Chris was one of the nurses from the VA that came to help us here at Yuma Regional Medical Center in Yuma, AZ. Our area is a current COVID-19 hotspot and our hospital is critically understaffed.
I had the pleasure to orient Chris on his first night here. I was so impressed at how quickly he picked up on things. He had never used EPIC charting before, or our IV pumps and he barely had any trouble catching on. An hour into the shift he assisted our intensivists in placing bilateral chest tubes on one of our three patients. He had one night of orientation and then took a regular assignment on his own. I had the pleasure to work alongside him for the next few nights.
If any ventilator telemetry or IV pump alarm went off, he was the first one to jump up and check on them. His positive upbeat and cheerful attitude was such a breath of fresh air. Over the past several months our ICU staff has been pushed to the limit. Morale has been very low. Seeing a lot of death and being very busy, shift after shift, has left us emotionally and mentally battered and bruised. Having Chris and his colleagues from the VA here to help us by taking a patient assignment has been such a gift.
I knew by them coming here to help that our patients would benefit. What I did not expect was that I also would benefit. The words of encouragement and the affirmation that what we are doing is meaningful has breathed new life into me. On his orientation night, I walked Chris to the cafeteria. I expressed some of my frustrations and feelings to him. He was there to listen and offered words of wisdom. He told me that the work I was doing mattered. I can't remember the words he spoke, but I remember how Chris made me feel. I cannot thank him enough. He came here and gave superior patient care but he's leaving here with a new friend in me.
Thank you, Chris, and all the VA hospital nurses!