Many nurses work hard and do a good job, but there are few who go above and beyond their job requirements. Jen is one of these rare treasures. As a nurse, Jen always makes sure her patients' needs are being met. Jen is a patient advocate and a team player. Recently Jen was involved with two separate events that were very emotional. First, there was a patient in the ER whom she was taking care of and was not expected to live. Jen was a frontline caregiver who played a direct role in this patient's survival. Mrs. Z came into the ER with a rapid HR and SOB. Mrs. Z's son stated many times that if Jen was not so aggressive with her care and persistence in the ER that his mother would have never survived.
Jen continued to care for Mrs. Z in the ICU throughout her stay at Medina Hospital which turned into a long stay. Jen developed a strong, caring relationship with Mrs. Z's family and continued to advocate for the patients' health and wellness. In the end, Mrs. Z made it out of the hospital and we recently spoke with her at the Relay for Life event that Jen is also a part of. She is still recovering after almost six months but is enjoying life. She and her family are filled with gratitude towards Jen for this time they have together.
The second example involves her care in the ICU of a dying patient. Jen was caring for a man whose passing was imminent. His wife of 60 years was here and asked if she could lay with her husband as he passed. Jen made sure his passing was as painless as possible. As this sweet couple was lying there, listening to their favorite song, we were all heartbroken for them with tears in our eyes. Many times, at the hospital,death is very clinical and families feel very disconnected from their loved ones. Jen made sure that the patient's wife and family had all their needs met to get them through this transition.