Hi friends,

There was a day in the hospital when a nurse gave me a shower. I sat in the chair, water beating down, staring at my body that didn’t feel like mine anymore. My stomach was swollen, my legs wouldn’t move, and the weight of it all brought me to tears.

In that raw moment, I looked up — and my nurse met me with a smile. She told me, “It’s okay. You’re going to get better. Everything is going to be all right.”

That simple reassurance carried me through a moment that could have broken me. It’s a reminder that patient experience is often shaped not by medicine, but by kindness.

Poem by Kelsey Tainsh — The Patient Experience

In English we call it truly caring for the patient –
in poetry from the patient perspective……

it’s that moment in time when nothing is fine
as you sit in the hospital shower with water beating down,
you look at your stomach, it’s distended, you look pregnant
then you remember you can’t move your legs
and you start to cry.

With tears in your eyes you look up at your nurse
she smiles at you, tells you it’s okay,
you’re gonna get better
and everything’s going to be all right.

Reflection
The patient experience isn’t only about the medical chart. It’s about moments of being seen, heard, and reassured when you feel most broken. It’s in those moments that healing begins.

Practical Takeaways for Healthcare Professionals

• Offer gentle reassurance when a patient is vulnerable.
• Use body language — a smile, a calm tone, steady presence.
• Remember: the words “You’re going to get better” can be as powerful as any treatment.
• Treat showers, meals, and daily care as meaningful moments, not routine tasks.

With gratitude,
Kelsey