When mom was admitted to Baptist's Geriatric Psych Unit, Nick was her RN the first day. During her 8 day stay Nick would sit with her in the common area while they did their charting and play music for her and talk softly to her. He taught me a trick to get her to turn around. Nick would hold onto her and tell her, 'let's dance' and would rock her until she was turned. We still use this move.
Nick treated us like we were guests in their home. You can tell how much he cares for patients. It's a special person to care for patients with dementia and Nick does it so effortlessly and with so much patience. When I wasn't with mom at the hospital I felt she was in good hands. I knew he would take good care of her. Nick is a gentle kind soul and Baptist is so lucky to have such a wonderful employee. My mom was lucky to have him as her nurse.
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My mother was hospitalized when she was going through an extremely stressful situation. She is 85 years old and we had to move her into a facility that would provide more care for her. She did not want to go. She was admitted Thursday and her condition worsened until she was completely incapable of talking or communicating. The nurses who were caring for her checked on her, gave her medication and helped her with food but couldn't engage her - until Nick was working. I know he was not assigned to her the day we first met him but he went out of his way to help me obtain information and speak with the social worker when everyone else seemed busy with learning the "new" technology system that had just gone live.
I watched him work with the other patients and saw he really tried to communicate and engage them. The same happened with my mother. Nick took time to talk with her, find out about what she liked, who she was, where she came from, he engaged her in conversation and remembered what she told him. He would ask her the next day about the topics they had discussed the day before, like what city she grew up in, where she went to school. He got her communicating again because he was able to earn her trust and he tried. He made the effort. He had her drawing and painting. He had her singing. Once he engaged her, even when he wasn't her primary nurse, her agitation lessened immediately and her willingness to do what was needed increased.
Nick made a point to give me current and correct information. He genuinely expressed concern for her and for me as her family/POA and primary caregiver. Nick needs to be recognized for not just doing his job, but for going above and beyond to support the family. He could have spent time with your new system, reading manuals or "charting" but he instead was actively involved with his patient and not on a 15-minute check or when they walked by, but each minute.
Nick made the difference! He also engaged others and was involved with each patient. One woman sat strapped in a chair and Nick was always careful to be sure she was covered appropriately and her pillow was straightened. He is a true patient and family advocate. Nick deserves to know how valuable he is to your organization and more importantly what a significant impact his genuine care and concern for his patients means to the families of those he cares for.