November 2010
Dawn
Nichczynski
,
RN
Women's Cancer Care of Seattle
Northwest Hospital & Medical Center, UW Medicine
Seattle
,
WA
United States

 

 

 

I have been a patient at WCCS since I was diagnosed with cancer and she has been one of my chemo nurses since then. She has always been there for me and my family every step of the way. From a technical standpoint, she is a great nurse; but what makes her truly great is the extra effort she gives beyond the call of her nursing duties. She shows genuine concern for me beyond my physical well-being. She is very attentive to how I am doing emotionally. I feel comfortable confiding in her about all aspects of my health; from the tiniest side effects or emotional difficulties to the most extreme. In response, her first priority is to make sure that she addresses all of my concerns and answers all of my questions. If she cannot answer a question or address a concern, I can always rely on her to discuss it with one of the doctors or another staff member. She has even happily handled issues with my pharmacy and insurance company. She has truly been amazing.
Dawn was there for me and my partner during some of my darkest moments earlier this year when my cancer recurred. I was in a great deal of physical pain, and she worked as an advocate to ensure I had every possible tool (medication, a walker, compression stockings) to help me manage my pain. Of particular difficulty were the daily blood thinner shots that were prescribed for me. At the time, this seemed to be a nearly insurmountable task to administer daily abdominal injections at home. We felt as though, on top of everything we were going through, this latest requirement would simply be too much to handle. Sensing this, she took the time to give us the proper instruction and then took even more time for encouragement. With her help we left the office feeling confident that we would be able to do it; which we were! We continue to be grateful to her for helping us past this hurdle. Chemotherapy has been very difficult for me. I have had to deal with many different side effects over the last fifteen months.Dawn's advice and support have been very helpful to me in handling these side effects.
Dawn is very talented and knowledgeable and, even though she is very busy, she encourages questions and makes sure that all of my questions are actually answered. It is incredibly comforting for me to know that I can call her at the office with any question, no matter how small. She is always helpful, lifts my spirits, and gives me the confidence and support to believe I can get through this. I am not the only one who has noticed her incredible talent and spirit. In personally talking to other patients and observing her interactions, it is clear that she gives hope and lightness to every patient every day.
Dawn is a talented, dedicated, professional, and compassionate nurse. She is committed to providing the very best care. She will always go the extra step, no matter how tired she may be or how busy she is, to make sure that you are taken care of. I feel so grateful to call her my nurse and my friend.