‘Angels of Mercy’ of Father Muller Hospital are ONE of the BEST in the WORLD- A Tribute

“No man, not even a doctor, ever gives any other definition of what a nurse should be than this – ‘devoted and obedient’. I attribute my success to this – I never gave or took any excuse. I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results. The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm. To understand God’s thoughts one must study statistics… the measure of his purpose. There is no part of my life, upon which I can look back without pain.”-Florence Nightingale, the Founder of Modern Nursing

Mangaluru: There are nurses, and then there are REAL NURSES- and for that matter, the Nurses of Father Muller Medical College Hospital (FMMCH), Kankanady, Mangaluru fall in the latter category. For the last so many years, I have covered all the events about Nursing activities at FMMCH, right from Nurses Day, Nursing Graduation Day, and Inauguration of Nursing Courses, etc etc. and have appreciated all the good work they do, their Dedication, Commitment and Hard Work in their profession serving the suffering humanity- but this column is specially dedicated as a tribute to the bevvy of Nurses on the Fourth Floor of Asha Kiran Block of FMMCH, who had provided me with the BEST care and Love during my week-long stay recently, due to a leg surgery that was done at the hospital, after being hit by a reckless two-wheeler rider going on a wrong side.

The experience I had being a patient under the care and service of this bunch of Nurses was impeccable and extraordinary, that I could imagine. They all went out of their capacity, seeing that I got the desired service from them- and there was nothing to complain about. These ‘Angels of Mercy’ in white, few in other coloured uniforms who care and instil hope in the minds of patients dispensed compassion, displayed unparalleled dedication and resilience. They healed the vulnerable with their touch of compassion, soothing smiles and words of care.

We should remember that the Nurses are the hospitality of the hospital. Nurses lead very demanding lives. Working with doctors, healing patients and educating the communities are just a few of the responsibilities nurses perform daily. You could say that nurses are the backbone of our healthcare care system, providing us with the attention and medical care that we need to live healthy long-lasting lives. Sometimes being a nurse can be exhausting at times, but the knowledge and power to help heal others are what keep them going in challenging times, especially their service and sacrifice during the pandemic time. And while nurses are strong, spirited, positive and focused even they need a little pick me up every once in a while – like complimenting them for their well-done job or appreciating their dedication and commitment to patients and health care. And these nurses deserve my compliments and appreciation for showing all these qualities in their Nursing Profession.

Not that Nurses elsewhere are not worthy to be praised for their service, but this Charitable Catholic Institution in the “Rome of the East” Mangaluru has and is producing the best professionals in the field of Nursing to serve locally, Nationally and Internationally, is none other than Fr Muller Nursing Institution of Father Muller Charitable Institution- and there is no doubt about it. Quoting the beginning lyrics from the Fr Muller Institution Anthem: “We Come to Comfort and to Heal, to Love and Serve in Woe and Weal “- these words truly fit and describe the prospective nurses and staff/registered nurses of this great Institution.

Our family has a very close connection with Fr Muller’s Charitable Institutions- both my sisters-in-law, Florine D’Souza nee Rodrigues, and Alice D’Souza nee Miranda were students of FMCI and also worked there before they moved to the USA- and Americans always wanted them by their bedside for their treatment, all because of the training and experience they got from Father Muller’s.

Nursing is not a profession, it is a vocation because it’s God’s choice that they are all selected for this job. For all the sleepless nights, hard work and overtime that nurses sacrifice for their patients, do you think their salary matches their service? Their nursing service is much more than what they earn. More than a profession, their nursing career is a Mission. Among doctors and other healthcare fraternities, Nurses play a very important role both locally and globally. They are on the front lines caring for these patients day in and day out. They risk their lives to save others’ lives, and they can see what is working, as well as things that can be done differently to provide more effective and efficient care, and offer suggestions for improvement. And I found all these qualities in these Nurses during my week-long treatment. Bravo!

To these nurses, I say-“You are doing everything you can in a situation you probably never imagined yourself being in. Take a deep breath, lean on each other for support, reach out if you need someone to talk to, and find healthy ways to decompress. You are important, brave and very much appreciated for all of the hard work you are doing! Kudos and bravo, all you Angels of Mercy! As with most gestures of appreciation, whatever you decide to do need not be grand or cost much money. Sad as it is, many people neglect to thank their nurses at all, seeing them only as robots who only know how to follow the doctor’s orders, so every little way to say a simple “thank you” will make their day much better.

And the best part was that these Nurses spoke the language I knew, even though a couple of them were from God’s Own Country. I had a hard time during my earlier experience when I was admitted to a different hospital, where not many Nurses spoke English or the local language, and that was something I never appreciated. These Asha Kiran block nurses, who belong to the Nursing family of FMCI were simply the best, who showed their knowledge of caring to their utmost level, right from the daytime and nighttime. At the press of the button for help, one or two nurses would come into my room like ‘lightning’ and take care of my needs. The supervisors and senior staff nurses were guiding the juniors to do their best and they did.

Morning time, a bunch of First years nursing students would come and do the required checkups, and many times, I got double checkups when some other batch of students came for my checkup-it seemed like a ‘Buy One Get One Free’ kind of checkup- and they were all showing very keen interest in the nursing career they opted for, and under the guidance of Sr Jacintha D’souza- the Principal of Father Muller College and School of Nursing; and Sr Dhanya Devasia-the Chief Nursing Officer, and other senior trainers, they did their jobs right. Kudos to them.

And for the first time, I received communion every single day of my stay at the hospital from a Nun, who was kind of moody and said no words, but just dropped the communion on my palm- and coolly I said “Amen”! That was fun. Then comes a Chaplain (priest) saying prayers for my speedy recovery- that was a very much-needed thing. My sincere thanks to the Chaplain and the nun for keeping me religious during my stay there. And above all, my sincere thanks also to the FMCI Director Fr Richard Coelho, for his consideration in concession on the medical expenses bill- that was an awesome bill amount reduction. Sshhhh…don’t ask me how much. My gratitude also to Kelvin Pais, the Liaison Officer at FMMCH, who was very supportive and communicated with me till I got discharged. Also a mention of thanks to Mrs Shanthi Vas-the Medical Superintendent who also played a vital role during my stay at the hospital. Everyone, right from the Nurses especially, played a BIG role in providing me with the best service, care and love during my stay.

Why I wanted to write this column, the reason is that if you are feeling especially grateful for the way a certain nurse took care of you (fed you, brought you a blanket, monitored your vital signs, made sure you were getting the right pills, changed your wound dressings, helped you get to the bathroom, let you cry on his or her shoulder, or any of the hundreds of other things nurses do), you need to show your gratitude. If you are not able to visit them personally, if possible call and thank them or call the higher hospital authorities or the Head of Nursing dept and express your gratitude. However, as mentioned before, it’s the thought that counts the most. A nurse’s main goal is to help you get through treatment and get better, so just knowing he or she succeeded is a reward in itself.

Quoting Florence Nightingale, “Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter’s or sculptor’s work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God’s spirit? It is one of the Fine Arts: I had almost said, “the finest of Fine Arts”. Long Live the Nurses-the Angels of Mercy of Father Muller Medical College Hospital and the Nurses of Asha Kiran Block who made a difference! Their caring made a true difference. Their comforting words and skilful healing touch made them so special. So next time you respect your doctors, also respect the nurses, too- because the nurses are the doers. A nurse is like an angel spreading hope to those they help each day.

May God bless all these nurses who are committed to the betterment of the sick and the suffering, both young and old. As it is said in Fr Muller’s Institution Anthem, “We come to comfort and to heal, to love and serve in woe and weal; We come to comfort and to heal, to love and serve in woe and weal” – no doubt that the nurses of FMCI are being praised in the society as the best care, love and friendship giving nurses among the rest of the institutions in town-my congratulations to them all. Happy Nurses Day! Happy Sisters Day!