I went to the ER on the advice of my primary physician. The experience was less than ideal. Due to construction on the new facility, the thermostats on one side of the ER could not be regulated. Unfortunately, I was in an area that was extremely cold. In addition, the television did not work, and the one bathroom available was quite a distance away. My attending nurse seemed to have a cold and attended to me a few times with no mask. Needless to say, when I was finally assigned to a room, I was exhausted and very hungry.
When I got to my assigned room, the first person I met was Angelica, my assigned RN. She immediately asked if I wanted her to order a dinner tray. She brought extra blankets without being asked. On one occasion, Angelica asked if I needed anything else. Jokingly, I told her I really needed a cup of hot tea. I never expected her to get it, I was just responding to her question. Within minutes, she brought me hot tea, apologizing for taking so long because she had to go to several stations to find a lemon. On a few occasions, I needed Angelica's assistance and she was there within minutes, always with a pleasant disposition and a smile. Her overall demeanor and attentiveness were so comforting at a time when I had decided that I would never return to Little Company of Mary Hospital.
I truly believe that nurses are too often unrecognized and unappreciated for all they do. After all the doctors make their 2-3 minute rounds, the nurses are responsible for accurately dispensing meds and scheduling tests and procedures. They are truly the unsung heroes of the medical profession.
Angelica really has an appropriate name, because she was an angel to me.