Aly Shumate
June 2021
Aly
Shumate
,
RN
4E Pediatrics
WakeMed Health & Hospitals - Raleigh Campus
Raleigh
,
NC
United States
Aly sat in a low squat, I don’t know how she did it so long. Her voice stayed calm and reassuring.
My daughter came into the ER with a broken femur. We were admitted, she was put in traction, and has surgery the following morning. The pain was awful for my daughter. As a healthcare worker, to lay beside your daughter and watch her in shock, screaming and crying in pain, not being able to move was a feeling I can’t put into words. It was brutal, and for the first time in my life I couldn’t bring comfort to a patient, which is my passion, and the patient was my child.
Friday night Rita stepped into our room for the first time, and I said we needed to talk. I poured my heart out to her and she listened to every single word! She made us feel like we were the only patient she had. She used her experience and pediatric knowledge to work with the doctors to tackle a pain management plan. She was in the room before the pain medicine was due. My daughter fell in love with Mrs. Rita. No matter if we needed to change positions and pillows 50 times, Rita never left until she was at ease. My daughter was nervous as she knew she was going to get a different nurse. That’s when Mrs. Aly walked in with Rita. Aly was everything Rita talked her up to be! She never wavered or appeared inpatient readjusting pillows 50 times. These two nurses did around-the-clock care on my child for days, without any interruption of proper care. This is a difficult task to do!
Rita came into work early the day we were discharged. She immediately set her stuff down and for the next 1 ½ hours she spent with Aly getting my daughter in the wheelchair and in our car. Only Aly knew how to hold her leg just so. She couldn’t bend her leg to get into the wheelchair and the pain was too severe on her hip to sit. Aly sat in a low squat, I don’t know how she did it so long. Her voice stayed calm and reassuring. Rita rubbed her forehead and coached her from behind. I want you to literally sit one day and watch the clock for 1 ½ hours to truly see what kind of sacrifice, patience, care, and love for a stranger that took. When we were done, everyone was sweating, and Rita handed my daughter a cold drink. We have a love for these nurses, some 7 months later from those couple of days together – that is the impact these two ladies made. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart because they made a difference.
Friday night Rita stepped into our room for the first time, and I said we needed to talk. I poured my heart out to her and she listened to every single word! She made us feel like we were the only patient she had. She used her experience and pediatric knowledge to work with the doctors to tackle a pain management plan. She was in the room before the pain medicine was due. My daughter fell in love with Mrs. Rita. No matter if we needed to change positions and pillows 50 times, Rita never left until she was at ease. My daughter was nervous as she knew she was going to get a different nurse. That’s when Mrs. Aly walked in with Rita. Aly was everything Rita talked her up to be! She never wavered or appeared inpatient readjusting pillows 50 times. These two nurses did around-the-clock care on my child for days, without any interruption of proper care. This is a difficult task to do!
Rita came into work early the day we were discharged. She immediately set her stuff down and for the next 1 ½ hours she spent with Aly getting my daughter in the wheelchair and in our car. Only Aly knew how to hold her leg just so. She couldn’t bend her leg to get into the wheelchair and the pain was too severe on her hip to sit. Aly sat in a low squat, I don’t know how she did it so long. Her voice stayed calm and reassuring. Rita rubbed her forehead and coached her from behind. I want you to literally sit one day and watch the clock for 1 ½ hours to truly see what kind of sacrifice, patience, care, and love for a stranger that took. When we were done, everyone was sweating, and Rita handed my daughter a cold drink. We have a love for these nurses, some 7 months later from those couple of days together – that is the impact these two ladies made. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart because they made a difference.