Working in the Sierra ICU is a tough and emotional job. Our unit recently took care of a young patient who unfortunately passed away from his injuries. Amber Solesbee took the time to make the family hand-made bracelets. She took a copy of the patient's heart rhythm and etched it into leather bracelets, so the family could have a piece of him to hold on to. She had them delivered to the family on the day of his service. When speaking to Amber she told me she never took care of the young man but that she felt she needed to something for the family. She showed love, heartache, compassion for these people she never met. She said she could never imagine the pain this family has experienced and hopes this small gift brings some peace to them. Amber is such a kind and loving nurse/individual with a generous heart.
***
Upon the passing of one of our pediatric patients involved in an MVA rollover, Amber reached out to leadership and asked if she could make gifts for the family of the patient. Amber had never taken care of the patient or met the family, but she empathized with them and their great loss. Amber took a copy of one of the patient's last EKG strips and created leather cuffs/bracelets for the patient's family. On the inside of the cuff, she burned the patient's heart rhythm into the leather where the family could wear his heartbeat close to their pulse. She even created an expandable cuff for a younger member of the family so the cuff could grow with her. After all of this beautiful hard work, Amber wrote a beautiful letter to the family. She packaged it beautifully and sent the gift with another nurse who attended the funeral. Amber has always been a nurse who goes above and beyond for her patients and families but this week she did that for someone she had never met. She is an amazing nurse and someone that I strive to be like.