Jill Le Blanc

Jill was caring for a patient with a touch of Alzheimer's. The patient's husband was always at her bedside and kept telling the care team that she would not eat. Jill worked closely with the patient and found that she would only eat very soft foods such as pudding. Jill called in a dietician to adjust the patient's diet to meet her nutrition needs and then worked with the patient's husband to help him understand how to feed his wife. These actions helped the patient resume some of her dignity and independence.

Nurses at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center are encouraged to "journal" their accomplishments to remind themselves and others of how meaningful compassionate patient care can influence the lives of so many. Here is Jill's journal entry:

After requiring joint surgery as a result of a fall, Mrs. G required much assistance with her activities of daily living, especially feeding. Every time her husband tried to feed her, he stated that she would clamp down and wouldn't eat. Our dietician advanced her to a regular diet to allow more variety and to promote her nutrition, but the patient’s husband stated that she still wouldn’t eat. After careful observation and working working closely with our dietician and  nursing assistant to determine Mrs. G’s likes and dislikes and tailoring the consistency of her diet to meet her needs, Mrs. G started eating everything she was served. Working together with my team members helped Mrs. G. resume some of her dignity and independence. I often think about Mrs. G and know I made a difference in her life.