Of all the days; I ended up in the ER department on 11/27 "Black Friday." Anyone who works or worked in healthcare knows exactly why I reference this point. Upon my arrival I find the place to be completely mad. Packed with what I like to think is the typical holiday crew of patients. Feeling half dead I didn't care; I really needed to be seen. I get checked in with my abdominal pain, as they labeled it. I'm waiting to see the triage nurse. Being in health care you can't help but watch everything and everyone around you, sick or not. I watched this triage nurse work her magic as I call it all around the room. She was smart, quick, kind, and warm. When she spoke to her patients you could tell she truly was listening and cared. She displayed such compassion. It didn't matter if it was the typical chronic pain patient out of his meds over the holiday or the patient with the arm rash for the last 3 weeks needing to be seen right now. She treated them all the same. No attitude, no eye roll, and no irritation in her voice. Even the patient who kept going to her door to say if you call me I'm right out front for a smoke got a simple O.K. from her without resistance.
When it was finally my turn to be seen, she took me in. She didn't act frazzled or overwhelmed as one would expect. She made me feel as if I was her focus "her only patient". She listened to my problem and she immediately started to care for me. She went and spoke to the ER doctor asked him for some orders to help with my diagnosis while I was waiting. This completely made me forget about the busy ER or my previous long wait. I felt as if I was being looked after behind the scenes and that I was in great hands.
I was able to get my US and blood work all completed before even going back to see the doctor. I'll tell you when I was finally called back I was ready to give up I was tired, in pain and, completely scared to death. Within minutes it felt like the lab called and said my hemoglobin was 6.1 and I was getting blood and going off to surgery.
Thank you Kathy Byrd ER RN so much. Thank you for taking such great care of me. I also want to thank you for taking such great care of all the patients you care for. You definitely exemplify the "healing touch".