February 2024
Taylor
Krupp
,
RN
Adult Emergency Department
University of Michigan Health Michigan Medicine
Ann Arbor
,
MI
United States
Throughout my time in Taylor’s care, he frequently checked in on me and exuded a sense of safety and comfort that every patient needs when they are in an emergency room.
Visits to the emergency room can often be scary due to the unknown. There is an unknown about the environment, the treatment, the treatment team, and the final resolution. These feelings were true for me when I experienced symptoms consistent with a significant medical emergency. I required lab work and an IV to be placed at the beginning of the evaluation. Taylor had been working in Triage that day and therefore was the one assigned to complete the labs and place the IV. He approached me with a pleasant attitude and friendly demeanor which was clearly contagious! He quickly explained what he needed to do and proceeded to initiate the small talk to act as a distraction. Shortly after the IV was placed, I knew that I was starting to pass out and I quickly let Taylor know. He didn’t flinch and moved to quickly stabilize me, placing ice packs and talking to me through his attempts to keep me oriented and conscious. He called out to other staff to help him and directed the care of moving me to another room; one with a stretcher where my legs could be elevated. This is not the first time that I have had a reaction like this with an IV placement. When these symptoms occurred at other facilities, the treatment team members appeared frightened, uncertain, and flustered. Taylor’s confidence and calm demeanor were all the reassurance I needed! Not only was he able to talk me through staying conscious, but he also had fluids started quickly and had already moved my personal belongings to my side before I could even consider where these items were before the incident. Of course, I had felt embarrassed about passing out, and Taylor quickly recognized my discomfort and shared a humorous but embarrassing experience of his own. Throughout my time in Taylor’s care, he frequently checked in on me and exuded a sense of safety and comfort that every patient needs when they are in an emergency room. Although this was an unsettling experience for me, Taylor’s nursing experience, skillset, and heart for patient care made me confident that I would be taken care of and kept safe. Every patient deserves to experience the reassuring presence of a nurse while they are having a medical emergency, and Taylor certainly delivered!