I was re-filling the linens cart with fresh sheets and blankets when I heard a troubled voice come from the room to my right. I parked the cart to the side and looked to see what was going on. I entered the room and faced an older woman with her leg in a cast and arms flailing in the air. Her head jerked from side to side with a confused look on her face. The words rolled off my lips without any warning, “What’s wrong? Can I help you with anything Ma’am?” as I ran to the side of her bed. She told me she had been searching for the remote to her T.V.. I figured she must have dropped it or it was lost in her blanket.

I went over to her and she exclaimed, “I just had it! I just had it!”. I searched her whole room, under the side table, under her bed, under everywhere. As I was frantically looking for the remote control, she asked me to help adjust the pillow that had been elevating her leg. Without even thinking, I instantly was fluffing and moving the pillow to her comfort with one hand and helping her lift her leg with the other.

After I finally found the remote control under her left leg, I walked out of her room with a feeling that I had just helped someone who was in need of it. Sure it was a simple act but but that did not matter. I had a smile on my face and bounce to my step as I exited her room after, what I considered, saving the day.

I grabbed the linen cart I had parked outside and a hand was suddenly on my shoulder. I spun around thinking I was going to be thanked by one of the nurses. I did not need recognition but I figured they might think of me as something more than just a volunteer that puts papers in folders and pillows in cases. However, this was not the case. In front of me stood a tall woman with blond hair wearing green scrubs. She spoke to me in a stern yet quiet voice, “Did you just come out of room 112?”

I nodded and stated, “Yes,” with utmost confidence.

The nurse’s face dropped and asked, “Why would you go in there?” What did she mean? My job is to go around to all the rooms and see if anyone needed anything? Why was she so mad? “You were given packets upon packets to read and memorize. You attended numerous meetings and training sessions so you were prepared for this,” she told me. As the words poured out of her mouth I quickly looked over her shoulder, saw a green rectangle with white block letters reading, ROOM 112 and under that was a sign that we learned about. If there is one of these isolation signs on the outside of the door I was told to get a nurse. However, that did not occur to me during those two seconds when I heard her shrieks.

As the nurse continued to ramble on, it suddenly dawned on me. This was what I wanted to do with my life, I want to be a nurse. Whether it was helping my Grandma paint her nails when she was sick, or holding ice packs to my brothers wounds after their hockey games, helping people was something that came second nature to me. This incident gave me confidence that I have the right mindset and characteristics needed to become a great nurse. I will be there for my patients like I was there for my family members and the woman that lost the remote control. In college, I look forward to continuing to help others and being there for whomever possible, even if it means getting a stern talking to every once in awhile.