I am a 34-year employee of Barnes Jewish Hospital, with most of my time having been spent in this ICU. I know that our pulse survey results indicated a score of 94% for teamwork. I experience that as a nurse daily. But in January of last year, I experienced this exceptional teamwork from the other side. That is what this nomination will be based on. Honestly, I have never seen anything like it. My dad had a heart attack in January. He was admitted to BJH and had a successful stent placement. He experienced some complications in the first 24 hours, including neuro complications, so the ball was now rolling for me to experience firsthand what true teamwork looks like. My mom was with my dad and very upset as they whisked him to scan. I was not at the hospital just yet (Covid restrictions allowed for just 1 visitor) so while one charge nurse held down the unit, the other ran to get my mom and bring her back to 94ICU where she would be loved on until I could get there. Our medical director left what he was doing and ran to meet my dad in MRI, so that he could see the results in real-time. He called for my mom and me to meet him downstairs so we could immediately review the results. We left the ICU, and in my emotional state, I could not find my way to MRI. My friend Jenn, an ACT nurse, saw us. She grabbed my hand and kindly walked us straight to MRI. Salah’s interpretation indicated that some BP augmentation would help the situation. My mom and dad returned to his room, and I went to leave to follow the visitation policy.

Quickly my mom called me to say that my dad was getting worse. The ICU team went into action. Salah said he would take him as a patient in the unit. The charge nurse assigned him a room, and a friend/co-worker offered to take him immediately as her patient. While he was being wheeled to the unit, his army was ready and waiting. He was quickly assessed and treatment started. I hesitate to mention names for fear of missing anyone. So very many played a significant role. Salah stayed to put all of the lines in himself, and my friends surrounded him with medical and loving care. Those that were not in his room were checking on my mom and me. He was critically sick. There is a lot of pressure when taking care of a friend’s parent – no one complained. Some of his encephalopathy/delirium would have rendered him a patient a nurse may only want for 1 shift. But no one requested that. As a matter of fact, in the 7 nights he was there, he only had 2 assigned night nurses. Both acted like it was no burden at all. Some of the staff were saving my dad while others were saving my mom and myself, drying our tears and hugging us tight. None of it was easy for anyone.

The providers changed toward the end of the week, and the second team, led by Dr. Arshi, was just as amazing as the first. In addition, his providers from other services were amazingly attentive and became part of the team, as well. Those teams stopped in at least twice a day just to check in. Our manager, Kristen, had my back completely throughout. PT and OT made recommendations, and Dana from PT made sure my dad and I practiced with his gait belt and walker so that I could get him home safely. Laura, our social worker, was calling on her day off to make sure we had everything we needed to get home. Each piece was carefully and lovingly put in place by the team we were surrounded by. I got my dad home (directly from the ICU) on Friday night, he deteriorated quickly Saturday night and died peacefully at home on Sunday.

You see, exceptional care and outcome do not have to go hand in hand. You can have exceptional care even when the outcome is not what you hoped and prayed for. The teamwork was above and beyond, and because of this teamwork, we were given the gift of time and the gift of going home where he could be with all of the family. I would like to say this nomination is from me, but honestly, it is from my dad. Each day he had me write down the names of the people who cared for him with a detailed description of them/their role, so that he could come back later and tell them thank you again, himself. The list still sits on his dresser. So, this is a thank you from him and from our entire family. Thank you to all of them for pulling together and being the team that he and we needed. I hope and pray that they all get the recognition that they so desperately deserve.