Hope DiPiazza
December 2020
Hope L
DiPiazza
,
BSN, RN
NCH Medical Group-Specialty Allergy Medicine
Northwest Community Healthcare
Arlington Heights
,
IL
United States
My experience would have been far different if I hadn't felt as if I had been in such capable and caring hands. Hope is a treasure.
Every week I go to the NCH allergy Department for allergy shots. Often my nurse is Hope DiPiazza. She stands out as an extraordinary nurse. I have never seen a nurse who interacts so lovingly with patients. After every allergy injection, I have to wait 30 minutes in the waiting room to make sure I haven't developed a bad reaction. That time has allowed me to watch Hope call-in patients. She smiles at each one, is upbeat, and makes small talk with them. You can tell they are so happy to see her. They, like me, probably see her every week for an allergy shot and have come to know her as I have. I had thought that weekly allergy shots would be a sort of drudgery, but I look forward to them knowing I might get to see Hope. I would bet at all of the patients she sees feels the same way.
Hope is uplifting! Last week 30 minutes after my allergy shot I left the office. When I reached the ground floor I felt a little peculiar. I sat for a few minutes. My wrists were starting to itch, my eyes hurt, and I noticed a hive pop. I headed back upstairs to the office. I went into the bathroom first to look at my eyes. Many of the blood vessels in the whites of my eyes were red. I went into the office and asked one of the very kind receptionists on staff if I could see Hope again because I was itching. She immediately had Hope bring me back into an examination room. Hope went into action. She contacted the Doctor to let him know what was going on, took my vital signs, checked my back and abdomen for hives, gave me Benadryl and Prednisone, and started to get epinephrine ready.
I started coughing, my throat felt strange, my voice didn't sound right. My throat was likely swelling. Hope gave me an injection of epinephrine. I was fully aware that I was having an anaphylaxis reaction, but I wasn't nervous. I was calm, probably because Hope was exhibiting such common control over the situation. She made me feel safe and as well taken care of as if I had seen someone in the emergency room. The Doctor repeatedly checked on me. Hope didn't leave my side and continually monitored me, documented my symptoms until they subsided, and I had been stabilized. My experience would have been far different if I hadn't felt as if I had been in such capable and caring hands. Hope is a treasure. Her positive attitude, professionalism, and carrying my current exemplary nurse. I'm so grateful Hope has been my nurse and I've come to know her.
Hope is uplifting! Last week 30 minutes after my allergy shot I left the office. When I reached the ground floor I felt a little peculiar. I sat for a few minutes. My wrists were starting to itch, my eyes hurt, and I noticed a hive pop. I headed back upstairs to the office. I went into the bathroom first to look at my eyes. Many of the blood vessels in the whites of my eyes were red. I went into the office and asked one of the very kind receptionists on staff if I could see Hope again because I was itching. She immediately had Hope bring me back into an examination room. Hope went into action. She contacted the Doctor to let him know what was going on, took my vital signs, checked my back and abdomen for hives, gave me Benadryl and Prednisone, and started to get epinephrine ready.
I started coughing, my throat felt strange, my voice didn't sound right. My throat was likely swelling. Hope gave me an injection of epinephrine. I was fully aware that I was having an anaphylaxis reaction, but I wasn't nervous. I was calm, probably because Hope was exhibiting such common control over the situation. She made me feel safe and as well taken care of as if I had seen someone in the emergency room. The Doctor repeatedly checked on me. Hope didn't leave my side and continually monitored me, documented my symptoms until they subsided, and I had been stabilized. My experience would have been far different if I hadn't felt as if I had been in such capable and caring hands. Hope is a treasure. Her positive attitude, professionalism, and carrying my current exemplary nurse. I'm so grateful Hope has been my nurse and I've come to know her.