Colleen O’Brien
December 2019
Colleen
O'Brien
,
RN, BSN
ICU
Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital
Mount Pleasant
,
SC
United States
P
Compassion for nursing and the care they provide: Recently, Colleen and I were caring for a patient with metastatic cancer. He had lost his will to live and indicated he was ready for hospice care. I watched as Colleen compassionately cleaned and massaged the patient's legs, speaking tenderly to him, while also maintaining an encouraging attitude.
As I visited the patient's wife and daughter, Colleen was helping me identify spiritual resources to honor their Catholic heritage. Afterward, we both met with the palliative care doctor; Colleen was able to advocate for the wife, who was confused about hospice, and the daughter, who was quietly grieving. She made sure the doctor understood all of the dynamics in play and expressed her desire to help them navigate this difficult time.
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Empathy: Colleen often provides care for women undergoing breast cancer surgery and reconstruction. She is thorough in answering questions as patients go through this process, and she can sense the fears that arise. Her empathy allows her to be both patient and encouraging during recovery and therapy.
In another situation, Colleen was the nurse for a man who coded while in ICU. His doctor determined that the patient needed a higher level of care than RSFH could offer. Colleen felt the family's anxiety in this situation, so she took the time to explain to them in more detail why the transfer was necessary. She then went beyond what was required of her and connected them to the receiving physician at MUSC.
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Trust and Teamwork of families, patients, and peers: As a teammate, Colleen serves her peers, patients, and families with tireless devotion. I have heard her on numerous occasions offer help to her peers. She never hesitates to take on a new patient to ensure balance in the unit. Even when she is the charge nurse, Colleen will manage just as many patients as others, without sacrificing the quality of care for the patient and family. I would easily trust her to care for me or a loved one.
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Love for the patient and nursing profession: In speaking to Colleen's manager, I learned that Colleen is easily a top performer in her unit. She serves as a preceptor for new nurses and as a charge nurse for her unit. She keeps abreast of advances in her field, stays on top of her continuing education, and pursues opportunities for learning beyond what is required. She is enrolled in the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree through MUSC, with estimated completion in 2021.
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Selflessness: Colleen is a single mom, raising three energetic boys. As a chaplain, she has shared with me the challenges she faces in ensuring her children are well cared for while she works 12-hour shifts and in carving out personal time for herself. Yet, when she is at work, she is constantly more concerned for others than herself. If someone is in need or troubled, Colleen will offer to help or to listen. She serves this hospital just as tirelessly as she does her own family, because, as her actions show, we are her family too.
Compassion for nursing and the care they provide: Recently, Colleen and I were caring for a patient with metastatic cancer. He had lost his will to live and indicated he was ready for hospice care. I watched as Colleen compassionately cleaned and massaged the patient's legs, speaking tenderly to him, while also maintaining an encouraging attitude.
As I visited the patient's wife and daughter, Colleen was helping me identify spiritual resources to honor their Catholic heritage. Afterward, we both met with the palliative care doctor; Colleen was able to advocate for the wife, who was confused about hospice, and the daughter, who was quietly grieving. She made sure the doctor understood all of the dynamics in play and expressed her desire to help them navigate this difficult time.
E
Empathy: Colleen often provides care for women undergoing breast cancer surgery and reconstruction. She is thorough in answering questions as patients go through this process, and she can sense the fears that arise. Her empathy allows her to be both patient and encouraging during recovery and therapy.
In another situation, Colleen was the nurse for a man who coded while in ICU. His doctor determined that the patient needed a higher level of care than RSFH could offer. Colleen felt the family's anxiety in this situation, so she took the time to explain to them in more detail why the transfer was necessary. She then went beyond what was required of her and connected them to the receiving physician at MUSC.
T
Trust and Teamwork of families, patients, and peers: As a teammate, Colleen serves her peers, patients, and families with tireless devotion. I have heard her on numerous occasions offer help to her peers. She never hesitates to take on a new patient to ensure balance in the unit. Even when she is the charge nurse, Colleen will manage just as many patients as others, without sacrificing the quality of care for the patient and family. I would easily trust her to care for me or a loved one.
L
Love for the patient and nursing profession: In speaking to Colleen's manager, I learned that Colleen is easily a top performer in her unit. She serves as a preceptor for new nurses and as a charge nurse for her unit. She keeps abreast of advances in her field, stays on top of her continuing education, and pursues opportunities for learning beyond what is required. She is enrolled in the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree through MUSC, with estimated completion in 2021.
S
Selflessness: Colleen is a single mom, raising three energetic boys. As a chaplain, she has shared with me the challenges she faces in ensuring her children are well cared for while she works 12-hour shifts and in carving out personal time for herself. Yet, when she is at work, she is constantly more concerned for others than herself. If someone is in need or troubled, Colleen will offer to help or to listen. She serves this hospital just as tirelessly as she does her own family, because, as her actions show, we are her family too.