I came to the Same Day Surgery Unit at 4:45 AM on the day of my daughter's surgery. I had been on a plane most of the night before and just worked four back-to-back 12-hour night shifts. I was exhausted and trying to smile, encourage and support my daughter who was coming in for a hysterectomy. Everyone was friendly, knowledgeable and very professional. In fact, I would like to apply to work for this hospital!
There was one nurse in particular that really shined. Her name was Nicole. The story starts with a very silly, whiny young woman who was scared and in pain. Nicole encouraged her and helped me. She knew I was a nurse and allowed me to be hands-on, touch and assist with my daughter's care. I think she could sense that it was what I needed. She explained everything from medications to the plan for the day in great detail. She always returned with a smile and attended to all of our needs. After assisting my daughter, I noticed near-fainting and blood from her incision. I called Nicole and she responded immediately. The doctor was called to bedside and we were to monitor her for a little longer. Our 6-hour timeframe passed; a bladder scan bought us an overnight stay. My daughter very quickly deteriorated and bled a good amount from her incision. Her team rushed to bedside, drew labs and called the doctor. She was back in surgery within 30 minutes. I just want to thank and praise Nicole for handling the situation with such care and professionalism. I needed to be involved for my well-being and she allowed it. Nicole is a great team player and an asset to Woman's Hospital Baton Rouge. She was a pleasure to have as part of my daughter's care team.