I have been an inpatient following a tethered cord release surgery. As a nurse, it was incredibly difficult for me to need extra assistance as I am usually independent. Tethered cord release surgery leaves the patient in a very vulnerable place due to activity restrictions and pain, which I unfortunately greatly suffered from.
I stayed an extra night in the hospital due to uncontrolled pain, and boy, am I glad that I did now. Faith Proulx really advocated for me and was always on top of my pain meds so I would be most successful for discharge. She really took her time assessing me and explaining everything in a calm manner that was easy to comprehend. Overnight, I had some concerns about extensive bruising to my incision area, and Faith not only comforted me like a best friend would, but she also initiated the chain of command and had the provider come to assess me.
I had over five nurses during my stay on BB6, and while everyone did their job, Faith went above and beyond for me. She was the first to truly listen and see a human being in this bed rather than just another task. The extra pain and bruising occurred, as my doctor explained because I had one of the tightest tethered cords they had ever seen. They explained I may have more swelling, pain, and bruising than usual due to needing to apply extra force to the incisions surrounding tissue to access the spinal cord.
I had no idea this was the case until my last night here because Faith was such a good patient advocate. I finally had answers to my questions about why I was struggling so much. Any old nurse can complete tasks and pass out medications, but what Faith did for me cannot be learned in Nursing School. She simply cared, comforted, and listened with empathy.
That, right there, is the heart of nursing. I will never forget all that she did for me to make sure I was respected, comforted, and calm.