Epiphanies and transformative experiences make great copy; these kinds of stories write themselves. They’re also pretty rare. But I recently found one in the tale of Nataly Kuznetsov, right, a nursing resident in Stanford Hospital & Clinics' Emergency Department.
Kuznetsov was 23 when she got in a horrible motorcycle accident. As I write in my story:
The motorcycle smashed into the driver’s side, sending Kuznetsov flying about 100 feet. She landed along the side of the northbound lane.
Her right femur had shattered into about 10 pieces. Some pieces had shorn through her skin. She was bleeding profusely from her leg. “The bone was basically completely blown,” she said. “My right leg was 4 inches shorter than my left one, just from the impact. You should see my X-rays. They’re phenomenal.”
She was airlifted to Stanford Hospital, where, after two weeks, she realized she wanted to be a nurse. She explains in the story:
What I’ve realized is just how much of an impact nurses have on patients’ lives. ... They’re the ones who are next to you. They’re the ones who are looking after you. They’re the ones who are holding your hand. They’re the ones who are going to let you cry next to them.
Previously: Nursing: The need to make a difference and Nursing is not all science
Photo by Norbert von der Groeben
