I would like to share with you this story of a 33 year old Graduate School Student who was hospitalized for leukemia after her first pregnancy. Although she was very much educated as to what she should do to avoid getting any infection that would consequently kill her, she was not complying with the nursing care/routines in the Unit.

I took care of her one day and all she kept mentioning was how good Jonathan was to her. She said she is thankful for all the care her other primary nurses did for her, but what Jonathan did was outstanding and extraordinary.

She has been in and out of the hospital for PICC line infection. She knew that she was a hard stick so she bore the pain of being stuck several times because whenever she gets admitted, she becomes dehydrated and her vein collapses. And here comes Jonathan who, without second thoughts, finds a way to help ease her sufferings from needle stick. Jonathan called the Pediatric Unit and borrowed their Vein Finder. When patient saw how advanced this equipment is and that only one department has it, she felt very important and valued by this Nurse. The fact that Jonathan did not even want to start sticking her without being sure, through the vein finder that the vein is good, made her aware how this Nurse gives priority to her comfort, safety and pain.

Since she needs to avoid from getting germs from other people, although her neutrophils and WBC were not that low, Jonathan made sure that anybody who comes in to see her should mask aside from gowning as recommended by Infectious Disease. So a sign was put up as a reminder and that made all the difference to the patient.

This amazing Nurse anticipated her needs so much that he developed other ways to make patient feel safe even from her own personal hygiene and ADLs. Together with patient, a routine was established that will allow patient to use the commode,since she is encouraged bedrest and still keep herself clean all the time: after she pees, she will wipe with bath cloths, then wash her hand in a prepared bucket and then use ChlorHexidine Gluconate wipes as a final task. Jonathan explained how, based on research, the CHG impregnated wipes help prevent the spread of germs and since that time on, patient was not that scared to do her ADLs and accidentally touch surfaces of the bed as long as her CHG wipes are available and within her reach.

Jonathan never gets scared of telling the doctors or any other members of the healthcare team like the physical therapist or respiratory therapists to be very extra careful with this lady(the patient). He communicates to the Case Manager how she could be assisted so a Visiting Nurse will be available to do her new PICC line care.

Nurse Jonathan devised a way, since she does not have appetite when she gets fever/nauseous, so she remembers to ask for a shaved ice cream when she feels she is hyperthermic to addresses both her smaller discomforts- "when hot, eat cold" and that just makes her day!

There are so many simple ways we can delight our patients and Jonathan finds the perfect stuff for each individual patient, just to accomplish that. I take pride knowing and working with the compassionate John Hancock.