The impact Britney has had on my family is great beyond what words can do justice. My mom spent 4.5 days in the TLC ICU after a horrible car accident two weeks before Christmas, nearly two of those days, intubated. Amidst all the terror that came from that first ER phone call, onward, Britney has been a bright spot in this all. We lucked out that she was just beginning her longest shift of the month and would spend every day there with us.
Clinically, Britney exuded confidence and calm. She was attentive and predictive of all my mom's needs and was a strong advocate with all the medical staff, often suggesting next step ideas to the team of doctors coordinating her care. Further, she made sure I understood, and was confident, in what every doctor said, especially when my brain was swimming from exhaustion and shock. I know she was busy on the unit, but any question I asked, it felt like Britney had all the time in the world as she carefully responded.
Perhaps more importantly, it was Britney's humanness I will never forget. When my 80-year-old Dad was too overwhelmed to spend more than a few minutes at my mom's bedside and could barely get a word out past his tears, Britney gracefully intervened. She spent time with him, connecting about his life with my mom, letting him talk her ear off with stories, returning his witty banter, and making sure he understood as much medical content as he wanted to. By our last day in the ICU, my Dad even pulled up a chair in my mom's room and sat for quite some time, talking to my mom as she slept and exchanging Christmas dinner recipes with Britney.
Especially in those early days, I struggled to leave the hospital. Letting go of that semblance of control from being available every moment was such a challenge. Knowing Britney was on shift and by my mom's side gave me more confidence than I could have ever imagined. I am not the most trusting person, but Britney made it easy. Seeing her pop into the room for her shift every morning, I let out my biggest breath of the day.
As for my mom, Britney was everything. Early on I informed the team that they were calling my mom by an incomplete version of her name, that my mom despises. As some providers continued on unaware, Britney made a sign with the correct spelling, broken up into pronounceable pieces and thoughtfully corrected the countless providers who would stop by. She even worked to make sure her accent on the Spanish name was spot on. It may seem small, but to us, it was a clear sign that Britney saw my mom as a person, not just a patient.
Once my mom got the breathing tube out and began interacting more, her sassy nature started seeping out and Britney didn't miss a beat. Britney knew when to push and when to nurture. She laughed along with my mom's jokes and ribbed with her right back. With the greatest patience in the world, Britney explained my mom's injuries and needs to her, over and over, making sure she understood. The ease I felt as I stood outside my mom's room during a body position change and overheard her say to Britney, "I think we're getting along too well," is indescribable.
I hope I never see another ICU, but if I do, Britney will forever be the gold standard I hope for. The absolute epitome of compassion and expertise.