Carmen Williams
August 2020
Carmen
Williams
,
RN
PACU
Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center
LT Williams took her time, checked and rechecked, and I felt 100% safe in her care.
I arrived at Same Day Surgery at 7:45 am for what we thought was going to be a 2.5-hour surgery and recovery and did not leave until almost 7 pm that night. It was a long, tiring, anxious, and emotional day for me, but it was made tolerable by the nurses who attended to me, especially LT Williams.
This was the first time I had ever been under general anesthesia, so I was nervous about that unknown going into the OR and didn't know what to expect coming out. When I rolled into recovery still a bit dazed and confused, LT Williams greeted me and helped me through the process of waking up and dealing with constant nausea that kept creeping in, as well as a sudden influx of emotion from coming out of the anesthesia. She comforted me and assured me this was all normal, and I was doing great. But she really went above and beyond and showed exceptional care in her handling of the unexpected blood transfusion I had to receive.
Going under anesthesia had been an unknown, but it was an expected one. A transfusion was something I hadn't even thought was a possibility. I'd never received blood before, so I was hesitant and unsure. LT Williams worked with the team to have my surgeon come back and explain the need for it and her reasoning behind ordering it. Knowing I'd never had a transfusion before, LT Williams worked diligently to implement it slowly and safely and communicated this to me so I felt informed. She took her time, checked and rechecked, and I felt 100% safe in her care. I knew that if some adverse reaction occurred, she would immediately be there to respond and fix it.
She sat with me for hours, tracking my blood pressure and talking with me about my husband, kids, my students, and Tennessee. LT Williams was not only knowledgeable and a great resource as a medical professional, but she was also immense emotional support to me during this ended-up-much-longer than planned day. I know she had to have put off charting and paperwork to be with me for as long as she was, to answer all my questions, and respond to my needs, but she never indicated it, and she was just amazing throughout the entire experience. I am so grateful I had her assigned to me that day.
This was the first time I had ever been under general anesthesia, so I was nervous about that unknown going into the OR and didn't know what to expect coming out. When I rolled into recovery still a bit dazed and confused, LT Williams greeted me and helped me through the process of waking up and dealing with constant nausea that kept creeping in, as well as a sudden influx of emotion from coming out of the anesthesia. She comforted me and assured me this was all normal, and I was doing great. But she really went above and beyond and showed exceptional care in her handling of the unexpected blood transfusion I had to receive.
Going under anesthesia had been an unknown, but it was an expected one. A transfusion was something I hadn't even thought was a possibility. I'd never received blood before, so I was hesitant and unsure. LT Williams worked with the team to have my surgeon come back and explain the need for it and her reasoning behind ordering it. Knowing I'd never had a transfusion before, LT Williams worked diligently to implement it slowly and safely and communicated this to me so I felt informed. She took her time, checked and rechecked, and I felt 100% safe in her care. I knew that if some adverse reaction occurred, she would immediately be there to respond and fix it.
She sat with me for hours, tracking my blood pressure and talking with me about my husband, kids, my students, and Tennessee. LT Williams was not only knowledgeable and a great resource as a medical professional, but she was also immense emotional support to me during this ended-up-much-longer than planned day. I know she had to have put off charting and paperwork to be with me for as long as she was, to answer all my questions, and respond to my needs, but she never indicated it, and she was just amazing throughout the entire experience. I am so grateful I had her assigned to me that day.