I had surgery at your hospital to donate a kidney. When I woke up in the PACU I was in extreme pain and feeling intense nausea. I was sobbing and felt completely out of control. The pain medication was not working and I was in a state of panic and intense anxiety. When Sandy came on shift she immediately comforted me. Sandy said she would talk to the doctor about her recommendations for a different pain medication and the need for anti-nausea medication. Sandy was very pro-active and quickly came back to administer the medications I needed. Immediately I felt much better and was able to relax. Sandy checked on me frequently and was always reassuring and positive. I was not able to transfer onto the inpatient unit until 2 am because the bed was not available until then. Sandy explained what was happening with the bed situation, and kept my husband and me updated. When I finally was taken to the transplant floor, Sandy gave a thorough handoff to the next nurse and included me in the discussion.
Sandy shines through as someone who really listened to me, who used her nursing skills to assess my medical needs accurately and her communication skills to relay this information to the doctor quickly and obtain orders for the meds that I really needed. Her attention to my emotional needs was so appreciated and she treated me and my husband with respect by being honest about the bed situation. Sandy is an exceptional nurse and I will never forget how she helped me. I wanted you to know and recognize her for her superb nursing skills.