Khristy Spencer
November 2018
Khristy
Spencer
,
BSN, RN
Intensive Care Unit
LewisGale Hospital - Montgomery
The relationship and connection Khristy made with the patient's husband comforted him during a time when he was faced with his wife's illness without the support of friends or family.
Recently a patient in ICU passed away in the middle of the night. The patient had been in ICU for several days and her only family and friend here was her husband, who stayed by her side almost the entire time. Khristy went out of her way to make a personal connection with the husband, learning about the patient's background as a teacher, how they met, her favorite color, and her husband's background and story as well. The relationship and connection she made with the patient's husband comforted him during a time when he was faced with his wife's illness without the support of friends or family. Khristy was there the night the patient passed away and was there to comfort her husband as he sat alone and said goodbye to his wife of 31 years.
The morning after she passed away, the patient's husband left a voice mail thanking the nurses for everything they did for his wife. The next day, the husband posted on the Floyd County Facebook page that his wife had passed away and that they had no family here. He asked if "some of you could find it in your heart to stop by for a minute or two on Friday so the chapel is not completely empty." Khristy saw the post and shared it with others, including staff. She also had flowers sent to the funeral home. Khristy and several nurses and staff members from the hospital attended the services on Friday, along with over 100 members of Floyd and the surrounding New River Valley who had seen the post. The patient's husband was in tears when each person introduced themselves to him and gave their condolences. He was so surprised and thankful for the attendance of the hospital staff and said his wife would have been so happy and grateful to have us there.
It was beautiful to witness so many people coming together to support a total stranger to celebrate the life of his lifelong love. As we walked out of the funeral home, the patient's husband took Khristy's hand and told her his wife would have been so proud and so happy to know that she was there for the funeral. He said she could not have received any better care and he could not thank her enough for everything she did.
The morning after she passed away, the patient's husband left a voice mail thanking the nurses for everything they did for his wife. The next day, the husband posted on the Floyd County Facebook page that his wife had passed away and that they had no family here. He asked if "some of you could find it in your heart to stop by for a minute or two on Friday so the chapel is not completely empty." Khristy saw the post and shared it with others, including staff. She also had flowers sent to the funeral home. Khristy and several nurses and staff members from the hospital attended the services on Friday, along with over 100 members of Floyd and the surrounding New River Valley who had seen the post. The patient's husband was in tears when each person introduced themselves to him and gave their condolences. He was so surprised and thankful for the attendance of the hospital staff and said his wife would have been so happy and grateful to have us there.
It was beautiful to witness so many people coming together to support a total stranger to celebrate the life of his lifelong love. As we walked out of the funeral home, the patient's husband took Khristy's hand and told her his wife would have been so proud and so happy to know that she was there for the funeral. He said she could not have received any better care and he could not thank her enough for everything she did.