Michael Rader
June 2016
Michael
Rader
,
RN, BSN
Trauma/Surgical ICU
University of Missouri Health Care
Columbia
,
MO
United States
My father was life-flighted to University Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for a perforated gastric ulcer. As a result of his illness, he spent approximately 14 hours in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit and never recovered from this event. As a son who has never been in any type of emergent medical situation, this journey was a very emotional and spiritual transition for me and my family as his passing ultimately led to a reunion of sorts for some old rifts my family has endured over the years.
My father's nurse, Mike Rader, was the most compassionate and respectful individual that I have ever had the honor of meeting in my entire 48 years. The level of care and attention to detail that he displayed on my father's behalf was extraordinary and his caring showed through his own tears for the inevitable demise of my father. Had Mike not been so willing to listen, answer questions and ultimately participate in the comfort of my dad in his last hours of life, I am sure we would have left your facility with a totally different patient experience. You see, my mother was also a patient in your hospital at this time. While she was on a different nursing unit, she too had the same type of surgical procedure on the same day as my father, and was not expected to do well. By having the staff who are so willing to not only care for the patient, but for the entire family, we were able to have my mother leave her room downstairs to be with my dad, her husband of 53 years, to hold his hand and comfort him prior to his passing.
Because of your staff in general, and Mike in particular, my mother, in all of her pain, sitting with her clam shell brace on, was able to be there with my father while he transitioned from this world into the next. The kindness, caring and compassion shown by Mike to my entire family that horrible day can never be forgotten. While I am sad to have lost my father, my mother ever so slowly gets stronger every day and because of the care by your wonderful staff, Mr. Rader most of all, we were able to get through this tragic time.
Mike was able to communicate to us in our terms and better prepare us for the inevitable while showing compassion not only to us, but also to my unconscious father while providing nursing care. He advocated on our behalf with other health care professionals in his unit and on the floor where my mother was receiving care.
My father's nurse, Mike Rader, was the most compassionate and respectful individual that I have ever had the honor of meeting in my entire 48 years. The level of care and attention to detail that he displayed on my father's behalf was extraordinary and his caring showed through his own tears for the inevitable demise of my father. Had Mike not been so willing to listen, answer questions and ultimately participate in the comfort of my dad in his last hours of life, I am sure we would have left your facility with a totally different patient experience. You see, my mother was also a patient in your hospital at this time. While she was on a different nursing unit, she too had the same type of surgical procedure on the same day as my father, and was not expected to do well. By having the staff who are so willing to not only care for the patient, but for the entire family, we were able to have my mother leave her room downstairs to be with my dad, her husband of 53 years, to hold his hand and comfort him prior to his passing.
Because of your staff in general, and Mike in particular, my mother, in all of her pain, sitting with her clam shell brace on, was able to be there with my father while he transitioned from this world into the next. The kindness, caring and compassion shown by Mike to my entire family that horrible day can never be forgotten. While I am sad to have lost my father, my mother ever so slowly gets stronger every day and because of the care by your wonderful staff, Mr. Rader most of all, we were able to get through this tragic time.
Mike was able to communicate to us in our terms and better prepare us for the inevitable while showing compassion not only to us, but also to my unconscious father while providing nursing care. He advocated on our behalf with other health care professionals in his unit and on the floor where my mother was receiving care.