Grace J Hickerson, BSN, RN

My friend was a patient on the ortho unit and I want to take a moment to recognize an exceptional nurse. My friend was in a traumatic ski accident in which she was sledded off the mountain and had to drive 5 hours to Portland in a van with an extremely painful spiral tib-fib fracture. From the moment we arrived on 6 East, everything changed. Grace and her CNA met us in the hallway and immediately addressed all of our concerns. She validated her feelings, acknowledged her pain and created a plan for the evening that took away her anxiety surrounding the unknown. Grace wrote her medication schedule on the board - the knowledge of her schedule alone took away worry and confusion. Grace made promises she could keep — she agreed to wake T to keep her on a pain regimen through the night so she wouldn’t get behind. Grace advocated for T with the on call ortho PA that night. She kept us informed and was honest. As a nurse myself, I know how difficult this job can be. Grace had 5 patients overnight and still made sure T felt cared for. She didn’t have to put the call bell on once - Grace prioritized my friend’s needs and made realistic promises she could keep. With nurses leaving the bedside in droves, I feel acknowledging nurses who excel in the field is so important. I feel Grace deserves recognition for her exceptional bedside manner and utilization of trauma-informed care to provide a safe environment for my friend to heal. Thank you so much, Grace, for all you did!