Kelly Nix
October 2024
Kelly
Nix
,
RN
ICU
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West
Nashville
,
TN
United States
When he developed a temperature, she told us and let the significance of that development sink into our awareness slowly - always responding truthfully to our questions, but not hitting us with the severity of his condition before we were ready.
My husband was cared for by a wonderful team of intensive care nurses in the Cardiac ICU. The doctor performed open heart surgery and diagnosed a terminal bladder infection. My husband wouldn’t have survived without the excellent skills of this surgeon and the care of these people for three days and nights. Kelly is the nurse we had for most shifts.
She exemplified the characteristics that helped make the last days/hours better for him and helped us begin the impossible task of letting go of him when he died.
She greeted us warmly and answered all our questions about the strange new world we entered when we stepped into the Post Cardiac ICU. Her explanations were thoughtful and always applicable to my husband's situation at a level we all could understand. Kelli stayed focused on the many drips, pumps, and monitors which helped my husband stay calm and his body function smoothly even when answering our many questions.
I also saw numerous examples of teamwork and comradery during the shift and felt assured that my husband was in great hands during his stay. When I was there during shift change, I was impressed by her quiet, but thorough communication with the person on the next shift and her willingness to stay longer to ensure the quality of my husband's care. When he developed a temperature, she told us and let the significance of that development sink into our awareness slowly - always responding truthfully to our questions, but not hitting us with the severity of his condition before we were ready. Gently, Kelli suggested that his children who lived in Nashville might want to come see him. When they arrived, we were all at different stages of acceptance. She helped each of us absorb the situation and how close he was to the end of his life - remaining patient and caring while we said goodbye at our own pace.
It's hard to imagine how one person can be an expert about all the technical/medical parts of this very difficult job, while opening themselves up to families who are, by definition, in a traumatic situation when they have reason to visit the Cardiac ICU. Not to mention, do this several times every week. Our family will never forget her kindness when we needed it the most.
She exemplified the characteristics that helped make the last days/hours better for him and helped us begin the impossible task of letting go of him when he died.
She greeted us warmly and answered all our questions about the strange new world we entered when we stepped into the Post Cardiac ICU. Her explanations were thoughtful and always applicable to my husband's situation at a level we all could understand. Kelli stayed focused on the many drips, pumps, and monitors which helped my husband stay calm and his body function smoothly even when answering our many questions.
I also saw numerous examples of teamwork and comradery during the shift and felt assured that my husband was in great hands during his stay. When I was there during shift change, I was impressed by her quiet, but thorough communication with the person on the next shift and her willingness to stay longer to ensure the quality of my husband's care. When he developed a temperature, she told us and let the significance of that development sink into our awareness slowly - always responding truthfully to our questions, but not hitting us with the severity of his condition before we were ready. Gently, Kelli suggested that his children who lived in Nashville might want to come see him. When they arrived, we were all at different stages of acceptance. She helped each of us absorb the situation and how close he was to the end of his life - remaining patient and caring while we said goodbye at our own pace.
It's hard to imagine how one person can be an expert about all the technical/medical parts of this very difficult job, while opening themselves up to families who are, by definition, in a traumatic situation when they have reason to visit the Cardiac ICU. Not to mention, do this several times every week. Our family will never forget her kindness when we needed it the most.