March 2014
Amanda
Nebel
,
RN
cardiac
Wellstar Kennestone
Marietta
,
GA
United States
"You treat a disease: You win, you lose. You treat a person: I guarantee you, you'll win, no matter what the outcome." - Patch Adams
When I read this quote, I feel proud to be in the nursing profession and to know that nurses can, and do, make huge differences in the lives of our patients. I know and have worked with so many caring, compassionate, and empathetic nurses, but one stands out among the rest. Her name is Amanda Nebel and I have had the pleasure of working with her for three years. She is one of the kindest, most sincere nurses I know and she is truly an angel on earth.
Back in August, our unit had a young mother who had been diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer and she was given very little time to live. Her condition had rapidly deteriorated and she was facing end of life decisions that no one ever wants to make. She would leave behind two elementary school-aged daughters and a loving husband; a realization that was very difficult for her. Amanda was assigned to her because her calm, caring demeanor can make even the most anxious of patients feel more at ease. And on these days, Amanda went far beyond her duties as a nurse and really showed how much she cared for this patient. From the beginning, Amanda had a true connection with this patient, as they both had children the same age. Amanda sat with her as she sorted out her feelings and listened to her fears about dying and leaving her family behind. She helped her write letters to her daughters to be given to them on their birthdays, graduation days, and wedding days. And she talked with her, cried with her, and held her hand as she made the decision to be transferred from our unit to hospice care. Over the course of her several days on our unit, they became much more than just nurse and patient; they became friends. After staying on our unit for several days, this brave patient went to hospice, where she lived her last days surrounded by family and close friends.
I recently learned that the wife of another patient on our unit, was one of this patient's close friends. When she came on our unit to be with her husband, she said she felt a flood of emotions come back as she remembered visiting her friend there. She wanted to meet Amanda, whom her friend had talked to her about before her death. According to her, her friend described Amanda as "an angel" and "a blessing" and said she truly believed Amanda was put into her life to bring her through the most challenging and emotional of days. She expressed that Amanda made such a huge impact on her friend's life and she will be forever grateful for the loving care Amanda provided. She described meeting Amanda as "an honor" and that she could feel her calm, gentle demeanor as they talked and cried together.
As a result of her compassion, Amanda not only made a difference in the patient's life, but also in her patient's friend's life. Amanda's devotion and care for her patient serve as reminders that nursing is so much more than just treating an illness; it's about caring for the whole person.
When I read this quote, I feel proud to be in the nursing profession and to know that nurses can, and do, make huge differences in the lives of our patients. I know and have worked with so many caring, compassionate, and empathetic nurses, but one stands out among the rest. Her name is Amanda Nebel and I have had the pleasure of working with her for three years. She is one of the kindest, most sincere nurses I know and she is truly an angel on earth.
Back in August, our unit had a young mother who had been diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer and she was given very little time to live. Her condition had rapidly deteriorated and she was facing end of life decisions that no one ever wants to make. She would leave behind two elementary school-aged daughters and a loving husband; a realization that was very difficult for her. Amanda was assigned to her because her calm, caring demeanor can make even the most anxious of patients feel more at ease. And on these days, Amanda went far beyond her duties as a nurse and really showed how much she cared for this patient. From the beginning, Amanda had a true connection with this patient, as they both had children the same age. Amanda sat with her as she sorted out her feelings and listened to her fears about dying and leaving her family behind. She helped her write letters to her daughters to be given to them on their birthdays, graduation days, and wedding days. And she talked with her, cried with her, and held her hand as she made the decision to be transferred from our unit to hospice care. Over the course of her several days on our unit, they became much more than just nurse and patient; they became friends. After staying on our unit for several days, this brave patient went to hospice, where she lived her last days surrounded by family and close friends.
I recently learned that the wife of another patient on our unit, was one of this patient's close friends. When she came on our unit to be with her husband, she said she felt a flood of emotions come back as she remembered visiting her friend there. She wanted to meet Amanda, whom her friend had talked to her about before her death. According to her, her friend described Amanda as "an angel" and "a blessing" and said she truly believed Amanda was put into her life to bring her through the most challenging and emotional of days. She expressed that Amanda made such a huge impact on her friend's life and she will be forever grateful for the loving care Amanda provided. She described meeting Amanda as "an honor" and that she could feel her calm, gentle demeanor as they talked and cried together.
As a result of her compassion, Amanda not only made a difference in the patient's life, but also in her patient's friend's life. Amanda's devotion and care for her patient serve as reminders that nursing is so much more than just treating an illness; it's about caring for the whole person.