Narratives of care: ICU diaries

A path of resilience

Sun's path to nursing was anything but straightforward. Growing up in a small village in Heze, Shandong province, he faced setbacks early on when he failed both the regular college entrance exam, or gaokao, and the sports talent exam. His only option was vocational school, where he randomly selected a few majors, eventually landing in nursing.

"From unfamiliar to familiar, to developing a passion for this major, I've discovered that I'm well-suited for this job," Sun said.

After completing vocational school in 2020, Sun transitioned to undergraduate studies at Qinghai University before pursuing a master's degree at Lanzhou University.

According to him, the daily duties of nurses include providing critical care to patients in life-threatening situations, administering treatments like injections and blood transfusions, and attending to their personal needs.

"Nurses are responsible for managing every aspect of a patient's care and illness. With families unable to be present, nurses must stay by their side 24 hours a day," Sun explained. "In my view, ICU nurses not only provide medical care and monitoring but, more importantly, offer compassion and kindness to each patient."

The job can be particularly tough at times, especially when he sees a patient his age pass away. "It takes a toll mentally, but you can't immerse yourself in sadness forever. You still have a job to do and other patients to care for — you must carry on," Sun said.

In addition to the physical and emotional demands of nursing, maintaining ICU diaries adds another layer of challenge.

Acknowledging that this task goes beyond his regular duties, Sun admitted that maintaining the diaries can be exhausting, often only finishing them after his shift ends. Nevertheless, he finds the effort worthwhile.