I know, firsthand, how the framework of AIDET can impact the patient/family experience. It is difficult to describe how challenging it is to write this letter, even considering it is incredibly positive and laudatory feedback for a member of your team, Bobbi, a nurse on the chemotherapy floor. I want to start with the background of my interactions with Bobbi, prior to our having met. My mother was admitted to Jefferson Hospital in late September 2018. My mom was on an inpatient pulmonary floor and required transfer to the chemotherapy unit for administration of this drug, which was dosed by her weight. Prior to her transfer, Bobbi had gone out of her way to leave the chemo floor, come to the pulmonary floor, obtain a scale and an accurate weight for my mother so that pharmacy could expedite the mixing of this drug. This level of proactivity is admirable, I believe that Bobbi truly sensed the absolute urgency of how administering this medication could impact the patient outcome and how important it was that she received it that day. Upon transfer to the chemo floor later that evening, my father and I were reintroduced to Bobbi and oriented to the department. On arrival to the unit Bobbi had given my family and I the best AIDET I have ever experienced. This is a term I had only become recently familiar within the last 18 months, but Bobbi seemed as though she had been fluent and trained in this communication framework for years. She acknowledged my mother, my father and I, introduced herself and the unit, and described the administration and expected duration of the chemotherapeutic agent. Bobbi put my mother, father, and I at ease knowing that she was going to take care of her.
Bobbi took the time to educate about a newly prescribed medication, all while admitting her to the unit, getting her settled in, and preparing her for the administration of chemotherapy.
It is easy to describe the level of comfort I felt with Bobbi caring for my mother, so much so that while I planned to leave at 10 or 11 pm to ensure that 'everything went right', I felt comfortable leaving at change of shift at about 7 pm because of the job that Bobbi had done after only caring for my mother for a few hours. Additionally, Bobbi did a great job of managing up the next shift/oncoming nurse which was another reason I felt so comfortable. This high level of nursing care and AIDET communication style provided by Bobbi allowed for my decreased anxiety, affirmed her clinical competence and care, and is a best practice in evidenced-based leadership.
My current goal in leadership is to train my teams to be as proficient in this communication style as Bobbi was with my family. I've once heard it said that "the difference between good and great is 'always'." Bobbi strikes me as a nurse who always performs at an expert level and provides consistency for greatness.
My mother passed away a few days after transfer from the disease progression. I want to thank Bobbi for her care and compassion provided to both my mom and my family.