National Nurses Week: Nurses Making a Difference

Nurses do so much more during one day than the average person may think. We know that they do more than take vitals, change bedpans, and give shots, but others may not. In fact, we know that nurses often make amazing differences in the lives of their patients. And they love doing it.

Here are a couple stories from nurses who have done just that.

Tough Love

Shortly before his 60th birthday, life had become exceptionally difficult for one of Huda Scheidelman’s patients. Scheidelman, RN, and a home care nurse with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, saw these terrible changes. Once a man who loved to explore the city, she saw his health going downhill. He was severely depressed after a recent divorce, he wasn’t following the meal plan from his dietitian, his blood sugars were out of control, and he quit his job as his diabetes made walking painful. Scheidelman decided to mix compassion, facts, and some tough love to get her patient back to his former health. It took some time, but he slowly changed his ways—he quit smoking, got back on insulin, and began following his diet. “Thank you,” he said on a recent visit. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

The Social One

Patricia O’Berg, PCCN, RN, BSN, a clinical instructor at the State College of Florida as well as an ICU nurse at Englewood Community Hospital in Englewood, Florida, had a passion for nursing that began at an early age. She didn’t pursue nursing, though, until later in life. After she had a career in public relations and raised a family, O’Berg decided that her passion for being a nurse was “alive and well.”

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While earning her bachelor’s degree in nursing, O’Berg decided to participate in a study abroad program in Nicaragua. She immediately realized that missionary nursing touched a special place in her heart, allowing her to care for many underprivileged residents of small villages. By contributing her nursing talent and compassionate care with a small team, O’Berg helped to treat more than 1,000 patients with a variety of health conditions over the course of only five days.

Since then, O’Berg commits to annual visits to the villages of Nicaragua as a clinical instructor to help save patients who wouldn’t otherwise receive care. That’s how she garnered the nickname The Social One—because she has such a passion for people and loves to heal.