Mindi Jackson
January 2019
Mindi
Jackson
,
BSN, RN
Surgical Services, Obstetrics
Regional Medical Center
Manchester
,
IA
United States
When I hear the term "Extraordinary Nurse", one nurse quickly comes to mind. Her name is Mindi Jackson. In 2016 I had our first daughter and Mindi was my nurse. I had dreamt about having a daughter for several years and had begged my husband for "just one more" after having 2 boys. Labor didn't go smoothly, and we ended up in a complicated emergency C-section. Mindi was calm and collected the whole time and made sure to keep us informed with what all was going on. Mindi also made sure to encourage the initial bonding with my daughter and me. While all of this exceeded our expectations, this was only the beginning of Mindi's strong influence in my life.
Shortly after having my daughter, my adoptive mother came up to our home to visit. During her time there she fell and broke her hip; I blamed myself for her fall and declining health. Several other major things were also going on in my life. Most days I wasn't sleeping, and I'd spend most of my time pacing the floor. I didn't take care of myself and didn't go out with friends. I barely made eye contact with my children and I wore a fake personality at work.
In 2017 I got the phone call that my mother's condition had changed for the worse and that she was now on hospice care. I stayed to work my holiday and then planned on heading back home to say my goodbyes. That night I happened to work with Mindi. During that short time, she was able to pick up that something wasn't quite right with me and asked me several direct questions about my health and wellbeing. The next day I traveled back home and said my goodbyes to my mom. Mindi had given me a fingerprint card to where I could make a necklace to remember my mother by and had even offered to make the 4-hour trip with me back home so I wouldn't have to go alone. I declined her coming down since it was something that I felt like I needed to deal with alone.
In the days that followed, I was overtaken by grief. At work, Mindi had talked with one of my bosses after our talk and expressed her concerns about me to her. My boss called me to check-in and that phone call changed my life. Mindi is the most Extraordinary Nurse I have ever met because of her compassion, attention to detail in those surrounding her, and her empathy.
Shortly after having my daughter, my adoptive mother came up to our home to visit. During her time there she fell and broke her hip; I blamed myself for her fall and declining health. Several other major things were also going on in my life. Most days I wasn't sleeping, and I'd spend most of my time pacing the floor. I didn't take care of myself and didn't go out with friends. I barely made eye contact with my children and I wore a fake personality at work.
In 2017 I got the phone call that my mother's condition had changed for the worse and that she was now on hospice care. I stayed to work my holiday and then planned on heading back home to say my goodbyes. That night I happened to work with Mindi. During that short time, she was able to pick up that something wasn't quite right with me and asked me several direct questions about my health and wellbeing. The next day I traveled back home and said my goodbyes to my mom. Mindi had given me a fingerprint card to where I could make a necklace to remember my mother by and had even offered to make the 4-hour trip with me back home so I wouldn't have to go alone. I declined her coming down since it was something that I felt like I needed to deal with alone.
In the days that followed, I was overtaken by grief. At work, Mindi had talked with one of my bosses after our talk and expressed her concerns about me to her. My boss called me to check-in and that phone call changed my life. Mindi is the most Extraordinary Nurse I have ever met because of her compassion, attention to detail in those surrounding her, and her empathy.