Alicia T Watt
March 2022
Alicia T
Watt
,
RN
Labor and Delivery
The Woman's Hospital of Texas
Houston
,
TX
United States

 

 

 

Nurse Watt showed me empathy in those moments we conversed during this task. She acknowledged and attempted to understand what I was going through via emotional resonance. Her compassion enhanced the empathy she showed.
The construct of sympathy, empathy, and compassion can be misinterpreted as being the same. However, once one is able to distinguish the differences between the three, the more powerful it is when empathy and compassion are felt when given. Having experienced a difficult pregnancy with many ups and downs, it is important to receive sincere empathy and compassion. These 2 concepts were demonstrated to me by my registered nurse, Alicia Thomas Watt, who works in the labor and delivery unit at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas. Having a leak in my amniotic sac, one of my biggest challenges was staying infection free. Understanding this, Ms. Watt was meticulous in perineal care. For someone who, less than 24 hours prior, was able to do these functions independently to requiring someone else to complete this task while on strict bedrest, is a humbling experience. To many, a bed bath is just a simple bed bath with no further meaning. For me and the risks I was faced with, something as simple as a bed bath was monumental. Nurse Watt showed me empathy in those moments we conversed during this task. She acknowledged and attempted to understand what I was going through via emotional resonance. Her compassion enhanced the empathy she showed. After leaving her unit and being transferred to antepartum, she visited me to show her support for the journey I was facing. It can be stated that the current workloads for many nurses have increased due to many factors including increased patients and low staffing. Although she was busy providing care to her assigned patients, she made time to visit me and personally check on me. The sincerity and compassion I felt was powerful. Her actions appeared to have been motivated by love and an altruistic act. After my final transfer to postpartum, Nurse Watt again stopped by to check on me and ensure I was having my needs met. One may consider these actions from Nurse Watt as small, but for me, they were significant acts that will leave a positive reminder of what nursing is about and also leave a representation of the type of nurses that work at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas. In conclusion, I would like to nominate Alicia Thomas Watt, RN, for the DAISY Award. Her extraordinary and compassionate care should be recognized and celebrated.