Patient Advocate defines Destiny Bublitz. It is ingrained into her very heart and soul. We all become nurses for various reasons the most amazing and life changing nurses go into this field to be an advocate…an advocate to make changes for good in the lives of their patients. They protect the vulnerable and bring comfort to families.

Recently, I had a family member admitted to the hospital. He injured his leg and this was his second admission within a week. His pain was intense and this normally active and stoic man was brought to a very humble and vulnerable place. For our family, it was a difficult and anxious situation. No one seemed to know the cause of the pain. Imaging was inconclusive. His pain was uncontrolled and our only options were to pray for divine intervention, a miracle, or tender mercy. One of those tender mercies came to us as he was moved to the DOU Unit and was put into the care of Destiny. She introduced herself at the start of her shift and said that she had heard him the day before crying out in so much pain. Her compassion for him was immense. She said that she would be his advocate and do all that was in her power to 1. Manage his pain 2. Work with physicians on a plan of care 3. Promote collaboration between team members to find answers That is exactly what she did. Things started to change for him that very day.

We asked his wife to describe why Destiny should be considered for recognition. These are her very words, “Destiny showed sympathy and compassion as she saw that he needed immediate attention. Destiny took charge and went to the right people to get him the attention that he needed to get him better. Destiny was great at explaining everything that she was doing and why she was doing it. Destiny also was great at explaining the purpose and actions of the medicine. She let us know that while on her watch he would not go through any pain. She watched the clock and made sure he had his medicine on time too so he never ended up in any pain on her shift. Destiny was God sent to us. All nurses should be as compassionate and sympathetic as she is.”

I first met Destiny during the difficult Covid months. I would come to DOU to help out. She was very calming and kind. Being a newer nurse I figured she would be shy and hesitant working with doctors and more experienced staff. Boy was I wrong! I have seen her speak up and be assertive when it comes to the patients she cares for. In my family’s case, she felt not everyone was on the same page. There was miscommunication and confusion. She requested a meeting with the entire team, hospitalist, infectious disease doctor, and surgeon, to discuss the best plan of care for her patient. We were grateful as a family that she had the fortitude to do this. She is organized, thorough, and stands up for what she thinks is right. Destiny is extraordinary. She makes our hospital a better place…one patient, one family, one assignment at a time.