Photo:Left to right: LaTonya Rafe, RN, Michelle Gaskill, RN, MHA, Vice President, Nursing and Clinical Operations
A patient wrote the following about LaTonya Rafe’s care:
I must say that I have seen LaTonya Rafe on several occasions in the cafeteria being helpful & concerned about our patients and/or visitor’s needs. One time I saw her helping someone who was in a wheelchair get their food to the cash register. It wasn’t until our most recent Professional Practice Council meeting that I saw her in action via a skit about patient rounding. LaTonya’s bedside response with the patient was excellent. She assisted the patient and addressed the patient’s needs. She showed compassion, empathy and concern for the patient. La Tonya demonstrated Advocate Mission, Values and philosophy of patient coming first. I must say that I was highly impressed with her performance.
Well low and behold less than a week later I was in the Emergency Room and LaTonya was my assigned nurse. The first thing she did was introduce herself and said that she would be my nurse all the while writing the information on the white board. She took my vitals and all the other clinical things that are supposed to be done in the ED. She made sure that I had the call light and ice (since I couldn’t have water). She tended to her other patients and consistently came to check on me (she did not know that I was an associate until the other hospital associates came by to visit). She kept me informed and after I had been in the Emergency Department for several hours, she bought me a salad because I had not eaten anything and I was waiting to be admitted to a room. I was impressed beyond measure about her professionalism, care, compassion, sincerity and great bubbly personality.
Advocate Trinity Hospital and the Emergency department should be ecstatic about this awesome gem.