Amy Stone
July 2021
Amy
Stone
,
BSN, RN, CMSRN
PACU/Pre-Surgical Unit
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland
,
OR
United States
She sent them away and defended my space until I was in a calmer frame of mind, and she was confident I understood what was happening. I am so grateful to Amy.
I arrived on time and checked in for surgery. I was walking into the hospital already anxious and uncertain about what was to come. When I checked in on the day of surgery, the person who checked me in told me that I should have a seat in the lobby and wait for someone to come out and give me an armband. They found that I had been put into the wrong queue instead of the surgical one, and my surgical team was waiting. I was rushed down to the surgery floor, separated from my partner, and hustled down a hall to a curtained-off space with a bed in it.
I was standing alone in a dark cubicle, struggling to open packages of ice-cold wipes and bathe myself. I began to cry. Shortly after that, Amy Stone came in and found me huddled miserably in the bed, sobbing. At that moment, Amy met me where I was: terrified, alone, uninformed, and freezing cold. Amy made eye contact with me, assessed my state, and started meeting my needs. She first put me in a warm gown and put blankets around me. I stopped crying and started tracking better. Then she explained what had happened, what was happening now, and what was going to happen next to me. She spoke kindly in a quiet and calm fashion, and I began to feel safe. I didn’t feel judged for losing my cool. I felt like she had my back, and I could trust her.
Because of the mix-up at the very beginning, my surgical team was anxiously awaiting to start my procedure. However, Amy could see that I was not yet ready to go anywhere until I felt safe. She sent them away and defended my space until I was in a calmer frame of mind, and she was confident I understood what was happening. I am so grateful to Amy. She turned my rough entry into a smooth procedure. Her care of me was extraordinary, and exactly what I needed.
I was standing alone in a dark cubicle, struggling to open packages of ice-cold wipes and bathe myself. I began to cry. Shortly after that, Amy Stone came in and found me huddled miserably in the bed, sobbing. At that moment, Amy met me where I was: terrified, alone, uninformed, and freezing cold. Amy made eye contact with me, assessed my state, and started meeting my needs. She first put me in a warm gown and put blankets around me. I stopped crying and started tracking better. Then she explained what had happened, what was happening now, and what was going to happen next to me. She spoke kindly in a quiet and calm fashion, and I began to feel safe. I didn’t feel judged for losing my cool. I felt like she had my back, and I could trust her.
Because of the mix-up at the very beginning, my surgical team was anxiously awaiting to start my procedure. However, Amy could see that I was not yet ready to go anywhere until I felt safe. She sent them away and defended my space until I was in a calmer frame of mind, and she was confident I understood what was happening. I am so grateful to Amy. She turned my rough entry into a smooth procedure. Her care of me was extraordinary, and exactly what I needed.