virginia stephens, RN, BSN

We had a patient who was in the CCU for 2 ½ months with end-stage Muscular Dystrophy. He was ventilator dependent and physically unable to do anything for himself. His speech was unintelligible, and he was in isolation. All caregivers seemed to be burnt out caring for this man. Virginia was the opposite. Every time I walked by his room she was in there. If not doing hands-on care, she was straightening up his room. She always seemed to be in there humming a tune. As a matter of fact, she spent so much time in his room that when he did speak, she could understand him. When the rest of us were burnt out caring for this poor man, she was not. Even his family stopped coming in. This patient died last week and thanks to Virginia, what could have been a very lonely time before death was perhaps not so lonely. Since that time I've noticed that during those moments when the other nurses who are in between providing care and are at the nursing station, Virginia is in a patient room soothing an anxious patient, fluffing pillows or talking with family. If I am ever a patient in the CCU I'd want Virginia Stephens as my nurse.