Creating special moment with patient via henna design

Supriya Niroula Khatri, registered nurse at UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central, has a hobby of applying henna designs on herself, family and friends for more than 10 years. Recently, she used her henna skills to make a patient feel extra special.

Niroula Khatri builds rapport with patients, often talking about topics of interest. Recently, she had a patient who initiated the topic of henna after noticing and admiring Niroula Khatri’s own henna design on her hand. She mentioned that she would love the opportunity to wear henna one day.

Niroula Khatri thought this was the perfect opportunity to make her patient feel extra special. After getting approval from her charge nurse, she told the patient, “If you are here tomorrow, we can make some time and I will do it [henna].”

The patient was delighted and the next day, Niroula Khatri came into work with her henna supplies.

Niroula Khatri sat on a chair next to the patient, who was lying on the bed. She prepped for application, putting the crème-like paste into a henna cone. For the next 30 minutes, she applied an intricate henna design on the front and back of the patient’s left hand.

Per the patient’s request, “I did the same design that was on my hands,” said Niroula Khatri.

Niroula Khatri had applied henna design on friends and family members before, but this was the first time she applied it on a patient.

“It felt good when you see a smile and you see happiness in your patient with your small effort,” said Niroula Khatri. “It was a great experience.”

Colleagues took notice of how Niroula Khatri used her hobby of henna to make a patient feel special. Recently, colleague Elizabeth Ferriman submitted a Celebrating You recognition for Niroula Khatri.

“The small amount of 30 minutes of kindness improved this patient’s life and hospital stay,” Ferriman wrote in the recognition. “The patient not only commented how loved she felt by all the nurses and care technicians who have cared for her “like family” but she stated she was no longer sad that she did not discharge earlier that morning due to being able to work with Supriya again that night. Thank you for going above and beyond – we can all learn something from your kindness.”