Debbie Smith
July 2018
Debbie A.
Smith
,
BSN, RN
2 North
Wellstar Douglas Hospital
Douglasville
,
GA
United States

 

 

 

Debbie exemplifies the compassionate, thoughtful care, which makes nursing both an art and a science. A 39-year-old patient had recently learned that her Multiple Myeloma had recurred despite a previous stem cell transplant. A secondary misfortune was that the patient learned that she would again require dialysis and this time; her kidney failure may be permanent. Debbie allowed the patient to vent and express her frustrations and disappointments, while navigating her needs for dialysis, platelets, blood transfusions, and chemotherapy. The patient had shared that previously she and her husband had planned trips to Disney World on 3 different occasions, which had to be cancelled due to her health issues. Her greatest pain was disappointing her two children. Prior to her current cancer recurrence, she and her husband had planned a week's vacation to Hawaii and hoped to surprise their 2 children the following Sunday. Debbie cared for this patient for 7-twelve hour shifts in a row, and then came in on her first day off so the patient could receive her chemotherapy after her Permacath insertion, and then start her first outpatient hemodialysis that evening. This would enable the patient to go to Hawaii the following Sunday with her family. Debbie has a gift for providing patient-centered care by listening to her patients so that she can include patient needs and preferences in her plan of care. This is just one example of how she made one patient's dream come true. She is the caring, knowledgeable, professional nurse that every patient wants when his or her health is compromised.