Alicha Gibbs
February 2024
Alicha
Gibbs
,
RN, BSN
ECMO
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston
,
SC
United States
When things took a turn for the worse, and we realized the patient was in the last moments of their life, Alicha canceled her appointments and came back to the hospital after a 14-hour shift just to be there for the family and the staff.
Since the moment I met her, Alicha has been a nurse I have looked up to. She is one of our ECMO specialists and has seen no shortage of patients and families going through the most difficult days of their lives. Despite all the challenges, she is still able to give each patient her best in every situation and exemplifies the essence of nursing.
In the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU), one of our beloved patients received a heart transplant, and the recovery course did not go as expected. The patient was placed on ECMO and that’s when Alicha entered the scene. Alicha showed compassion, skill, and empathy while rising to meet the challenge and remaining the badass that we know and love her to be. When the patient was able to come off and no longer required the ECMO team, Alicha continued to check on this family every shift she worked. She would sit with the child’s mother, talk with her about God and family, and provide her the space and opportunity to have an empathetic ear from someone who legitimately understands.
When things took a turn for the worse, and we realized the patient was in the last moments of their life, Alicha canceled her appointments and came back to the hospital after a 14-hour shift just to be there for the family and the staff.
As the bedside nurse for this patient, I watched Alicha's effort to build a trusting relationship with the patient’s family. Throughout the patient’s end-of-life care, Alicia flawlessly bridged the gap between the family and the ICU team. She ensured that they had someone they could talk to. She embodies what it means to care for the whole patient, family included.
I have worked with Alicha for many years now, and if I ever find myself in an emergency situation, I always hope she is on. She provides a sense of calm amidst chaos, and she is so smart! in this case, Alicha went above and beyond her duty as the ECMO coordinator, she showed compassion and empathy and opened a space for this patient’s family, particularly his mother, to feel a sense of calm. She advocated for her questions, clarified scary scenarios, and, most importantly, she listened. This job is not easy, but people like Alicha should be celebrated because her ability to connect is what ultimately brought that family the understanding and peace they needed in one of the darkest hours of their lives. I am very grateful for her presence in the heart center.
Alicha constantly shares her knowledge and expertise with us while exemplifying compassion. She became a friend and advocate for this family while maintaining professionalism in one of the most challenging situations the unit has ever seen. It is an honor and a privilege to work with someone like Alicha; someone I have so much love and respect for. She is a role model for all nurses and inspires us every day.
In the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU), one of our beloved patients received a heart transplant, and the recovery course did not go as expected. The patient was placed on ECMO and that’s when Alicha entered the scene. Alicha showed compassion, skill, and empathy while rising to meet the challenge and remaining the badass that we know and love her to be. When the patient was able to come off and no longer required the ECMO team, Alicha continued to check on this family every shift she worked. She would sit with the child’s mother, talk with her about God and family, and provide her the space and opportunity to have an empathetic ear from someone who legitimately understands.
When things took a turn for the worse, and we realized the patient was in the last moments of their life, Alicha canceled her appointments and came back to the hospital after a 14-hour shift just to be there for the family and the staff.
As the bedside nurse for this patient, I watched Alicha's effort to build a trusting relationship with the patient’s family. Throughout the patient’s end-of-life care, Alicia flawlessly bridged the gap between the family and the ICU team. She ensured that they had someone they could talk to. She embodies what it means to care for the whole patient, family included.
I have worked with Alicha for many years now, and if I ever find myself in an emergency situation, I always hope she is on. She provides a sense of calm amidst chaos, and she is so smart! in this case, Alicha went above and beyond her duty as the ECMO coordinator, she showed compassion and empathy and opened a space for this patient’s family, particularly his mother, to feel a sense of calm. She advocated for her questions, clarified scary scenarios, and, most importantly, she listened. This job is not easy, but people like Alicha should be celebrated because her ability to connect is what ultimately brought that family the understanding and peace they needed in one of the darkest hours of their lives. I am very grateful for her presence in the heart center.
Alicha constantly shares her knowledge and expertise with us while exemplifying compassion. She became a friend and advocate for this family while maintaining professionalism in one of the most challenging situations the unit has ever seen. It is an honor and a privilege to work with someone like Alicha; someone I have so much love and respect for. She is a role model for all nurses and inspires us every day.