August 2019
Sperry
Hale
,
RN
MTSU- Med Telemetry Stepdown Unit
Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans
New Orleans
,
LA
United States
I had been hospitalized for nine weeks due to complications following a severe myasthenia gravis crisis. After my crisis nine weeks prior, I fell and injured my hip. Now, a staph infection, sepsis, and two more surgeries later, I am still in the hospital. Due to severe mobility issues, extreme pain, and just having recent surgery, my hair had not been washed in a couple of weeks. Nursing aids had used the dry shampoo caps but, at this point, it was just becoming more build up on my scalp.
Sperry Hale and her charge nurse came up with a creative way to properly wash my hair. They got me to the recliner. We were thinking if we could just get me in a position where my head was back. She looked around the room and thought about supplies available. They found two large containers. They used one to pour clean water onto my head and the second to catch the water after rinsing. This was no easy task. All while trying to hold the recliner in a backward position as I was unable to put on pressure on my hips. To have my hair thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed made me feel like a brand-new person! I felt so refreshed.
Every shift Sperry spent with me I felt true compassion. She always went above and beyond her basic nursing duties. There were times where I felt so emotional and was in excruciating pain that I would cry out for relief. She wiped my tears as I cried on many occasions. She held my hands many times comforting me. When I was in excruciating pain she ensured and did her best to manage my pain levels. Using many things from medications to breathing techniques. Sperry went above and beyond each shift, she was assigned to me to make sure she did everything in her power to help me, not only medically, but with compassion as well.
On average, a nurse is limited to less than 2 hours per patient per shift including bedside care, charting, phone calls to doctors, etc. However, I would feel like Sperry spent an eternity with me giving one on one care where other nurses I may only see for 30 seconds every other hour. Sperry has absolutely gone above and beyond to give me the most sincere, compassionate care possible. For this, I will forever be grateful.
Sperry Hale and her charge nurse came up with a creative way to properly wash my hair. They got me to the recliner. We were thinking if we could just get me in a position where my head was back. She looked around the room and thought about supplies available. They found two large containers. They used one to pour clean water onto my head and the second to catch the water after rinsing. This was no easy task. All while trying to hold the recliner in a backward position as I was unable to put on pressure on my hips. To have my hair thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed made me feel like a brand-new person! I felt so refreshed.
Every shift Sperry spent with me I felt true compassion. She always went above and beyond her basic nursing duties. There were times where I felt so emotional and was in excruciating pain that I would cry out for relief. She wiped my tears as I cried on many occasions. She held my hands many times comforting me. When I was in excruciating pain she ensured and did her best to manage my pain levels. Using many things from medications to breathing techniques. Sperry went above and beyond each shift, she was assigned to me to make sure she did everything in her power to help me, not only medically, but with compassion as well.
On average, a nurse is limited to less than 2 hours per patient per shift including bedside care, charting, phone calls to doctors, etc. However, I would feel like Sperry spent an eternity with me giving one on one care where other nurses I may only see for 30 seconds every other hour. Sperry has absolutely gone above and beyond to give me the most sincere, compassionate care possible. For this, I will forever be grateful.