Rebecca was my wife's nurse for several days while in the High Dependency Unit. One day, my wife had a terrible day. Already desperately unwell with cancer and extremely frail, she endured a series of episodes that all went against her, culminating in the presentation of a new complication - pneumonia.
She began to feel unable to breathe, making her scared and distressed. At one point, sedation and intubation had been possible for her. Rebecca had impressed us before this event with her unwavering hard work, her engagement with her patients and the air of competence and confidence she has about her. My wife and I commented that Rebecca left us feeling completely assured that she was receiving the best care possible.
On this worst of days, we saw how truly caring Rebecca was as she talked my wife down from her anxiety and persuaded her to try wearing a full face mask to avoid the need for sedation. Without her calm manner, sharing her own experiences and genuinely showing compassion and empathy, my wife may not have had the positive outcome she did.
From the perspective of a patient's family, I can say Rebecca's performance should be regarded as a benchmark for nursing standards. She worked tirelessly, coped effectively with every situation and helped in every way possible in an extremely distressing day.
Well done Rebecca, you were outstanding. Thank you.