August 2017
Becky
Gute
,
RN, BSN, WOCN
Wound, Enterstomal and Ostomy Nurse
Elkhart General Hospital
Elkhart
,
IN
United States
I had the pleasure of working alongside Becky today while changing several wounds on a very complicated patient on Oncology. She knows this patient very well, as she's been into our facility several times over the last few years. I already know Becky has exceptional skills in what she does every day to care for our patient wounds. I think what was different for me watching her in action today was not only her extreme knowledge for her clinical skills, but just the care and compassion she had for this special patient who has endured the worst of conditions for her quality of life. The patients' nurse was delayed in meeting her to do the dressing change and when she told the patient she would be coming back the patient, who is barely able to whisper words said, "Please don't leave me". Becky just soothingly ran her hand across the patient's hair, tucking it gently behind her ear and told her it would be fine and to just try to relax. She repeated this several times just using the skill of touch to soothe this patient's anxiety.
It turned out the nurse was able to come assist with the dressing change so she didn't have to leave the patient. This patient lives in chronic severe pain and Becky made sure she was medicated prior to the dressing change and that she had all the supplies needed before she started. These multiple dressing changes take an average of an hour to change, clean and reapply, but time did not appear to matter to her as she diligently went about what she does. She complimented other staff as she removed the dressing on what an incredible job they did in placing the dressing strategically to prevent further skin breakdown from tubes. She was precise in how she completed her work, even took pictures of how to properly place the dressing the same way the nurse did during the night. She plans to make signs and bullet points to post for the rest of the staff so we can standardize the dressing care for this patient. I know she wasn't like this just for this patient; this is how she treats all of them. She works so hard every day and is a true DAISY Nurse.
It turned out the nurse was able to come assist with the dressing change so she didn't have to leave the patient. This patient lives in chronic severe pain and Becky made sure she was medicated prior to the dressing change and that she had all the supplies needed before she started. These multiple dressing changes take an average of an hour to change, clean and reapply, but time did not appear to matter to her as she diligently went about what she does. She complimented other staff as she removed the dressing on what an incredible job they did in placing the dressing strategically to prevent further skin breakdown from tubes. She was precise in how she completed her work, even took pictures of how to properly place the dressing the same way the nurse did during the night. She plans to make signs and bullet points to post for the rest of the staff so we can standardize the dressing care for this patient. I know she wasn't like this just for this patient; this is how she treats all of them. She works so hard every day and is a true DAISY Nurse.