I precepted Adam months ago and immediately knew he was not only an exceptional nurse but an exceptional human being. In the month that I precepted him, I had multiple families tell me how much his care impacted them. How his kindness literally carried them through a difficult ICU admission. How his patience and his ability to simplify things in explaining complex diagnoses and procedures helped them finally understand. How his concern for not only the patients' wellbeing but the entire families' wellbeing, impacted them. I could go on and on about all of the families that Adam and his exceptional care impacted, but I'm going to focus on one.
Adam and I admitted a trauma from an outside hospital with a very grim prognosis. The family traveled from Port Huron, unexpectedly of course, to Children's arriving with very little information about the status of their son and even less of an idea on how to possibly deal with this tragedy. The parents came straight from work, exhausted, with just the clothing on their backs. Adam and I worked to get the patient situated quickly, knowing that the family was waiting to see their son. Adam comes with years of ED and paramedic experience, so traumas are second nature to him. When the parents came back, Adam was able to provide incredible care to the patient while also compassionately caring for the devastated parents. He literally held them up for those first 12 hours. He explained everything simply and confidently. He answered every question, never making them feel bad about their lack of basic medical knowledge. He made their beds, suggested they get sleep in shifts, he reminded them to eat and drink, and he gently reminded them to reach out for support from their friends and family. He reassured them every couple of minutes, kindly, never losing his patience with questions we so often as caregivers, find redundant and wearing after 12 hours. He cared for this patient all weekend, and Adam's level of care never wavered. he greeted the family and the patient so warmly and finished his shifts just as warmly as he started them. The family requested to have Adam back, as most all of his families do, but because he was in orientation, we had to move on to a different experience. Adam always went and checked on this patient and family, even when he didn't have them as patients.
Following the weekend, the parents sought me out to express their gratitude for the care they received. Through tears, the father of the patient told me that Adam was the only reason he made it through those first couple of days. He said he recognized that a lot of people assumed certain things about him and his family because of their outward appearance, but Adam never made them feel anything but supported and loved and understood. I cried with the dad as he told me this.
The patient ended up doing very well, ultimately going to rehab and regaining a lot of his function. The parents would bring their son to the unit, and always ask for Adam. Every single time I saw them they would express their gratitude, with teary eyes.