Kimberly Butler
July 2023
Kimberly
Butler
,
BSN, RN
ICU/CCU
Cape Fear Valley Health System
Fayetteville
,
NC
United States
In just 20 minutes Kim changed this young man’s life. He nearly died. He has a second chance because they did not see him as a homeless drug addict, they saw him as a person with an illness that needed their help.
I have had the honor and privilege to work with Kim for several years. She is a phenomenal nurse in her work ethic. Kim makes nursing look easy; she is incredibly intelligent and compassionate as well as humble. If complimented, she will deflect with a gentle sarcastic humor. She can be firm and exacting with her peers, but it is always for the benefit of the patient. She treats every patient as if they are her own family.
Have you heard the saying “right time, right place”? The other night was the perfect example. We are a specialty hospital, with no emergency department and limited staffing at night. We are also positioned in an area frequented by those who are homeless. A young man presented to the front doors stating he had injected a powerful opioid and needed an ambulance. 911 was called and staff quickly responded and assessed him; he was poorly dressed for the weather but breathing. We called up to the floor to have someone bring a blanket. While waiting, his respirations became agonal. ICU was called for a nurse to bring a BVM. Kim and another staff member came running with a blanket and BVM. They got him positioned and started rescue breaths.
While trying to save this man, it did not matter to them that he was homeless, was an IV drug user and that he caused his own injury; All they cared about was him, as a fellow human being, with a right to a future life and they worked hard to make sure he would have that opportunity. When he left for the ED, we did not expect to know the outcome. We were rewarded when he showed up to thank us. He was still homeless but said, “ya’ll saved my life and I don’t want to die again”. He then asked for transport to inpatient rehab with a strong desire to become sober.
It is easy to become disillusioned when one is a nurse. We are rarely thanked and do not always know the long-term outcome of the patients we put so much of our heart and soul into healing. In just 20 minutes Kim changed this young man’s life. He nearly died. He has a second chance because they did not see him as a homeless drug addict, they saw him as a person with an illness that needed their help. Their love and commitment to nursing and to their fellow humans continue to inspire those around them.
Have you heard the saying “right time, right place”? The other night was the perfect example. We are a specialty hospital, with no emergency department and limited staffing at night. We are also positioned in an area frequented by those who are homeless. A young man presented to the front doors stating he had injected a powerful opioid and needed an ambulance. 911 was called and staff quickly responded and assessed him; he was poorly dressed for the weather but breathing. We called up to the floor to have someone bring a blanket. While waiting, his respirations became agonal. ICU was called for a nurse to bring a BVM. Kim and another staff member came running with a blanket and BVM. They got him positioned and started rescue breaths.
While trying to save this man, it did not matter to them that he was homeless, was an IV drug user and that he caused his own injury; All they cared about was him, as a fellow human being, with a right to a future life and they worked hard to make sure he would have that opportunity. When he left for the ED, we did not expect to know the outcome. We were rewarded when he showed up to thank us. He was still homeless but said, “ya’ll saved my life and I don’t want to die again”. He then asked for transport to inpatient rehab with a strong desire to become sober.
It is easy to become disillusioned when one is a nurse. We are rarely thanked and do not always know the long-term outcome of the patients we put so much of our heart and soul into healing. In just 20 minutes Kim changed this young man’s life. He nearly died. He has a second chance because they did not see him as a homeless drug addict, they saw him as a person with an illness that needed their help. Their love and commitment to nursing and to their fellow humans continue to inspire those around them.