November 2012
Colina
Flannagan
,
RN, BSN
Telemetry Unit
Littleton Adventist Hospital
Littleton
,
CO
United States
My wife was a patient on your unit at different times over the past year and a half. We both felt the care she received on the 6th floor was the best of the many facilities she unfortunately had to frequent. We felt all the staff were above those we experienced elsewhere. However, she had a favorite nurse who seemed to be assigned to her frequently during her stays, Colina Flannagan.
I had been in nursing for over 35 years and have seen many nurses, but Colina is one of the best in recent memory. Some specific behaviors to justify this claim are:
The first time Colina came into my wife's room I remember her talking to my wife and then Colina reached out and touched her in a caring and kind way.
One time my wife's sister (a retired Air Force nurse) confronted Colina on the way Colina was doing a procedure. Colina showed no signs of defensiveness but calmly gave her rationale for why she was doing it a certain way and de-escalated the incident. Her demeanor during the entire exchange never changed. As a communication major I was amazed.
Another nurse was having difficulty with my wife's IV. That nurse called Colina and Colina came in, showed the nurse the proper procedure, calmed the nurse and left. She did this in the best mentoring attitude.
Time and time again my wife would push her call light button and Colina would promptly appear and meet my wife's requests. She never showed signs of being put out or that she didn't have time to help. My wife's nurse/sister would also engage Colina in question after question. Colina never appeared frenzied or hurried as many of my wife's other caregivers did. Her eyes did not show the deer in the headlights look of many overworked nurses.
When my wife first came to the 6th floor I was on the Porter NPC and was very watchful for nurses doing things improperly. I was critical and judgmental, just waiting for a nurse to make a mistake, from not washing her hands to giving the wrong meds. I looked for Colina to make a mistake, but she was always the competent clinician. There are very few people I can't find fault with if I try. Colina was, and is, one of those few people.
Colina is a nurse who exemplifies both the science and art of nursing to a very high degree. She is a near perfect blend of experience, competence, and compassion. I feel any nurse manager should feel very lucky to have Colina on her staff. I know my wife and I felt very grateful to have had Colina there for us.
I had been in nursing for over 35 years and have seen many nurses, but Colina is one of the best in recent memory. Some specific behaviors to justify this claim are:
The first time Colina came into my wife's room I remember her talking to my wife and then Colina reached out and touched her in a caring and kind way.
One time my wife's sister (a retired Air Force nurse) confronted Colina on the way Colina was doing a procedure. Colina showed no signs of defensiveness but calmly gave her rationale for why she was doing it a certain way and de-escalated the incident. Her demeanor during the entire exchange never changed. As a communication major I was amazed.
Another nurse was having difficulty with my wife's IV. That nurse called Colina and Colina came in, showed the nurse the proper procedure, calmed the nurse and left. She did this in the best mentoring attitude.
Time and time again my wife would push her call light button and Colina would promptly appear and meet my wife's requests. She never showed signs of being put out or that she didn't have time to help. My wife's nurse/sister would also engage Colina in question after question. Colina never appeared frenzied or hurried as many of my wife's other caregivers did. Her eyes did not show the deer in the headlights look of many overworked nurses.
When my wife first came to the 6th floor I was on the Porter NPC and was very watchful for nurses doing things improperly. I was critical and judgmental, just waiting for a nurse to make a mistake, from not washing her hands to giving the wrong meds. I looked for Colina to make a mistake, but she was always the competent clinician. There are very few people I can't find fault with if I try. Colina was, and is, one of those few people.
Colina is a nurse who exemplifies both the science and art of nursing to a very high degree. She is a near perfect blend of experience, competence, and compassion. I feel any nurse manager should feel very lucky to have Colina on her staff. I know my wife and I felt very grateful to have had Colina there for us.