Amy Vollono serves as a role model in many different ways. She is competent, efficient, and resourceful. Above all, though, she is compassionate. As a new nurse, I have looked up to Amy since the very beginning of my practice. Amy effortlessly speaks to the patients in a way that shows she cares. Several patients have named Amy as one of their favorite nurse.
Amy was the charge nurse when I experienced my first patient death. I was nervous and my limited experience added another layer of difficulty. As the patient was declining, I called Amy into the room with me. The patient was ordered for comfort measures only, so I knew I was not going to intervene medically. Amy took a set of vital signs and found that the patient had a palpable blood pressure only. She calmly explained to the family that this was a sign that the patient was likely to pass soon. Then Amy set to work on making the patient as comfortable as possible. She removed all unnecessary equipment. She put several chairs at the bedside for family members. She talked the patient through everything she doing and offered a simple squeeze of the hand for therapeutic touch. Following her lead, we then set to work to make sure the patient was clean. We gave him a full bath and fresh linens so he would be comfortable. At the end, Amy thanked the patient and family for letting us take care of him.
This is just one example of a time Amy went above and beyond to make a patient comfortable. She has been known to go down to the cafeteria or vending machine to buy patients things they are craving. She is wonderful at anticipating patients' needs. Every NP 11 staff member shows compassion on a daily basis, but Amy stands out above the rest.
Amy connects with every patient she is assigned to. I think this is largely because the patients can tell that she truly cares. Several times I have called Amy into a room to help me with one thing or the other, and the patient always remembers her, and she remembers them. Once, I asked her to be my second check for a chemo dosage, and the patient lit up when she saw Amy walk in. The patient expressed that she had missed Amy being her nurse, and Amy expressed that she had been thinking of the patient. Amy followed up with questions about the patient's family, proving she has talked with this patient at length before. Before leaving, Amy and the patient shared a hug. Amy then left her work phone number on the white board for the patient to call if she needs anything.
Their connection was so special that I asked Amy when she left if she knew this patient from outside of work. Amy replied, "No, I just take care of her a lot." While I was witness to this one special connection, there is no doubt in my mind that Amy has connected with every patient she sees. This helps her provide excellent, compassionate care because the patients fully trust her and feel that they can open up to her. This is especially important on NP 11, a hematology/oncology floor, where patients are often emotionally vulnerable and need someone to lean on.
Through her special connection with patients, Amy provides fully holistic care. As nurses, we have the potential to make a huge difference in the lives of our patients. On NP 11, Amy is known for advocating for our patients. A few months ago, we had a patient who was terminally ill. Despite this, the patient was still being treated with antibiotics, blood transfusions, and other medications. The patient was confused related to his illness, and was having difficulty breathing. Although he could not express his pain in words, he would often cry out and grimace as if he was in pain. He was clearly uncomfortable, so Amy intervened. Amy wasted no time, she spoke with the team of doctors immediately, and they discussed what medications they could order to make the patient more comfortable. Amy also suggested a family meeting to discuss goals of care. Because sometimes doctors are too focused on the treatments, they overlook things they should be doing when treatments fail. After Amy insisted on and helped facilitate a family meeting, the patient was switched to comfort measures only. The patient was then able to pass with dignity and while being treated for his pain. Without Amy, the patient's end of life may have been very different, and his family may not have been at peace. While Amy makes a difference in the lives of all of her patients, I was particularly impressed by how she took matters into her own hands on this case and really advocated for the patient when it mattered.
Before nominating Amy for this award, I spoke with several of my colleagues and the support for Amy was overwhelming. All staff, including PCAs, RNs, and floor managers agreed that there is no one more deserving of an award based on compassion. Amy goes above and beyond for her patients every day, and the DAISY award would only be an amazing way to show her that we notice and appreciate what she does. As a less senior nurse, I admire Amy very much, and I know many nurses on NP 11 would echo this sentiment. While there is so much more to good nursing care than compassion, Amy excels in this category. To see her in action is to witness what is great about nursing.