Nursinginwartimehasitsheartbreakingmoments.IntheAmericanCivilWar,therewasayoungsoldierwhohadanarterysevered,butdidnotsuspectanyserioustrouble.Whenthenursetoldhimthatthewoundwasfatal,hereceivedtheverdictcourageously,andgavethenursedirectionsbywhichhismotherwouldbeinformedofhisdeath.Thenheasked,“HowlongcanIlive?”“OnlyaslongasIkeepmyfingeruponthisarterytostopthebloodgushingout.”Asilenceensued.Godaloneknewwhatthoughtspassedthroughthatheart,calledsounexpectedlyfromallearthlyhopesandties.Finallythesoldiersaidgentlytothenurse:“Youcanletgo.”Hereisthenurse'saccountofwhathappenednext:“Hottearsrushedtomyeyes,asurgingsoundtomyearsandadeathlycoldnesstomylips.Thepangofobeyinghimwassparedme....Ifaintedaway.”
戰時看護傷兵，有時令人心碎。美國內戰期間，一名年輕士兵斷了一條動脈，卻以為傷勢並不嚴重，後來聽見護士告訴他那是致命傷，表現十分堅強，先教護士怎樣聯絡他母親通知死訊，然後問：「我還可活多久？」「一旦我的手指不按着這動脈防止血液噴出，你就會死亡。」跟着是一陣沉默。這士兵心理上毫無準備，忽然要放棄人世一切希望和關係，有甚麼感想，只有天知道。最後他輕輕對護士說：「你可以放手了。」跟着的事，請看護士的記述：「我眼睛湧出熱淚，耳朵轟鳴，嘴唇感到冰冷。我幸而得免如他所請放開手指的痛苦……我昏倒了。」