My dad was admitted via the ER for cerebral infarction due to embolism of the right middle cerebral artery. In all of my experiences over the years, I have never met such a special nurse as Kristy. The ICU can be stressful and exhausting, but Kristy always, I mean always, had a smile, a kind word to say, and a funny comment to match my Dad's sometimes outrageous statements. Anything that ever needed to be explained to him, she patiently spoke to him (not me) on a level that he could understand and insured he really understood, not just shaking his head that he understood (as a lot of seniors would normally do). She was always spot on time with her physical checks, her medication deliveries, and checking in on him for whatever he needed. I especially liked that she asked my dad how he wanted to be addressed, either Mr. W or by his first name. When I heard her always use his name, I knew she was a very exceptional nurse. She was consistently respectful, professional, but genuine. I could tell she really cared to make this experience for my dad as pleasant as possible. She has an extraordinary skill of getting all her tasks done quickly, but yet still having time to actually talk to the patient, and not just rush out to get on to the next task/patient. Her interactions with other staff members from other departments were also done in a similar manner, with directness, professionalism, and in a language that they understood, obviously different from the level of conversation with my dad. Kristy also took measures that my husband and I were okay and asked if we needed anything, so she obviously knows how important the patient's support system is for recovery. Any questions that we had asked her, she never once felt that we were a bother to her, or an inconvenience to her workload, despite her being assigned to care for several patients.
I have attempted to recall everything that Kristy did that is important for every healthcare professional. I hope that in my past 30 years of being a pharmacist (recently retired) that I demonstrated those skills necessary to be an outstanding provider. I learned a lot from this most recent episode in my Dad's health blips, but the most significant factor is that the attention and care provided by the people who directly touch the lives of patients is the determining factor between a speedy recovery or an unpleasant and unhelpful stay in the hospital.
Thank you for having Kristy on your staff, and I am blessed that she was the nurse who was responsible for caring for Dad.