Working with oncology patients can be a challenge. Sometimes it can be heart-wrenching, sometimes inspirational and sometimes it can be just plain difficult. One particular patient has been battling cancer for a long time and many believe her to be in denial over her diagnosis. I believe she has developed some control issues from being a patient and losing control over so many things in her life, such as her appearance, what she can do every day, what she can eat, along with so many other things. Some of my interactions with this patient have been hard and the state the cancer has left her in has been shocking, to say the least.
Today, when I went in to round on this patient, she was very skeptical of who I was and why I was there. I ended up showing her a blank rounding worksheet I use to show her I was there to make sure she was getting the best care possible and if there was an area in need of improvement. When I left the room I was almost in tears. She told me about Jean Rendall, her nurse for the past 3 days. Jean has shown her so much compassion. Jean makes eye contact, always comes in with a smile and addresses her needs with patience. The patient did not know that in addition, Jean has also been coming to me as a resource to ask about balancing her pain medication for safety reasons and what was best for the patient. She did not see what was going on in the background, yet she deeply knew Jean had her best interest at heart. Seeing this patient put her wall down to recognize a nurse who truly touched her heart was so amazing. Jean was able to see past the anger in a patient who has been dealt a difficult diagnosis.
Jean consistently shows this to all of her patients and the staff she works with. She naturally follows the values of ICARE with her integrity, compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence. We are very lucky to work with her. Thank you for all you do Jean!