I was admitted just a few days ago, and I wanted to recognize a particular nurse who stood out quite naturally. Now, unfortunately, I have been to the emergency room or admitted many times this year due to alcohol abuse (definitely not something I am proud of); I have met just about every nurse that works there, both in the ED and the admin ward on 3B. This is actually the second time I have had this nurse, but due to a seizure, I don’t remember much from that time. Still, I do remember my nurse arguing with a doctor about my seizure, which seemed very odd at the time because I know that is very unusual.

I am in no way pointing fingers or looking for sympathy; it's just a fact of life that not everyone treats people with substance abuse the same. I am often guarded when interacting with nurses or doctors. When I was admitted, Kinsey instantly recognized me and did not treat me as I sometimes expected. Every time she came to check on me, I never felt judged, and in fact, I always was treated like a sick person that needed care, regardless of why I was there. I’ve had nurses before that will just send a CNA to see if I needed my urine emptied or needed water, but she almost always came and checked on me herself. When she would come in, it also wasn’t just to pass out medications or hand something on my IV line and leave. She took the time to get to know me and chat, still as a patient but almost like a peer and never condescending. I was even comfortable enough to talk about why I was there and the circumstances behind it, which is very unusual for me. This may not sound so important to most, but when a person is not ‘actively’ using but truly struggling with recovery, having a person like her looking after you can, and I know from experience, can mean the difference between getting sober or going home and drinking or using. When a person relapses, there is no one on the planet that feels worse about it then themselves and the compassion at a time like this cannot be understated.

My nurse also had exceptional attention to detail. When she came in for a second morning, she knew every detail from the night before and obviously looked over every detail from the night before. Again, unfortunately, I’ve been around enough nurses to know the difference. For example, on the date I was discharged, she got me up and took me for a short walk. (I’d like to add that she did, not a CNA or someone else). I got to my room and lay down, and no more than five minutes later, she came back in and said she was a little concerned that my heart rate was still a little high while we were walking. This says to me that she went straight to the telemetry and looked to see how I was doing. I have never had a nurse do his/her job with such detail and care. She would name every medication as she was giving it to me without fail, and me having PTSD and also hyper-vigilance. She never cut one corner. She even made sure the whiteboard was up to date.

I absolutely believe she is the standard for any nursing position at any hospital and someone some younger nurses can look up to. I believe Prescott Hospital has someone truly special in her, and if the time comes, I will actually try to ask for her specifically.

Thank you with my deepest sincerity.