Susan Fennig was my main nurse when I had ambulatory surgery at JTDMH recently. She was with me the whole way, and she was absolutely outstanding! The continuity of having her with me at almost every step, start to finish, was a great comfort. I didn’t feel alone.

I suppose the thing a person wants the most when undergoing a medical procedure is to be treated by someone who is good at what they do. Good?! Susan was superior. A true expert, she knew exactly what to do and how to do it. For example, she got the I.V. inserted into the vein in my skinny arm the first time. When the clip on my finger wasn’t registering my oxygen level, she wants alarmed but knew exactly what to do – warm my hands up with the warm blankets covering the rest of me. I know there were many other procedures she was performing so calmly and seamlessly that I didn’t even notice, and all the while carrying on a cheerful conversation with me.

I value the explanations Susan gave me of what she was doing, in terms I could understand – enough information, but not too much, sometimes with a touch of humor. And she patiently answered any questions I had.

Susan was prompt but not rushed. There was no prolonged downtime when you waited and wondered if they’d forgotten about you. Things just flowed. Following a brief exit from my room, she came back with the paperwork I needed to sign. It was all filled in, and she gave me a verbal summary of what I was signing. When did Susan have time to fill these things in? Or was it done before I even arrived, perhaps with the assistance of another member of the hospital team? At any rate, having done office work most of my employment years, I know the importance and challenge of getting forms, reports, etc. correct, and I greatly respect whoever can do this.
I admire Susan’s honesty. At one point she needed to type some information into the computer, and she simply said that she could not do that and talk at the same time. Wow, I am the same way! Some things just don’t lend themselves to multi-tasking. So, we were both quiet for a short spell.

Susan was thorough. Nothing seemed to be neglected or forgotten. And she didn’t seem to be consulting a checklist. She just knew what to do and when.
To say that Susan was friendly and personable is a great understatement. She made me feel like a special friend of hers, not just another patient she needed to take care of. She was so cheerful! She talked about how much she loved nursing and told me a little about herself and her family as she was working. This, too, helped me to relax.

A truly extraordinary quality Susan displayed was her almost uncanny ability to know and provide for my every need, often even before I realized I had them. Without saying anything, a smaller size gown and slippers were brought for me to wear to replace what had been laid on my bed before I arrived. This made me feel like a real person rather than a scarecrow. Also, without my asking, Susan wrapped me in three deliciously warm blankets.

Susan had a knack for putting herself in my shoes (or rather, here, in my slippers) and sensing not only what I needed but also what I might like, what would just plain bless me. A “little” something she did that truly blew me away; I had requested some saltine crackers as part of the after-surgery snack she nicely prepared for me. When she brought the tray, there were four packets of crackers on it. The two that were facing me, which I naturally reached for first, she had cut open enough so that I could slide the crackers out easily. No struggle to tear the packets with my hands (or teeth!). What’s more, after eating the content of these 2 packets I had had enough. I noticed that she had left the remaining two packets unopened. How did she know to do this? She somehow sensed what I would like. (I found the remaining two packets in my “goody bag” I was given on departure.)

When I was all done, as Susan wheeled me out to the front entrance where my support person was ready with her car to take me home, Susan excitedly told me about a book she had just finished reading, one of the best she had ever read, she said. How did she know that I, also, am a reader and that I especially enjoy historical fiction, which this book is. Again, she must have somehow sensed what I might like. What a grand send-off! (Note: I have ordered the book and am looking forward to reading it.)

I have saved for last quality Susan Fennig must truly excel at. I say “must” because I couldn’t observe it directly; it is more a behind-the-scene thing. She has to be an exquisite team player. Everything about my procedure ran so smoothly, was so well choreographed. Someone had to have been responsible for bringing everything and everyone together. My guess is that a large part of it was Susan.

Who helped all these people to work together so smoothly, enabling them to fully utilize their areas of expertise to help little old me? My guess is that it was largely Susan Fennig.

In conclusion, I left the hospital feeling almost like royalty because of the skilled, kind, and respectful way I was treated, and it is an honor for me to recognize Susan Fennig, RN, as an Extraordinary Nurse.