I have had the honor of knowing Janet for many years. We graduated nursing school together and I have always known her to be an amazing individual. But after witnessing the relationships she has with her patients and their families, I have been blown away. In her role in Cancer Care, she has the unique opportunity to care for these special patients on a regular basis. Some of them, for many years. She takes the time to get to know them on such a personal level, down to what they each like for breakfast! Many mornings she brings breakfast in for these patients and their families. She does this out of the goodness of her heart and her own pocket because she truly cares for them. A patient once told me that he tried to leave the money for his breakfast with someone else, to give to her after he was discharged. But she just sent the money back to him in the mail. I personally witnessed her bring breakfast to this same patient and his wife while they were in another department receiving care. This is going way above and beyond because she truly cares about these patients and their families.
In the specialized setting of Cancer Care, Janet manages many patients and their individualized treatments at once. She is constantly interpreting her patient's lab values and works alongside the care providers in implementing what the next step in their care will be. She networks between departments in making sure that the workflow goes smoothly so that these special patients receive excellent care. Her clinical skills are above reproach. Her knowledge of the specialized drugs they use in Cancer Care, and the confidence she has in handling them, reassures patients and their families as they are administered. Managing several patients and their infusions at once can be very stressful. But she advocates for her patients in a professional manner to make sure they receive their treatment in a timely and safe manner.
I believe it takes a special person to work in the specialized area of Cancer Care. Janet has been here for several years. This can take a toll on even the most seasoned of nurses. We are blessed to have her here at BRRH providing excellent care for these very special patients and their families.