As someone who has a phobia of doctors and hospitals, I was extremely reluctant to be admitted to Baptist Health. Upon arrival to my room, I was met by Erica, cheerful and attentive, but no hospital bed, which she made light of and immediately rounded up one, knowing I was a flight risk.
My admittance was because of the need for a blood and iron transfusion. I explained to Erica my past 2 experiences of this - IV and needle problems as I do not have good veins. She reassured me that they have the best and she stayed with me, held my hand through all 2-3 tries. I know she had several other patients, but she would come back more than often, more than necessary to check on me. I know that her conversations were a way to keep my mind off the numerous IV tries and numerous needle sticks for labs. However, after a day my IV became irritated and apparently came out of my vein, which Erica noticed. She immediately called the IV specialist and said it needed to be taken out and replaced. I said I could not take it. Erica reassured me that it needed to be done. She understood my fear and held my hand the entire time. She had the IV specialist give me a little time to get it together before inserting another IV. She said once we get this in and get the iron running, I would be better and out of here. She brought a compress to alleviate the pain of the 1st IV and constantly checked on me. I am a 53-year-old woman, corporate law paralegal. Erica did not have to go above and beyond the call of duty with me but she did. This made my hospital stay better. Love her!
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Erica was my father's nurse before he moved to palliative care. My father had Parkinson's and came into the hospital with a "Parkinson's pump" that was new to all here. His cartridges were running out and Erica was actually heading home after her shift. I was able to teach Erica how the pump worked and that we needed to order more cartridges via the pharmacy.
Upon shift change, Erica stayed to make sure every nurse who was working was trained on this pump. She also made several calls to the in-house pharmacy to ensure my dad could get his cartridges. Unfortunately, the pharmacy was unable to get my father's cartridges so we had to switch to oral meds.
As for the Parkinson's pump - there were problems finding attachments to hook his G tubing to the hospital's pumps so my dad could get his bolus of nutrition along with his Parkinson's meds through this pump. Erica spent 45 minutes or more working on a solution - the tubing going to the nutrition was spilling out on the bed and on my dad. Erica stayed until this problem was solved and everyone trained and comfortable with the Parkinson's pump and my father was content.
Erica is a true blessing to this hospital. Thank you, Erica, for your hard work and dedication to my father and all your patients!