I have been in the hospital for six days. I have a wife and two young children at home. I've had many doctors trying to figure out what is wrong with me. We wanted to rule out lymphoma, so I was scheduled for a biopsy. I was told not to eat, and that the procedure would be done that day in the afternoon. This meant I could not eat from midnight the night before.
At 3 pm, they came and told me they couldn't fit me in. That meant a whole additional day wondering if I have cancer. Kathleen advocated for me to get my procedure done. She made calls and talked to whoever she could and was able to get them to squeeze me in. She was there for me when I was upset, crying with me. I can't explain how much it meant to me and my family that she helped everything stay on track. Thank you, Kathleen.
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Kathleen consistently exemplifies altruism, advocacy, courage, empathy, and integrity in her nursing practice. She is the reason 7W/NW functions as a well-oiled machine, even on our worst days. The support she shows for her staff and the compassion she shows for her patients certainly has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. Two specific examples stand out most to me:
Kathleen assisted in a code in which I lost my first patient. She made my worst day of being a nurse bearable. Kathleen, without hesitation, began comforting family members, making sure their loved one was presentable for their final goodbyes and made sure they had everything they needed to grieve and make their peace. She also supported me and other staff members during this difficult time. She knew exactly what to say and how to say it. I would not have gotten through that day without Kathleen.
Another time Kathleen went above and beyond was for another one of my patients. A young guy was anxiously awaiting a biopsy that would determine whether or not he had lymphoma. His wife, two kids, and mom were all at the bedside, worried to tears. The biopsy had been canceled the day prior after the patient had been NPO for most of the day, after being told multiple times the biopsy would definitely happen the following day, the patient was again NPO from midnight until 2 pm, when we received a call the procedure was once again canceled.
The patient was beside himself, frustrated, and broke down in tears. Kathleen, again with no hesitation, made multiple phone calls to department heads, MDs, charge nurses, patient services, supervisors, you name it, and she called them! Nonetheless, he got the biopsy that day.
Kathleen continuously inspires me to be the best nurse I can be, to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves, to manage difficult and emotional tasks gracefully, and mostly to empower others.