Kelly Pergolese
February 2016
Kelly
Pergolese
,
RN
Neuroscience Medical-Surgical
Lancaster General Health/Penn Medicine
Lancaster
,
PA
United States
Kelly Pergolese is a one-of-kind woman who chose nursing as a second career. It is clear that her dream of being a nurse was something she was always truly meant to do! Kelly graces 7 West with her service.
Recently she cared for a young male with severe MR/CP. The boy was no older than 20 years and came to us from a group home that was not able to "handle" him for more than the 24 hours he was there. You see, "Tommy" (not his actual name) was very difficult to care for ... exhausting in fact. So exhausting, that his very own mother has given-up, didn't visit, and has completely relinquished parental rights of her son.
I am completely proud of the way the 7 West team was able to creatively care for Tommy; mattress on the floor for his safety, 1:1 sitters who read to him and took him for "walks" in his wheelchair throughout the hospital, and the manner in which they recently decorated his room for Christmas.
One day while Kelly was caring for Tommy, he had a large seizure. I was called to his room by other staff to find Kelly on her knees holding the post-ichtal Tommy to her chest and rocking him back-and-forth while whispering in his ear that it will be okay and not to be scared, all while gracefully communicating to the physician in the room what happened and delegating needs to her peers.
As I write this and reflect on this day, tears well-up in my eyes ... tears of complete awe and appreciation of a nurse willing to see Tommy as the person he was ... the boy who probably hasn't had someone hold him for years, rarely hears "I love you," and who cannot communicate his feelings.
In my 12 years of nursing, I have never seen the compassion Kelly showed towards this lifeless and scared boy … I couldn't help but think about Miss Nightingale and what she would think. I was also overwhelmed with the emotion that maybe his mother would have felt had she seen Kelly, knowing that of course her decision was probably extremely difficult to make, yet finding comfort in the willingness of nurses like Kelly to substitute her irreplaceable position.
Recently she cared for a young male with severe MR/CP. The boy was no older than 20 years and came to us from a group home that was not able to "handle" him for more than the 24 hours he was there. You see, "Tommy" (not his actual name) was very difficult to care for ... exhausting in fact. So exhausting, that his very own mother has given-up, didn't visit, and has completely relinquished parental rights of her son.
I am completely proud of the way the 7 West team was able to creatively care for Tommy; mattress on the floor for his safety, 1:1 sitters who read to him and took him for "walks" in his wheelchair throughout the hospital, and the manner in which they recently decorated his room for Christmas.
One day while Kelly was caring for Tommy, he had a large seizure. I was called to his room by other staff to find Kelly on her knees holding the post-ichtal Tommy to her chest and rocking him back-and-forth while whispering in his ear that it will be okay and not to be scared, all while gracefully communicating to the physician in the room what happened and delegating needs to her peers.
As I write this and reflect on this day, tears well-up in my eyes ... tears of complete awe and appreciation of a nurse willing to see Tommy as the person he was ... the boy who probably hasn't had someone hold him for years, rarely hears "I love you," and who cannot communicate his feelings.
In my 12 years of nursing, I have never seen the compassion Kelly showed towards this lifeless and scared boy … I couldn't help but think about Miss Nightingale and what she would think. I was also overwhelmed with the emotion that maybe his mother would have felt had she seen Kelly, knowing that of course her decision was probably extremely difficult to make, yet finding comfort in the willingness of nurses like Kelly to substitute her irreplaceable position.