"Today you saved a life"

As I looked around the now patient less room, I saw papers and empty IV bags, and tubes and a crash cart that had been ransacked.
And I saw the young nurse I was working with, 6 months out of school, standing in the middle of it all, tears coming down her face.

She had held it together long enough to do her job and do it well.
She had been there for our patient and their family as well.
Now she let her emotions out.

I walked to her and hugged her.

"You did well today", I said.
"Today you saved a life."

Being a nurse is tiring, physically and emotionally.
Fighting for nurses is tiring at times as well.
We do it because of something deep inside of us.
We do it for patients and families.
And we do it for each other.