Adrienne Hayes
February 2016
Adrienne
Hayes
,
RN
Med/Surg Unit
Aurora BayCare Medical Center
Green Bay
,
WI
United States
Adrienne went above and beyond when caring for an elderly, frail, sweet, kind hearted woman. The family and doctors were pushing for a tube feeding which the patient did not want. After a few nights/days of passing care back and forth, we questioned if the patient's intake of calories was her baseline and if she was getting foods she liked to eat. After her shift, Adrienne went out of her way and brought the patient a variety of puddings, butterscotch disks, cinnamon disks, Nips and Big Red gum. While unpacking the snacks, the patient practically inhaled a lemon pudding. Through her assertiveness, determination, and patience, Adrienne demonstrated holistic patient care and a selfless act of compassion.
The patient was discharged several days later with no feeding tube and an improved diet and appetite.
***
I called a patient for a High Risk Transitions in care to make sure she was staying well. The day of her discharge she was emotionally overwhelmed, in pain, and frustrated with her disease process. She made multiple comments about giving up. She felt like no one was listening to her…except Adrienne.
During the phone call, the patient sounded like a different person. She boasted about the discharge process and care that Adrienne gave her on the day she was to go home. She made mention that she was overwhelmed with the medication change and diet restrictions but Adrienne sat down with her and never gave her the impression that she was busy, or that the patient wasn't "the most important patient in the hospital" at the time. Adrienne clarified medication, went through them and simplified how to take them. The patient went on to say "I am not the easiest patient to take care of and I am not always very nice. I am sure I was not nice to Adrienne either because I was frustrated but that didn't seem to matter to her. She still took the time to make sure all of my needs were met and made me feel so much better."
The patient received encouragement from Adrienne that made a difference on her mental/psychosocial state which gave her the ability to feel better. The patient went on to say "I can't thank her enough. I have not felt this good in a very long time."
The patient was discharged several days later with no feeding tube and an improved diet and appetite.
***
I called a patient for a High Risk Transitions in care to make sure she was staying well. The day of her discharge she was emotionally overwhelmed, in pain, and frustrated with her disease process. She made multiple comments about giving up. She felt like no one was listening to her…except Adrienne.
During the phone call, the patient sounded like a different person. She boasted about the discharge process and care that Adrienne gave her on the day she was to go home. She made mention that she was overwhelmed with the medication change and diet restrictions but Adrienne sat down with her and never gave her the impression that she was busy, or that the patient wasn't "the most important patient in the hospital" at the time. Adrienne clarified medication, went through them and simplified how to take them. The patient went on to say "I am not the easiest patient to take care of and I am not always very nice. I am sure I was not nice to Adrienne either because I was frustrated but that didn't seem to matter to her. She still took the time to make sure all of my needs were met and made me feel so much better."
The patient received encouragement from Adrienne that made a difference on her mental/psychosocial state which gave her the ability to feel better. The patient went on to say "I can't thank her enough. I have not felt this good in a very long time."