Christine McLean
July 2021
Bonnie "Christine"
McLean
,
RN, BSN, CCRN
Cardiac Cath Lab
Bon Secours Mercy Memorial Regional Medical Center
Mechanicsville
,
VA
United States
I noticed Christine talking and praying with the patient. The patient was very appreciative and much more at ease.
After many years in the Critical Care Unit Christine transitioned to the procedural area in the Cardiac Cath lab. Procedural areas have some of the most amazing “forgotten” heroes (thanks, Versed). While it is easy to become somewhat regimented in the lab, I watch Christine and her compassion go above and beyond every day. This past weekend was no different, but I watched in awe as she comforted a patient prior to his catherization…at 3:30 in the morning. This patient came to the ED with chest pain, we rushed him up to the Cath lab as “time is muscle”. During an emergency we often are very busy as there is a tight “door to balloon” timeline. After the case when things had calmed down a bit, Christine stayed with the patient talking and comforting him while we were working on getting him a bed. It was brought to our attention earlier that the patient’s wife has died last month, and he’d been very sad/depressed. While waiting, I noticed Christine talking and praying with the patient. The patient was very appreciative and much more at ease. Christine exhibits this compassion on a regular basis but taking this time with the patient in the middle of the night went far above and beyond. Procedural nurses are often forgotten, floor nurses aren’t certain what we do behind those doors and patients get sedated with amnesia causing Versed and do not remember us at all. However, her actions this night exemplified the respect, caring and compassion expected of an Extraordinary Nurse. Thank You!