Over the summer, my 8-year-old daughter badly burned her foot after spilling hot oatmeal. The resulting injury needed painful debridement at the hospital, and this led to an intense fear of hospitals for her. So a month later when my daughter became ill with a high fever, nausea, and severe abdominal pain, she was nearly inconsolable when we headed into the ER. As a nurse myself, I am used to dealing with anxious, sick patients and worried families, but when it's your own kiddo it just feels different.
As soon as Bekah came into the room, I knew we were in good hands. She was so amazing at not only providing exceptional nursing care to my daughter but also taking the time to calm both of our nerves. My daughter began the encounter crying and scared - Bekah quickly gained her trust through her kind attitude and genuine smile. I was so impressed by her resolve to communicate with my daughter each step of the way, explaining tests in ways that she could understand and taking the time to listen to, and validate her fears. When it came time for my daughter's blood to be drawn, I was ready for a breakdown, but Bekah knew exactly what to do. She set everything aside, pulled a stool up to the bed and sat down to talk with my daughter. She explained what was going to happen and why it needed to be done. She showed her different items that would be used and asked for her consent before each step. This allowed my daughter to feel empowered and active in her care decisions, ultimately allowing for a nearly tearless blood draw! What impressed me the most about this is that she didn't rush or gloss over anything- not for a second. I could see that we were getting 100% of her attention and care at that time even though she likely had 100 different duties needing to be completed.
So often you can feel that caregivers are multitasking and always thinking about where they need to go next- not Bekah. I would have sworn that my daughter was her only patient. The time, care, and compassion she showed us that night is something I will never forget. Neither will my daughter. A week later I was told I would be floating to the ER for my shift that night. When I told my daughter where I would be working she said, "Yay! Will you tell my nurse I said 'hi' and that I miss her?!"
I will be forever grateful for the care and compassion Bekah showed my baby girl that night. The extra time she took to sit with her, helped to bolster her courage and completely changed the way she sees the hospital as a whole. She now thinks of Finley as a great place to be! I believe with my whole heart that Bekah is a DAISY Nurse and my daughter agrees!