June 2026 Honoree
Craig Neveu, RN
I had a patient who came into the ER with complaints of inability to urinate. Craig was the RN assigned to me for the patient. When I examined the patient, I oted significant abdominal distention and tympany. The patient was sent for CT exam. The CT exam revealed large loops of dilated bowel and free air within the abdomen.
I went in and explained the emergent nature of this to the patient. The patient was frankly dumbfounded by this. His only concern was his dog. The patient wanted to leave the ER so that he could make arrangements for his dog and then come back the next day to have the surgery. Craig went in and explained to the patient that this was not an option, yet the patient remained focused on his dog.
Craig went in to comfort the patient and told him that we would make some sort of arrangements so that his dog would be taken care of. Craig called the local humane society and explained the situation to those folks there and that this was an emergent situation. The humane society agreed to accept the dog while the patient was in the hospital. This was conveyed to the patient, but then he was worried about how the dog would get there. Craig told the patient that he himself would drive the dog to the humane society.
The patient was grateful for this but still overwhelmed by everything that was occurring and the need/speed at which it needed to occur. The patient contacted his family in Illinois, and it was decided by the family that the patient's son-in-law would come to Wisconsin and take charge of the dog. The patient was anxious and then focused on getting the dog back to his house so that the son-in-law could get the dog from the house.
Craig told the patient that he would personally take the dog to the patient's house. The patient was insistent that he be allowed to go a long way to drop the dog off. While unconventional and certainly not a typical way of doing things, I did allow for this to occur. Craig personally drove the patient and the patient's dog back to the patient's home, where they were able to get the dog inside and settled. Craig then drove the patient back to the emergency room, and the patient subsequently went upstairs to surgery.
These actions helped ease this patient's significant angst and anxiety. Craig went above and beyond what is typically required of an emergency room nurse in this instance.
I went in and explained the emergent nature of this to the patient. The patient was frankly dumbfounded by this. His only concern was his dog. The patient wanted to leave the ER so that he could make arrangements for his dog and then come back the next day to have the surgery. Craig went in and explained to the patient that this was not an option, yet the patient remained focused on his dog.
Craig went in to comfort the patient and told him that we would make some sort of arrangements so that his dog would be taken care of. Craig called the local humane society and explained the situation to those folks there and that this was an emergent situation. The humane society agreed to accept the dog while the patient was in the hospital. This was conveyed to the patient, but then he was worried about how the dog would get there. Craig told the patient that he himself would drive the dog to the humane society.
The patient was grateful for this but still overwhelmed by everything that was occurring and the need/speed at which it needed to occur. The patient contacted his family in Illinois, and it was decided by the family that the patient's son-in-law would come to Wisconsin and take charge of the dog. The patient was anxious and then focused on getting the dog back to his house so that the son-in-law could get the dog from the house.
Craig told the patient that he would personally take the dog to the patient's house. The patient was insistent that he be allowed to go a long way to drop the dog off. While unconventional and certainly not a typical way of doing things, I did allow for this to occur. Craig personally drove the patient and the patient's dog back to the patient's home, where they were able to get the dog inside and settled. Craig then drove the patient back to the emergency room, and the patient subsequently went upstairs to surgery.
These actions helped ease this patient's significant angst and anxiety. Craig went above and beyond what is typically required of an emergency room nurse in this instance.
Thank you, Craig, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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