The Art of Saying Thank You

I was in the hospital this past week. It was nothing serious, just a scheduled procedure that only took 20 minutes. In fact, as is usually the case, I spent more time with the nurses who were getting me ready for the procedure than I did with the doctor.

I think this is very typical. The nurses are the ones that are in charge of your care while there. The doctor’s focus is on treating your symptoms and the results. I had two nurses with me very early in the morning who were cheerful, funny and kept my mind off of the upcoming procedure. When I left, I thanked those nurses for making what could have been an unpleasant experience, one that was relatively painless and dare I say it—pleasant.

My mother was my designated driver as I could not drive afterward. When she dropped me off at my house, she gave me my discharge papers and also a card. I thought the card came from her but after I opened it, I found it was from the nurses who were working that morning. The card thanked me for choosing their hospital and allowing them to care of me during my time there. It was personally signed by each of the nurses.

As a patient, I have never experienced a thank you from caregivers. It is I that am grateful for their care. Not only did I appreciate the personal touch of a signed card, but also the fact that as a patient I felt like it mattered that I had been a part of their day.

It made me think about how easy it is to offer a thank you when someone least expects it. When you offer a service or kindness to someone, you usually get a thank you. But, how many times do we thank that person for allowing us to positively impact their day? It is something I am going to be much more aware of—as I move through my life.

So, say a thank you to your patients when you can. They are the reason that you are there. They will be a bit shocked but very touched to know that you really do appreciate them, and that they are more than just a room number.

We here at The College Network would like to say thank you to everyone who is in their online degree program. We are here because of you. You allow us to be your educational caregivers, providing assistance whenever we can. Contact us at (800) 39-LEARN if you need us, or want to find out more about our degree programs.