Mr. B. sets his head back on his pillow and takes a deep breath. "Did you see that? I can finally relax, I feel like the weight of the world has just been lifted from me!" Chris took the time to listen to Mr. B. and address his health concern which he states has been trying to resolve for the past five years. He was admitted to the hospital for a reason unrelated to the one that was causing him such grief, an abscess that had been treated but kept coming back.
Chris's presence as a nurse gave the patient experience of caring, confidence, teacher, and healer. She involved the physician to obtain an order for a culture of the abscess. With her genuine caring demeanor, she created a collaborative environment in the patient's room as the physician helped position the patient and held the flashlight to ensure a good culture was obtained. Chris gently guided the nursing students hand as she swabbed, keeping the patient calm by talking to him, explaining what to expect in a soothing tone. The time Chris spent with Mr. B. explaining to him about his abscess and concerns was remarkable. I can't help but wonder if Mr. B. had a nurse other than Chris caring for him, as he was preparing to be discharged if his abscess would have gone unaddressed once again.
This story is just one drop of water in the ocean of how Chris' 35 + years of dedication as an oncology/medical/surgical nurse on the acute care services unit at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital. She is an outstanding professional nurse that connects and focuses on her patients in an extraordinary way as she provides such excellent care for all her patients every day.