Becca Reffett is a compassionate RN, always willing to help out her fellow nurses to put patient centered care first. She is also a resource to the department serving as our pediatric coordinator and doing work to provide education, ordering supplies and many things that are outside of her job description as a Staff RN. She makes sure that our department is ready to serve anyone who comes in the door. I can think of many cases that illustrate her many skills but one story sticks out to me.
Becca took care of a woman who had multiple diagnoses including a bowel obstruction, urinary tract infection and pelvic inflammatory disease. This woman was low income and desperately in need of medical care, she also was a recovering addict and in excruciating abdominal pain. Pain management can be difficult in the Emergency Department, where many people have a tolerance level to narcotic pain medications due to street use and chronic pain. This patient was very ill and was in the Emergency Department for a total of seven hours. She lacked social support and didn't have any one to stay with her during her stay with us. Each time Becca came to take care of her or administer medications she asked for her to please not leave her because she was scared. Becca at this time was taking care of patients in one of the most difficult sections to manage due to high acuity level and distance between rooms. Each time Becca took the time to stay with the patient and hold her hand until the patient drifted to sleep.
Such a small act is sometimes hard to do when we have so many other patients and things to do in our busy ER, but in these moments Becca held this patient's hand and showed her that someone truly cared for her. I'm sure the patient appreciated the expert care we were providing her with diagnostics and multiple doctors figuring out what was going on with her, but what I know this patient will remember is the nurse who took the time to treat her like the human being that she is, who showed compassion, empathy and most of all gave her presence during a very difficult time.
The patient appreciated her so much she begged her to come visit her on the floor she had been admitted to. Becca also took the time to share the story with other nurses, to remind us why we do what we do and to show us that we do make a difference.