Susan Distante
April 2021
Susan
Distante
,
RN
Coronary Care Unit (CCU)
Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital
Atlanta
,
GA
United States
Susan sets a very high bar of expectation for herself in the care of her patients.
Susan frequently receives letters of gratitude from families, thanking her for her kindness and devotion to their loved ones. She has been and continues to be a true angel during this pandemic. It's been so difficult for families not to be present with their loved ones. Susan goes the extra mile to help the patient and families "create presence," bridging the chasm of separation however she can during these unprecedented times.
During the pandemic, we had a very sick patient who was on the ventilator for over 1 month. His family had many members in the medical field and would call frequently. They would FaceTime with him for hours, hoping he would respond to their voices. The medical staff approached the wife and family as the patient's condition declined. The family continued to hold out hope, exhorting the staff not to give up and do more for the patient. Despite all best efforts, over the next month, the patient’s condition continued to decline. During one visit, the patient’s wife wept at the bedside telling Susan how her husband was her whole world. The wife was bereft as she tried to fathom what she was going to do without her husband. Susan listened with empathy and understanding. Susan held the wife’s hand as she told their love story and how her heart would break without him. Susan helped her process and understand that he would never be able to come home again.
As she left that evening, the wife thanked Susan for her compassion and understanding. Thanks to Susan, the wife was ultimately able to make peace with her decision to let her husband go. Susan has dedicated 26 years of her life to the healing mission of Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital. Susan sets a very high bar of expectation for herself in the care of her patients. She is meticulous in detail as she knows that sometimes it's the "little things" that can have a profound impact on her patients. Listening to their stories as she washes their hair or helping them to ambulate in the room are just some of the ways she dignifies and enhances the patient experience in ICU. She takes the extra time to make sure their concerns and fears are heard and respected. Susan is an educator, advancing the learning curve of those she is responsible for, equipping them to better understand their disease process and how they can help manage their symptoms. Susan also helps take care of the nurses. She is the first to get a card for one of the staff that is out sick. She helps arrange meals and visits. She nurses the nurses! She helps them to feel valued and an important part of the team.
During the pandemic, we had a very sick patient who was on the ventilator for over 1 month. His family had many members in the medical field and would call frequently. They would FaceTime with him for hours, hoping he would respond to their voices. The medical staff approached the wife and family as the patient's condition declined. The family continued to hold out hope, exhorting the staff not to give up and do more for the patient. Despite all best efforts, over the next month, the patient’s condition continued to decline. During one visit, the patient’s wife wept at the bedside telling Susan how her husband was her whole world. The wife was bereft as she tried to fathom what she was going to do without her husband. Susan listened with empathy and understanding. Susan held the wife’s hand as she told their love story and how her heart would break without him. Susan helped her process and understand that he would never be able to come home again.
As she left that evening, the wife thanked Susan for her compassion and understanding. Thanks to Susan, the wife was ultimately able to make peace with her decision to let her husband go. Susan has dedicated 26 years of her life to the healing mission of Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital. Susan sets a very high bar of expectation for herself in the care of her patients. She is meticulous in detail as she knows that sometimes it's the "little things" that can have a profound impact on her patients. Listening to their stories as she washes their hair or helping them to ambulate in the room are just some of the ways she dignifies and enhances the patient experience in ICU. She takes the extra time to make sure their concerns and fears are heard and respected. Susan is an educator, advancing the learning curve of those she is responsible for, equipping them to better understand their disease process and how they can help manage their symptoms. Susan also helps take care of the nurses. She is the first to get a card for one of the staff that is out sick. She helps arrange meals and visits. She nurses the nurses! She helps them to feel valued and an important part of the team.