It's an absolute pleasure to work side by side with such a great nurse. Tina always has a smile on her face, and is diligent in putting a smile on yours. I have witnessed Tina show compassion towards patients and coworkers and instill faith and hope to patients and families. She continuously exceeds expectations set by the system and anticipates the needs of patients.
I had a patient experiencing withdrawal symptoms from alcohol and drugs. He also had an underlying psychological diagnosis that was making his care near impossible to manage. I was beyond stressed. No lunch, no break. A full patient assignment and this particular patient who was very challenging and demanding. His safety was the greatest threat. I had used every resource I could in caring for this patient. I was on the verge of tears. Not one of my greatest days at OSUWMC. Tina noticed I was about to breakdown. I was literally chasing the patient around on the unit to get him back to his room. Tina has a history as a psych nurse, which really came to advantage this day. She immediately came to my aid and, perhaps, his as well. She distracted him with light conversation and offered him a chair in the waiting area. She managed to keep his attention and focus on her and why he was at the hospital. This allowed me to appropriately assess and medicate him as necessary. It also gave me the time to round on my other patients, as well as, use the restroom and grab a snack. Words cannot express the gratitude I felt for those 20 minutes of relief. Not only did I feel better, but the patient and I were able to communicate to each other in a more therapeutic way.
On another occasion Tina and I were both floated to work the unit this day. She had a homeless man, with multiple comorbidities that would make him a challenging patient. This man had a particular odor from refusing to wear a hospital gown and staying in his dirty clothes. It was heartbreaking, because he was such a nice patient. He was hospitalized already for a long time, because there were problems establishing guardianship with him. A long time in the hospital can bring a person's spirit down. Not to mention wearing soiled clothes everyday must influence your wellbeing.
Tina, being the compassionate person that she is, took it upon herself to make arrangements with another unit that has a washer and dryer to clean his clothing. In the meantime, she bathed him herself and redressed him with his fresh clothing. You could tell it meant so much to him. She didn't stop there. She then took him for a walk outside to help brighten his mood.
Tina's actions are clear examples of how she instilled faith and hope in both patients by letting them know that people care and think that they matter. She clearly exceeded the expectations of this institution and has 100% anticipated the needs of these patients, as well as her coworker in times of need. She has always, since I have known her sought out opportunities to make people smile and make a difference in their lives.