Andrea Strony
September 2023
Andrea
Strony
,
RN, BSN
Emergency Department
Evangelical Community Hospital
Lewisburg
,
PA
United States
When Andrea left for the evening, she came in and wished me luck but said that if I ever needed anything, here was her number, and to let her know.
I was a patient in the Emergency room three weeks ago when I met Andrea. I was having gallbladder episodes but wasn't aware at the time why I was feeling ill. She and a fellow colleague came into the room to introduce themselves and we went through the protocol of what had brought me into the ER. She talked me through everything that she was going to do as far as IV, medications, orders etc.
She noticed I was a current employee of the hospital and asked the typical questions such as what department, etc. She didn't realize it, but that really helped me through having my IV placed and took my mind off of the what-ifs that I kept asking myself. I was discharged from the ER around afternoon time that day and with a smile she said, "Now you better not be lying to me and I hope you're really feeling better." I promised and reassured her I was fine and left.
The next evening, I came back in for continuing gallbladder episodes. When I arrived at my room, Andrea opened the curtain, and she was my nurse until her shift was over. She knew then I still wasn't feeling well. I looked at her and broke into tears and apologized over and over again to her for breaking my promise by telling her I was okay and feeling better, and she just gave me the biggest hug to reassure me everything was going to be okay. She said that she was glad that I came back with any worsening symptoms. She made sure she was checking on me throughout the rest of her shift. She asked if I needed anything, whether it was a warm blanket, or making sure my phone was charged at a percentage it needed to be at. I was admitted and had emergency surgery the next day.
When she left for the evening, she came in and wished me luck but said that if I ever needed anything, here was her number, and to let her know. The day of my surgery she came to visit, made sure I had everything I needed, and asked how I was feeling. She continued to check on me until I returned back to work. You never know who you'll meet, especially when employees work in two different departments. Her drive, compassion, generosity and so much more meant so incredibly much to me that every time I would receive a message from her all I could do was thank her for everything. I feel we are all in our professions for a reason and she was truly made to be an RN.
She noticed I was a current employee of the hospital and asked the typical questions such as what department, etc. She didn't realize it, but that really helped me through having my IV placed and took my mind off of the what-ifs that I kept asking myself. I was discharged from the ER around afternoon time that day and with a smile she said, "Now you better not be lying to me and I hope you're really feeling better." I promised and reassured her I was fine and left.
The next evening, I came back in for continuing gallbladder episodes. When I arrived at my room, Andrea opened the curtain, and she was my nurse until her shift was over. She knew then I still wasn't feeling well. I looked at her and broke into tears and apologized over and over again to her for breaking my promise by telling her I was okay and feeling better, and she just gave me the biggest hug to reassure me everything was going to be okay. She said that she was glad that I came back with any worsening symptoms. She made sure she was checking on me throughout the rest of her shift. She asked if I needed anything, whether it was a warm blanket, or making sure my phone was charged at a percentage it needed to be at. I was admitted and had emergency surgery the next day.
When she left for the evening, she came in and wished me luck but said that if I ever needed anything, here was her number, and to let her know. The day of my surgery she came to visit, made sure I had everything I needed, and asked how I was feeling. She continued to check on me until I returned back to work. You never know who you'll meet, especially when employees work in two different departments. Her drive, compassion, generosity and so much more meant so incredibly much to me that every time I would receive a message from her all I could do was thank her for everything. I feel we are all in our professions for a reason and she was truly made to be an RN.