Beth A Eshelman
June 2024
Beth A
Eshelman
,
RN
2T Progressive Care
Columbus Regional Hospital
Columbus
,
IN
United States

 

 

 

The care she gives her patients shows the passion she has for her work.
My dad was on 2T for a routine heart cath. He arrived late on a Thursday night and was scheduled for the cath the next day. When it came time for his procedure, Beth saw our unease and after hearing us discuss a prayer, she offered to pray with all of us. After the procedure, they learned that my dad had a stroke during the heart cath and was not responding appropriately as he awoke. Beth immediately knew something was wrong because she had spoken with him that morning as he carried on a full conversation about the grandkids and all of his favorite things. As every moment unfolded, the information came at us very hard and fast. Beth was there for everything. When a test was ordered stat, she took him there stat. When it looked as if something was going to be delayed, she advocated and was not satisfied until she knew it was completed. Her communication to us was honest and when she didn’t have an answer she would ask until she found it. She was our direct connection to his entire care team and I know that she had to be exhausted, but we never knew it. I’m sure she had other patients but as far we could tell, she was there for him alone. It actually felt like she was there for all of us, not just my dad. We were lucky to have her with us for several days straight. I know that 2T has an entire staff of amazing nurses (we interacted with many of them), but having Beth as a constant during the most crucial time in my dad’s life was more than comforting. She was placed in our path for a reason. We spent more time with her than our own family that first week. She went far beyond the role of a nurse. Beth was present for all of the difficult news at the beginning and every small win after. I know that in our panicked state, we were overbearing, needy and impatient. She would have been very good at her job if she had only done the bare minimum. The care she gives her patients shows the passion she has for her work. All the “extra” that was done for us and her continuing concern and encouragement says a lot more about the amazing human she is. The journey has been a whirlwind at best and I cannot imagine what those early days would have been like without her. These words are nothing in comparison to what Beth deserves. I can only hope that it conveys a small portion of our gratitude.