I am new to Swedish and have been impressed with the quality of the nursing staff at the Ballard Campus for their professionalism and the care they provide to their patients. One individual of this high performing group who I feel exemplifies all that a nurse should be is Anne Oxenbridge, our critical care float for the night shift.
One of the cornerstones of nursing is patient-centered care provided with respect and compassion. I was assigned the care of a very confused patient who had surgery earlier in the day. Her peripheral intravenous line had become occluded and was unusable. She refused all medications by mouth that would have given her relief from pain and the only alternative was to provide analgesics via IV. I paged Anne to place another line and when she arrived on the floor explained the situation to her. Anne was able to convince this woman using softly spoken words and with evident compassion to agree to the PIV placement. Even confused, I have found that people will respond to those with their best interests at heart, who have compassion at the core of their practice. She saved the day.
One of the things that I admire about Anne is that she is always calm and steady. There have been times where I have called several times a night to evaluate and replace IVs for patients to receive needed intravenous medications. She always responded with grace, always willing to do what is best for the patients under my care. She has always been an excellent resource, willing to answer questions and to give advice that would enable me to provide the best possible care for my patients. She has never been short or impatient, has always been ready to lend a hand. She is a person one can count on when a patient takes a turn for the worst. I have always felt comfortable asking her to consult on the condition of a patient that concerned me. The advice she gave me was always pertinent and increased my knowledge of nursing. She is an invaluable member of the night shift team.
I learn from her with every consultation through both advice and observation. She always has good information. She is always a resource for the unfamiliar in regards to medications and procedures. She inspires trust and is a member of our rapid response team. She is a real-world superhero who I feel due to her position is not likely to be recognized because she has to be shared by so many patients, her contributions are sometimes overlooked.
Thank you for the opportunity to recognize Anne Oxenbridge. It was a pleasure working with her.