Jaitley show of gratitude surprises nurses

They took care of him like any other patient, but Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had a surprise gift for them when he left hospital.

Around a dozen nurses received a signed letter from the finance minister after his discharge from the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) earlier this month.
The letters were delivered to each and every nurse assigned to him.

Most of them, who hail from Kerala, are probationary nurses awaiting confirmation.
In his official letterhead, Jaitley said he was writing to convey his “deep sense of gratitude” for the manner the nurses looked after him.

“The dedication with which you attended to me has deeply touched me. I shall be eternally grateful to you for the extremely competent and professional manner in which you handled me as a patient,” said Jaitley in the letter.

The nurses, both male and female, were surprised to receive such a letter of appreciation from a VVIP.

They have never got one, despite having attended to many notable persons.
Normally, doctors get such appreciation letters, they said.

“This is the first time somebody is acknowledging the nurses. It is nice,” a nurse, who received the letter, told Deccan Herald.

He refused to be identified as he was under probation.
Another nurse said around a dozen of them were assigned to look after Jaitley.
“The letters were given to the Medical Superintendent of AIIMS, who distributed the letters.”

The letter became public knowledge after some of the nurses posted photos of them on social networking sites.

However, they are now apprehensive about posting the letters after their superiors warned them against speaking to the media about it. They are not authorised to speak to mediapersons.

Jaitley was admitted to the Cardio-Neuro tower in AIIMS in September-end and discharged on October 6. He had undergone diabetes management surgery on September 2 at a prominent private hospital. During a stay in the private hospital for post-surgery check-up, he developed respiratory problems and was shifted to AIIMS.