Celestee Trach
July 2014
Celestee
Trach
,
RN, BScN, CON(C)
Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Radiation Therapy Department
Alberta Health Services
Calgary
,
Alberta
Canada
We, the staff in the radiation therapy department would like to nominate an extraordinary nurse in our department who shows her compassion, competence and commitment with all of her patients, day in and day out.
Celestee had a young female patient in her 'lung fast track clinic' whose diagnosis was not promising and where time was limited. This particular patient had young children and a long term common law partner.
During a clinic appointment, Celestee asked the patient if there was anything that she could do to help make the patient's situation a little easier, and if there was anything she could facilitate before end of life. The patient and her partner decided that getting married was what they wanted to do, and they called Celestee right away to let her know. Celestee got on the phone immediately with spiritual care and the chapel at the hospital, and was able to arrange for the wedding to take place that evening. She then called the patient back and told them to get to the registry to attain their wedding license. A wedding was happening!
Celestee shared her journey of the day with her co-workers, and it was decided that they would make the time to bring the bride something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. When the patient arrived at the chapel for her wedding, she was greeted by Celestee and several other RT department staff to be the witnesses of the ceremony. They brought with them a bouquet of flowers as the "something new", a barouche from one of the other nurses as the "something borrowed", an old piece of Halloween candy attached to the bouquet as "something old", and a blue ribbon from the radiation therapy graduation cowbell celebration as the "something blue".
We, as the staff in the radiation therapy nursing office, are not surprised by Celestee's actions, as she is continuously demonstrating a true compassion for her patients. She is always there to ask and follow through with one simple question - is there anything that I can do to make this easier for you? She is truly an exceptional nurse and co-worker.
Celestee had a young female patient in her 'lung fast track clinic' whose diagnosis was not promising and where time was limited. This particular patient had young children and a long term common law partner.
During a clinic appointment, Celestee asked the patient if there was anything that she could do to help make the patient's situation a little easier, and if there was anything she could facilitate before end of life. The patient and her partner decided that getting married was what they wanted to do, and they called Celestee right away to let her know. Celestee got on the phone immediately with spiritual care and the chapel at the hospital, and was able to arrange for the wedding to take place that evening. She then called the patient back and told them to get to the registry to attain their wedding license. A wedding was happening!
Celestee shared her journey of the day with her co-workers, and it was decided that they would make the time to bring the bride something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. When the patient arrived at the chapel for her wedding, she was greeted by Celestee and several other RT department staff to be the witnesses of the ceremony. They brought with them a bouquet of flowers as the "something new", a barouche from one of the other nurses as the "something borrowed", an old piece of Halloween candy attached to the bouquet as "something old", and a blue ribbon from the radiation therapy graduation cowbell celebration as the "something blue".
We, as the staff in the radiation therapy nursing office, are not surprised by Celestee's actions, as she is continuously demonstrating a true compassion for her patients. She is always there to ask and follow through with one simple question - is there anything that I can do to make this easier for you? She is truly an exceptional nurse and co-worker.