Nicole has such a big heart for everyone - patients, employees both! She always takes the time to talk with her patients and get to know them creating trust and comfort for them and their families. She truly cares and wants to help them be better - be healthy. She is competent in her job, yet gives above and beyond even when busy. Last week a young boy was here needing psychiatric help for hurting himself. While his parents were checking him in, he fell to the floor under the check-in window and was screaming and crying. Another nurse and even ED physician tried to get him to get up to go back to a room, but he refused and was getting more and more upset. Nicole grabbed the basket of little toys over in the ED and went out to the lobby and sat on the floor by him. She introduced herself, spoke gently, and began asking him things he liked and showing him some of the toys. She connected with him showing care, compassion, and kindness.
Not even 5 minutes later, the little boy got up and walked back to a room with Nicole and was cooperative and calm the rest of the time. Any other nurse would be annoyed and bothered, but Nicole showed her love for her job and for her patients. This really relieved this boy's parents as well who just needed help for their son. Even patients who come in that are on drugs, she doesn't judge them or make them feel less than. Instead, she shows genuine care and concern for them and offers support and help to them. Healthcare these days is all about pushing people through so quickly and ordering so many tests when patients just need to be heard, to receive compassion and kindness. That is what Nicole brings to MercyOne Newton patients, employees, and our community! I am proud to call her my co-worker and my friend.
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A father brought his uncontrollable son to the ER to be seen for a psych eval. The child kept banging his head on the floor, kicking and punching the wall, and anyone around him. The father and child stood in front of my desk as they waited for the nurse to triage the child. The child continued to hurt himself and those around him. The Doctor and two nurses went out to speak to the father and try to bring the child in. They discussed medications they could give the child to calm him down. Nicole, carrying a basket of toys, calmly walks out and sits on the floor with the child. He didn't want anything to do with her at first. She started speaking to him in a calm sweet voice and soon had the child's full attention. With the compassion and love she showed towards the child, she was able to walk him into an exam room and he was not treated with medications during his stay.