears of the patient in bed and helping that person feel at ease with ability to understand and recognize their needs and letting them know they are not alone. APPRECIATION not only from the patients and their families, but from your co-workers and team members with all the combined efforts that are put into the care for that person. LUCKY is a word that comes to mind when given the opportunity to make a difference for a person or a family and making ( hopefully ) the best outcome for them in a situation that seemed otherwise futile. PRIDE is the best feeling when coming home from work and having your children ask how many people did you get to help today. I truly believe that it takes someone special to work in the front lines of healthcare. And I love the fact that people have that “wow you’re a nurse” reply when they find out what I do. I love the fact my kids truly think that I am a hero. I love the fact that I feel like I make a difference. I love the fact we can continue to learn new things every day. I love the fact I can help. I love the fact that I am a health care worker!
Randy Tapp l.p.n
I love being a healthcare worker because I have the opportunity to help people who cannot do for themselves the way they used to be able to. I like to make them feel that they still belong and have a purpose on this earth. So many have asked me why am I still here? I always tell them its because they needed to meet me first before they go! I enjoy making people laugh and letting them realize that just because they have become unable to do or remember the things that they used to doesnt mean that life is done for them. I will be in their position one day and would hope that someone would be as kind the me as I like to think I have been to them. That is why I like being a healthcare worker.
I love being a healthcare worker because you have the privilege of helping people when they are at their most vulnerable. Be it palliative or emergency or LTC or acute as a person you can form a bond with people and become their guide through a pathway we all hope we never walk alone, It is so rewarding to walk a family through the darkness of illness and hopefully alight in a happier place. I am honored with their faith in me and I marvel at their faith in God.
I am also proud of the companionship of co-workers as we work together and the bonds we form can only be understood by fellow healthcare workers. We are a family that can laugh at things others would never find funny and cry with each other when we do not get the best results in ER or a family losses their loved one. I love being a nurse, there is no other profession where you can go to hell and back in one shift and look forward to going back and doing it all over again the next day.
Here I love to share my story of being a health care worker.
My name is Lali.
I born and brought up in India. I came to Canada 5 years ago. Care giving was my first job in this new country. I got my diploma in Health care aide,and started working for a wonderful woman namely Magdelena, I call her my “Mama love”. Our journey together for 3 and a half year starts there. We had good days and bad days ..but always when I say bye to my mama love, i felt immense gratitude and happiness. I always felt that i really did something to make her life better. Together we sang,shared stories(we both are immigrants) enjoyed nature and of course laughed a lot on silly things. I really enjoyed every moment.. never felt like i am “working”. One of those days i realised that this is it..this is my calling, I was designed for this job.
Now mama is not with me physically. Last April 12 at the age of 99 and half, she passed on to eternity. But all the virtues and values she taught me still stays with me to share with another person in need.
Now i am working for a organization for developmentally disabled people. I enjoy my job as always.
Even though I learned skills in my curriculum how to give efficient care, I knew in my heart this job needs more than that. We, caregivers need to be a radiant beings of love and compassion.This is a noble job. I am proud to be a caregiver.
Lali Thomas.