I want to share something with you all. Sometime about five years ago, I was re-watching Saving Private Ryan and found myself very inspired by the "Mrs. Bixby letter" scene. I decided to adopt it in my practice shortly thereafter and began sending letters to parents of deceased patients who positively impacted me.
I sent a letter to a family who had lost their college-age son to an accident. I shared with them that even after they left to go back to their home state, their son was cared for with the utmost dignity, compassion, and respect from our nurses. I shared that the team was grieving.
Shortly after, I received an email from the patient's mother. It's incredible that despite what she has gone through she has such positive things to say about Wendy and the team. This is truly inspiring. This is the definition of patient and family-centered care.
Mother writes:
Thank you so much for the lovely card. I appreciate you reaching out to our family. This is absolutely the worst pain that I have ever experienced, and I miss my son with every fiber of my being.
I must express one bright light that I experienced while in the hospital with my son. This was our amazing nurse, Wendy Parsak. She was everything that I needed during the most horrible experience of my life. She was patient, loving and compassionate. She was able to care for my son while at the same time care for me and my family. If there is anything that you can do to recognize her, I would love for that to happen. Nurses all too often don't get the recognition that they deserve.
***
Recently there was a very emotional case in ICU involving the tragic and shocking death of a young student. There were intense emotions. Wendy never lost sight of her mission and purpose. She sat with the family, she cared for them, built trust with them, and offered a warm safe spot to seek support when their whole world was falling apart.
Once he was taken off life support, the Mother asked Wendy to continue to care for her son as she had been. The family left, and Wendy continued care. She remained with him the entire time he was in our hospital. She called his mother to let her know that she stayed with him until he left the hospital; assured her that he was never alone.
Wendy is a true DAISY and an Angel.