May 2021
Thelma
Tan
,
RN
ICU
Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento
Sacramento
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

She encouraged him to think of all the people he loved, what they meant to him, and how they want him to recover and return to them.
The daughter of a patient made a pointed effort to share her gratitude for one nurse in particular. She described a moment when dad was "being stubborn" and refusing to keep his Bi-pap mask on, but, due to COVID restrictions, no family member could be present to encourage him. Thelma stepped in to assist in his native language, addressed him as “dad” per the cultural norm, listened to his thoughts, and encouraged him to think about his health as a fight for his family. She encouraged him to think of all the people he loved, what they meant to him, and how they want him to recover and return to them. Thelma met this patient where he was at in those moments as someone who understood him and his culture and family. She gave her authentic and true self, something nurses don’t always do, partly because doing so takes an emotional toll.