Connor Barnell
July 2021
Connor
Barnell
,
BSN, RN, CCRN
Acute Respiratory Intensive Care Unit
Emory University Hospital
Atlanta
,
GA
United States
Connor was relentless in making this happen. He wasted no time to make this possible.
It is hard to put into words all of the wonderful qualities Connor has that makes him a one-of-a-kind nurse. I began working in the ARICU shortly after Connor and it didn’t take long to notice what sets him apart. Connor is hard-working, compassionate, selfless, dependable, and an exemplary team player. He helps without being asked, goes above and beyond for both staff and patients every shift, and when I go into work and see he is there, I know it will be a good day.
Connor never complains and regardless of the circumstances, his patients and their families always come first. What truly makes Connor special is his heart of gold: one that genuinely cares for his patients and their families. The story I want to share is only one example of the kind of nurse Connor is. Connor was caring for a 27-year-old patient who was diagnosed with both liver and kidney failure. The patient had been at Emory for one month, in and out of the ICU, but nevertheless consistently inside the hospital for the past 30 days. The day prior to this, the patient decided to become a DNR/DNI, when he was told the devastating news he would not be eligible for any organ transplants and had an estimated six weeks left to live.
Connor’s first thought was, “How can I get this patient outside? He needs to see the sun or be in the sunshine.” Connor was relentless in making this happen. He wasted no time to make this possible. He asked the doctors for permission in rounds, tracked down a portable suction canister to hook up to the patient’s chest tubes (which was not easy to find), and worked extremely hard to mobilize a still-sick ICU patient. Although I wasn’t very familiar with this patient, I will never forget the smile he had the moment Connor put him in that wheelchair and wheeled him out of the room. If the unit was pitch black, the patient’s smile would have lit the whole unit up. It is moments like these that give you goosebumps and an overwhelming sense of gratitude that nurses like Connor exist.
It was his first day with the patient and less than three hours on his shift, he had the patient downstairs and sitting in the sunshine. It is moments like this and because of nurses like Connor that remind us why we chose this profession, and the difference one act can make. This is only one testament to what I see Connor do daily. His ability to take a sad situation and do everything to bring the patient joy says everything about the kind of nurse he is. He’s patient, kind-hearted, encouraging, and I have never heard a negative word come out of his mouth. Connor is an exceptional nurse, leading by example in all that he does, and I believe his patients are extremely fortunate to be cared for by him.
Connor never complains and regardless of the circumstances, his patients and their families always come first. What truly makes Connor special is his heart of gold: one that genuinely cares for his patients and their families. The story I want to share is only one example of the kind of nurse Connor is. Connor was caring for a 27-year-old patient who was diagnosed with both liver and kidney failure. The patient had been at Emory for one month, in and out of the ICU, but nevertheless consistently inside the hospital for the past 30 days. The day prior to this, the patient decided to become a DNR/DNI, when he was told the devastating news he would not be eligible for any organ transplants and had an estimated six weeks left to live.
Connor’s first thought was, “How can I get this patient outside? He needs to see the sun or be in the sunshine.” Connor was relentless in making this happen. He wasted no time to make this possible. He asked the doctors for permission in rounds, tracked down a portable suction canister to hook up to the patient’s chest tubes (which was not easy to find), and worked extremely hard to mobilize a still-sick ICU patient. Although I wasn’t very familiar with this patient, I will never forget the smile he had the moment Connor put him in that wheelchair and wheeled him out of the room. If the unit was pitch black, the patient’s smile would have lit the whole unit up. It is moments like these that give you goosebumps and an overwhelming sense of gratitude that nurses like Connor exist.
It was his first day with the patient and less than three hours on his shift, he had the patient downstairs and sitting in the sunshine. It is moments like this and because of nurses like Connor that remind us why we chose this profession, and the difference one act can make. This is only one testament to what I see Connor do daily. His ability to take a sad situation and do everything to bring the patient joy says everything about the kind of nurse he is. He’s patient, kind-hearted, encouraging, and I have never heard a negative word come out of his mouth. Connor is an exceptional nurse, leading by example in all that he does, and I believe his patients are extremely fortunate to be cared for by him.