The Nurses of the Intermediate Care Unit at Saint Joseph Hospital
December 2023
The Nurses of the Intermediate Care Unit
at Saint Joseph Hospital
Saint Joseph Hospital
Denver
,
CO
United States
Abigail Walters, RN
Aiden Mitchell, RN
Alexia Cortez, RN
Alondra Canales Cruz, RN
Alyssa Bargeron, RN
Amy Shepherd, RN
Ashley Cline, RN
Audrey Moore, RN
Autumn Thompson, RN
Avery Kauffmann, RN
Barrett Sullivan, RN
Blair Johnson, RN
Brittney Phipps, RN
Chase Walker, RN
Chloe Angeles, Student Nurse Extern
Christina Strickland, RN
Desiree Guzman, RN
Emily Barnes, Student Nurse Extern
Erica Fraser, RN
Francis Billena, RN
Giney Sebastian, RN
Jason Simpson, RN, Clinical Manager
Jenna Pentz, RN
Jordin Wyatt, Student Nurse Extern
Julia Moreno, RN
Julian Dika, RN
Kaitlyn Hamel, RN
Kelsey Schuttemeier, RN
Kirsten Kemp, RN
Kristen Farrow, RN
Kristina Tatro, RN
Kyle Howell, RN
Lindsay Vidal, RN
Lizzie Johnson, RN
Madison Salter, RN
Mary Kaleli, RN
Matt Carter, RN
Megan Reiner, RN
Meghan Severe, RN
Mihaela Langa, RN
Nelson Rivera, RN
Patti Bahl, RN
Rachael Dye, RN
Rachel Kriete, RN
Sara Gandomcar ,RN
Sarah Kovitz, RN
Seenamol John, RN
Tyler Befort, RN
Valerie Buchwald, RN
Vickie Grieshop, RN
Aiden Mitchell, RN
Alexia Cortez, RN
Alondra Canales Cruz, RN
Alyssa Bargeron, RN
Amy Shepherd, RN
Ashley Cline, RN
Audrey Moore, RN
Autumn Thompson, RN
Avery Kauffmann, RN
Barrett Sullivan, RN
Blair Johnson, RN
Brittney Phipps, RN
Chase Walker, RN
Chloe Angeles, Student Nurse Extern
Christina Strickland, RN
Desiree Guzman, RN
Emily Barnes, Student Nurse Extern
Erica Fraser, RN
Francis Billena, RN
Giney Sebastian, RN
Jason Simpson, RN, Clinical Manager
Jenna Pentz, RN
Jordin Wyatt, Student Nurse Extern
Julia Moreno, RN
Julian Dika, RN
Kaitlyn Hamel, RN
Kelsey Schuttemeier, RN
Kirsten Kemp, RN
Kristen Farrow, RN
Kristina Tatro, RN
Kyle Howell, RN
Lindsay Vidal, RN
Lizzie Johnson, RN
Madison Salter, RN
Mary Kaleli, RN
Matt Carter, RN
Megan Reiner, RN
Meghan Severe, RN
Mihaela Langa, RN
Nelson Rivera, RN
Patti Bahl, RN
Rachael Dye, RN
Rachel Kriete, RN
Sara Gandomcar ,RN
Sarah Kovitz, RN
Seenamol John, RN
Tyler Befort, RN
Valerie Buchwald, RN
Vickie Grieshop, RN
Madi is such a sweet soul. She really makes me feel better about myself and all the body changes that have happened to me this year, that were not ideal and quite ugly and painful. She also is coming by on her day off to do my nails because I’ve been living in the hospital since June and haven’t been able to treat myself to getting my nails done. She is so kind.
***
You’re not going to meet a nicer, more supportive, and enthusiastic nurse than Alyssa. She would take me outside to see the sunset every day because she knew how important that was to me. She also would come into my room when she got off work to give me a hug and to offer her support because I got word that I could enter hospice at any time, and it wrecked me.
***
Autumn works harder than any other nurse I have worked with. Anytime I needed anything at all, she would come running. She offered a ton of moral support when I found that I could enter hospice care at any time. She works herself to the bone and really tries to make you feel better. I have never felt more supported by anyone than Autumn. She tries so hard and truly makes everything better. I am very lucky to have gotten to work with her.
***
What can I say, Avery is an out of the box thinker and works really hard to make sure I am super comfortable. She would cheer me up with stories and pictures of her dog when I found out that I was dying and could enter hospice at any time. She checked in on me after her shifts, even if she wasn’t on my service for that day. It means a lot the relationship we’ve built.
***
Kyle is another nurse who works hard. She worked to help me with all my pain management, really thinking outside the box. She also came into my room one night when she wasn’t working with me, when her shift was over, just to give me a hug and offer moral support when she got the news that I am dying and that I could go on to hospice care at any time. It meant a lot to me.
***
You will hear people often say words are not adequate….today we believe that statement to be more true than ever before!
The professionalism of each unit was never in doubt: such tenderness and compassionate care while administering 1.5 hours of meds, twice daily and all the dosing in between; assisting with every daily living activity as she lost her ability to do those on her own, daily huddles where her name was always mentioned as the units worked tirelessly to attend to her every need.
So, what is unique in this story? While all this was occurring, the units took us in as a family. A Deeply rooted family. How? Daily, someone would ask how our girl is doing. Seeing her as a person, in addition to a patient, sharing books, conversation about what is normal, the bachelor, dating, and music all typical for a young woman in her twenties. Coming in on days off just to chat and bring her favorite Starbucks order or ice cream, braiding her hair.
Taking her out of the room as much as possible. No small task given it requires at least one and more often than not two nurses; while the rest of the unit covered patients to make these moments happen: outside for a sunset, Xmas lights and the helipad for a stunning last view of the skyline.
We never knew the word for word mission of St Joseph’s and we think that is because we did not need the words, the units live them breathe them it’s a part of who they are…
Let’s remind ourselves of those words; For over 150 years, Saint Joseph Hospital has honored the deep faith-based roots planted in Denver by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth-roots that sustain our mission to care for patients and their families, body, mind, and spirit.
Without knowing those words, here is what I said to a freelance writer putting together a fundraising letter on behalf of St Joe's after my daughter passed, “Your dollars go to provide earthly care - scans, medications, facilities, treatments. But it also preserves the soul. It nurtures it all," that is the care you'll receive at Saint Joe's. AND that is exactly what my daughter experienced and what we still do today. We have immeasurable respect, love, and gratitude for all of you -congratulations on the much-deserved recognition that reaffirms you are just the people you need to be.
***
You’re not going to meet a nicer, more supportive, and enthusiastic nurse than Alyssa. She would take me outside to see the sunset every day because she knew how important that was to me. She also would come into my room when she got off work to give me a hug and to offer her support because I got word that I could enter hospice at any time, and it wrecked me.
***
Autumn works harder than any other nurse I have worked with. Anytime I needed anything at all, she would come running. She offered a ton of moral support when I found that I could enter hospice care at any time. She works herself to the bone and really tries to make you feel better. I have never felt more supported by anyone than Autumn. She tries so hard and truly makes everything better. I am very lucky to have gotten to work with her.
***
What can I say, Avery is an out of the box thinker and works really hard to make sure I am super comfortable. She would cheer me up with stories and pictures of her dog when I found out that I was dying and could enter hospice at any time. She checked in on me after her shifts, even if she wasn’t on my service for that day. It means a lot the relationship we’ve built.
***
Kyle is another nurse who works hard. She worked to help me with all my pain management, really thinking outside the box. She also came into my room one night when she wasn’t working with me, when her shift was over, just to give me a hug and offer moral support when she got the news that I am dying and that I could go on to hospice care at any time. It meant a lot to me.
***
You will hear people often say words are not adequate….today we believe that statement to be more true than ever before!
The professionalism of each unit was never in doubt: such tenderness and compassionate care while administering 1.5 hours of meds, twice daily and all the dosing in between; assisting with every daily living activity as she lost her ability to do those on her own, daily huddles where her name was always mentioned as the units worked tirelessly to attend to her every need.
So, what is unique in this story? While all this was occurring, the units took us in as a family. A Deeply rooted family. How? Daily, someone would ask how our girl is doing. Seeing her as a person, in addition to a patient, sharing books, conversation about what is normal, the bachelor, dating, and music all typical for a young woman in her twenties. Coming in on days off just to chat and bring her favorite Starbucks order or ice cream, braiding her hair.
Taking her out of the room as much as possible. No small task given it requires at least one and more often than not two nurses; while the rest of the unit covered patients to make these moments happen: outside for a sunset, Xmas lights and the helipad for a stunning last view of the skyline.
We never knew the word for word mission of St Joseph’s and we think that is because we did not need the words, the units live them breathe them it’s a part of who they are…
Let’s remind ourselves of those words; For over 150 years, Saint Joseph Hospital has honored the deep faith-based roots planted in Denver by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth-roots that sustain our mission to care for patients and their families, body, mind, and spirit.
Without knowing those words, here is what I said to a freelance writer putting together a fundraising letter on behalf of St Joe's after my daughter passed, “Your dollars go to provide earthly care - scans, medications, facilities, treatments. But it also preserves the soul. It nurtures it all," that is the care you'll receive at Saint Joe's. AND that is exactly what my daughter experienced and what we still do today. We have immeasurable respect, love, and gratitude for all of you -congratulations on the much-deserved recognition that reaffirms you are just the people you need to be.