I am a nurse, and I think I am suffering from something called the Florence Nightingale Effect. It is when a nurse falls in love with a patient. I used to hear about it and laugh, but now it’s happening to me, and it’s honestly confusing and emotionally draining. It started a few months ago when a particular patient was admitted to my ward. He wasn’t the easiest person to deal with at first. Always moody, barely talking, and clearly in a lot of pain. But as days turned into weeks, he started opening up to me. We talked about his family, his childhood, his dreams… even his fears. Somewhere along the line, I stopped seeing him as just a patient. I started looking forward to my shifts just to check on him, to see him smile, to make sure he was okay. When he finally got discharged, I felt an emptiness I couldn’t explain. I kept checking the bed he used to occupy. I even went as far as saving his contact details from the hospital form, just to know how he was doing. I haven’t reached out yet, but I think about him all the time. It’s embarrassing to admit because I know as a professional, I’m supposed to maintain boundaries. But what do you do when your heart doesn’t follow those professional lines? I feel like I’m betraying my oath as a nurse, yet my emotions are overwhelming me. I don’t know if it’s love, sympathy, or just the bond that comes from seeing someone at their weakest. But it hurts. Please, how do nurses deal with this kind of situation without losing their professionalism or their peace of mind? Please, what do you think I should do? Should I reach out to him or just try to forget about it? How do nurses separate care from affection without breaking down emotionally?