Patients and families share so many positive things about Megan. These include: one of the best nurses I have ever had care for me, so sincere, has the heart of a nurse, compassionate, positive upbeat attitude, always smiling, energetic, on top of things, knows her stuff, kept checking on my continuously, etc. She demonstrates care and compassion in every patient encounter and interaction. She is soft spoken, gentle, kind and considerate of others.
One situation recently is a prime example of Megan's behavior and nursing care. We had an older female patient who had a history of severe rheumatoid arthritis. On a visit to her rheumatologist, she received the heartbreaking news that on top of her life restrictive arthritis, now she had pulmonary fibrosis. She had worked as a hairdresser and her career ended due to the severe RA.
In the hospital, she was up to 30 liters of oxygen and struggled to breathe. I made a connection with the couple and tried to visit a few minutes every day. I was saddened when I came in one day and found that she had passed away over the weekend and I had not had the chance to talk with her and to be here to support her husband.
I went to the visitation and as soon as I walked in the room, her husband immediately saw me and came to me. He thanked me over and over for coming to the visitation and said he could not believe the great care my staff provided for her and him as well. He thanked me for coming to see them every day and after talking with me, she felt "I was on their side" and would do what I could for them. He told me that he was very thankful that Megan was her nurse for the last few days of her life. He went on and on about Megan's attitude, her care and compassion and how she was so attentive to her needs. He said they didn't have to ask for anything because Megan was there continuously checking on them. He said she was very in tune to her condition and anxiety and how her breathing became more labored and how Megan worked to help her cope with her struggling. He said that Megan showed "phenomenal devotion" and her care made an incredible difference in her last days. He said "in fact she would be restless or struggling to breathe and as soon as Megan came in the door, he could see his wife calm down and seemed relieved that Megan was with her". I asked him if he had put the note in the obituary recognizing Megan for her care and he said that he did and said he could never thank her enough.
This is Megan and the type of care she provides every day to our patients and their families. I am so happy Megan is on my team!