Kayla Neff
September 2025
Kayla
Neff
,
RN
Emergency Department
WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital
17777
,
PA
United States
Everything was clearly explained, and she quickly allayed our fears, which began helping with pain control.
I was treated in the Emergency Department of Evangelical Hospital. I was in extreme pain due to a follow-up from a total joint knee replacement. I had a most excellent surgical team. But often, as many knee replacements can go, the first two weeks following the surgery can lead to severe postsurgical pain.
At the age of 76, I have utilized several Emergency Departments in six different states during my career for various medical issues. That night, I had the extreme good fortune to be treated by an outstanding nurse, Kayla Neff, RN. She is one of the finest nurses I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. The remainder of this letter will outline the reasons I believe it was important to share my experience with you.
- The Emergency Department was busy that night. There were at least 8 to 10 patients in the waiting room. Once I was assigned to a room, Kayla came in and not only introduced herself to me but also to my husband. We both appreciated this, as sometimes medical staff can forget that the caretaker is just as important as the patient.
- By her manner and professionalism, she immediately made us feel secure and safe with her handling of my questions and responses. She listened to all of my symptoms and never interrupted my explanations.
- She made it clear by her empathy for my severe pain that she cared and was concerned. It was immediately clear that “I was not just another patient”. She quickly began giving me treatment after she received the results of various tests. Everything was clearly explained, and she quickly allayed our fears, which began helping with pain control. Her manner was warm, friendly, and obviously very caring about my distress, especially when I first came in.
- The clear teamwork to help coordinate with other members of the nursing staff was also very evident. The aforementioned test results were quickly relayed to us. It was clear that both Kayla and the doctor were in sync and wasted no time or effort in providing me with immediate and effective care. Both of them checked back several times to see how my care was progressing; a caring feeling I will never soon forget. We immediately felt we were in very good hands.
- She also used a warm sense of humor in an attempt to reduce my fears, as well as sharing some personal examples which I would quickly relate to about what could be causing it. It was clear that she understood both the physical and emotional pain and stress I was feeling. She helped me relax, and this began to mitigate some of the pain as well.
- She was often called away to other emergencies, but she always came back to see how I was doing. Because I was receiving many fluids, I often had to call her back to help with the bedside bathroom commode. Even though it was clear she had many responsibilities, she came back with a smile and a happy manner every time that it was “a pleasure to help me”. She responded to that call bell quickly every single time with a cheerful and upbeat manner, even in the middle of the night.
- She inserted the I.V. very well and painlessly. It was also clear that she was familiar with all the equipment in the room and quickly followed the doctor’s instructions. She wasted no time in acquiring the necessary equipment and implementing it. That also helped to reassure me and reduce my discomfort.
- She reiterated the important aspects of the discharge instructions to make sure I understood the impact of what I most needed to do, how often, and when such actions would be most effective. It was made clear that doing such follow-up actions after leaving the ED would have a direct impact on helping myself.
I hope my letter has brought to your attention the excellence of your employee, who, as a fortunate patient, such as myself, encountered that night. This nurse was professional and provided excellent, easy-to-understand directions and explanations throughout my care, from initial contact to final discharge. This was top-level nursing care. Her friendly and empathetic manner, her excellent teamwork with the doctor and other nursing staff, and her ability to not only mitigate my pain but also calm both my physical and emotional fears instilled confidence from the start in helping handle a very stressful and difficult situation. For all the care, examples, explanations, and her clear ability to relate to me —both as a nurse to a patient and as one very caring human being to another human being in severe distress that night —I cannot think of a higher compliment to give her.
At the age of 76, I have utilized several Emergency Departments in six different states during my career for various medical issues. That night, I had the extreme good fortune to be treated by an outstanding nurse, Kayla Neff, RN. She is one of the finest nurses I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. The remainder of this letter will outline the reasons I believe it was important to share my experience with you.
- The Emergency Department was busy that night. There were at least 8 to 10 patients in the waiting room. Once I was assigned to a room, Kayla came in and not only introduced herself to me but also to my husband. We both appreciated this, as sometimes medical staff can forget that the caretaker is just as important as the patient.
- By her manner and professionalism, she immediately made us feel secure and safe with her handling of my questions and responses. She listened to all of my symptoms and never interrupted my explanations.
- She made it clear by her empathy for my severe pain that she cared and was concerned. It was immediately clear that “I was not just another patient”. She quickly began giving me treatment after she received the results of various tests. Everything was clearly explained, and she quickly allayed our fears, which began helping with pain control. Her manner was warm, friendly, and obviously very caring about my distress, especially when I first came in.
- The clear teamwork to help coordinate with other members of the nursing staff was also very evident. The aforementioned test results were quickly relayed to us. It was clear that both Kayla and the doctor were in sync and wasted no time or effort in providing me with immediate and effective care. Both of them checked back several times to see how my care was progressing; a caring feeling I will never soon forget. We immediately felt we were in very good hands.
- She also used a warm sense of humor in an attempt to reduce my fears, as well as sharing some personal examples which I would quickly relate to about what could be causing it. It was clear that she understood both the physical and emotional pain and stress I was feeling. She helped me relax, and this began to mitigate some of the pain as well.
- She was often called away to other emergencies, but she always came back to see how I was doing. Because I was receiving many fluids, I often had to call her back to help with the bedside bathroom commode. Even though it was clear she had many responsibilities, she came back with a smile and a happy manner every time that it was “a pleasure to help me”. She responded to that call bell quickly every single time with a cheerful and upbeat manner, even in the middle of the night.
- She inserted the I.V. very well and painlessly. It was also clear that she was familiar with all the equipment in the room and quickly followed the doctor’s instructions. She wasted no time in acquiring the necessary equipment and implementing it. That also helped to reassure me and reduce my discomfort.
- She reiterated the important aspects of the discharge instructions to make sure I understood the impact of what I most needed to do, how often, and when such actions would be most effective. It was made clear that doing such follow-up actions after leaving the ED would have a direct impact on helping myself.
I hope my letter has brought to your attention the excellence of your employee, who, as a fortunate patient, such as myself, encountered that night. This nurse was professional and provided excellent, easy-to-understand directions and explanations throughout my care, from initial contact to final discharge. This was top-level nursing care. Her friendly and empathetic manner, her excellent teamwork with the doctor and other nursing staff, and her ability to not only mitigate my pain but also calm both my physical and emotional fears instilled confidence from the start in helping handle a very stressful and difficult situation. For all the care, examples, explanations, and her clear ability to relate to me —both as a nurse to a patient and as one very caring human being to another human being in severe distress that night —I cannot think of a higher compliment to give her.