March 2023
Krissie
Schmidt
,
BSN, RN, PCCN
BH62
The University of Kansas Health System
Kansas City
,
KS
United States

 

 

 

My husband and I sat dumbfounded and amazed at how fast that happened and wanted Krissie to know what a huge difference this made in my husband’s level of comfort and ability to finally rest.
My husband, R, has been a patient since 2015. He is a stage 4 cancer survivor and BMT patient. He has spent over 95 days at The University of Kansas Health System but not consecutively, with countless wonderful caring nurses and staff. The Health System saved my husband’s life. We had no hope before coming here. The only thing my husband has always complained about is how uncomfortable the beds are. Most of his time here he was too sick to care. 

Sometime around day 60, I finally thought to bring in a 3-inch foam topper. We overheard another family talking about it. That night I ordered on Amazon and dragged it into the hospital every stay since. R said it made a huge difference in his comfort level. Many nurses have helped me roll that thing up and bag it in a big blue laundry bag to take it home.

This stay my husband came in and by the second day I could see him shifting in the bed trying to “get comfortable” while being exhausted and wanting to sleep. I had hip surgery and was 7 days out from tendon and muscle repair and could not walk with crutches. There was no possible way I could lug in his foam topper. I mentioned to his RN Krissie how uncomfortable my husband was because of the bed. I felt bad complaining because I didn’t think she could resolve the issue. To my surprise, she talked about a bed management department and that they had about 20 “regular foam beds” for the whole hospital but she would make some phone calls and see if she could switch out his bed. 

Even if none were available, she already made us feel better knowing she was going to try, and still shocked there was a solution. In less than an hour, a new simple and oh-so-comfortable bed had arrived, and Krissie and another staff member quickly swapped out the bed. My husband and I sat dumbfounded and amazed at how fast that happened and wanted Krissie to know what a huge difference this made in my husband’s level of comfort and ability to finally rest. 

This has been the most memorable stay because one nurse went above and beyond. And for that we are forever grateful!