One day, Hyacinth had several 'attention demanding' patients and one in particular would not eat. The patient was quiet and listless. The CNA tried to help the patient to no avail. Maybe it was the patient's stubbornness or lack of will to carry on that kept her from listening to the pleading demands. Anyone would be flustered, possibly angry by the woman's blatant refusal to compromise, but not Hyacinth. She approached the situation with full attention and urgency. She carefully spoke in a delicate, soft tone to let the patient know that she cared. She told her how she needed to eat and in that in light of her current situation that would make her feel better. Slowly the patient complied. Hyacinth's actions of kind patience and empathy profoundly affected the way I perceive the care this nurse gives to her patients. Although this patient could not appreciate what Hyacinth did, I did. I approached her later to tell her what an amazing nurse she truly is and she answered back with a humble, simple, thank you.
A simple act of getting someone to eat may be thought of as unimportant, but on this day it was life or slow death. The virtue of Hyacinth's patience and compassion surely is an asset to her team and her patients.