If you look up the definitions of "integrity" and "benevolence" in the dictionary, you would find the name April Meeks, RN. April has longstanding been a nurse with zeal for the nursing profession, what it stands for and most of all the experiences of her patients. Embodying the nursing mantra of service, April always reaches above and beyond for her patients, whether it be to simply wash a patient's hair with real shampoo and water or traveling to another unit to insert a Foley catheter for a patient because the patient trusted her superior expertise.
I wish to share a couple of experiences of April going above and beyond to ensure the comfort of her patients without even expecting an ounce of gratuity that she so honestly deserves.
A weekend shift is always something to look forward to on this unit. April always works the weekends and we can always count on her to make it a worthwhile and interesting few days of work. One weekend, in particular, will always stand out to me as being the most stereotypical "April" weekend. The week prior, we admitted a patient who needed to have surgery. He had a comprehensive medical background and had a supportive family to care for him, especially his wife. Contrarily, he was also very supportive of his family. His dynamic situation involved his wife's diagnosis of dementia. Even though he had other family members to care for her, he, like any husband might do, worried about her constantly.
The same week, a few rooms over, we had a patient who also was admitted to have surgery on his remaining leg. His family was also extremely affirmative and supportive of his medical diagnosis. Within a day of each other, tragically, the wives of each of these patients also became patients of the hospital. The wife who had dementia had been in a traumatic car accident and was on another unit in the ICU. The second patient, who was to have surgery on his leg, received news that his wife had fallen and fractured her hip on a venture to come to visit him.
We arrive at the weekend and April is in charge. Upon hearing of these tragic narratives, her first question is, "have the patients seen their loved ones?" How is that in the bustle of hospital life and medical enlightenment, we seem to get lost in the simplest of human needs? I believe April could have moved a gargantuan mountain that would put Everest to its knees that day if there was one in the way of satisfying that basic human need. April contacted the physician of the first patient to be sure he could leave the unit to visit his wife and contacted that nurse caring for her to get a summary of her "state". The patient could leave but had to be monitored so April arranged for a nurse to travel to the ICU with him. As the team was packing him up and making him a portable surgical patient, April took time to explain and prepare him for what he was about to witness. His wife was still on a ventilator, asleep, and her fractured body looked grotesque to the average person who was not used to seeing such a situation. I truly believe this meant the absolute world to him and even though he could not communicate with his wife, being present in the room with her spoke enough volumes to fill a library.
The second patient's wife was actually a patient on our unit. April arrived in her room next and, in collaboration with the primary nurse, she worked towards pain control and self-care after his surgery so the patient could sit in the chair. Once in the chair, April rolled it to her husband's room. The nurse gave medications, treated and provided care to the wife in his room so they could spend a day together. Providing affirmation and again, presence to each other helped this family tremendously to alleviate the stress of the unknown and caring for each other.
Nurses are always taught to care for the patient not just in medical terms but taking a more holistic view of what it means to fully and honorably care for a patient. Life of a professional in the hospital, addressing outside stressors can become second hand to caring for a patient medically and we can lose sight of comprehensively treating the entire patient. I believe April lives and breathes to be a role model and constant reminder of our duties as nurses. She serves with a bestowing heart to all her patients, not just examples such as this. She is a knowledgeable and giving leader and a standard to strive for as a nurse. April is a true DAISY Nurse.