I have been a registered nurse for 40+ years (25+ in the inpatient setting) so I am extremely aware of the standards of care/evidence-based practice and I can attest that Collette went above and beyond on all counts. Even though I have clinical knowledge, having your own family member hospitalized for an emergency appendectomy tends to throw all professional acumen to the wind due to the emotional component of the sudden illness of a loved one.
My sister was admitted to 5 North post appendectomy and Collette was a calming, competent caregiver and assuaged all our fears. She introduced herself, was an attentive listener, did a complete head to toe assessment, assessed and re-assessed pain level, reassured us that all my sister's needs would be met and then followed through with that promise! She made certain that not only all post-op orders were in place and followed; she made certain all our questions were answered and gave us all needed information (meds, the reason for administration, vitals) without us having to ask. When she left the room after our first encounter, I said to my sister "you will be able to sleep peacefully tonight with our angel, Nurse Collette, caring for you". Thank you Lord and thank you, Collette! Her excellent nursing skills and caring, compassionate communication put my sister at ease which most importantly enabled her to rest and recover post-procedure. After spending the previous night in the observation unit and only having two hours of sleep, rest was imperative to my sister's successful recovery. We both could sleep soundly knowing my sis was under Collette's attentive observation. We knew we would be cared for in the most knowledgeable, professional, compassionate manner, what a relief!
In addition to her outstanding nursing care, Colette went way above and beyond to ensure that all the "extras" were provided to make my sister more comfortable. She also made me feel welcome to stay and made sure I was comfortable and I must say again, truly welcome. At the end of her shift, she made sure she came in during rounds, introduced the oncoming shift, and ascertained that any and all of our needs were met. My sister said all she wanted was toast and eggs since it was about 35 hours since she had solid food. At the time, she had only advanced to full liquids. Collette stayed over her shift long enough to contact the physician to ensure my sister would get her eggs! If that is not enough, she sent in a muffin to my sis while she was waiting for her tray, amazing! She did all these things without making it seem like an imposition and made us feel that my sister was her only patient and her most important patient! I know Collette cares for all of her patients in this way and it is truly remarkable to have a caregiver who treats you like her own family.
When I initially entered the room on 5 North, there was a message on the white board-something about excellence with every patient with every encounter- and I thought yeah, right. But I was extremely grateful that this was 100% accurate in our experience with Collette. We could not have asked for better care. I realize that teams are only as good as their leaders, so I am extremely grateful for the 5 North Nurse Manager who not only leads these excellent caregivers but who also took the time from her busy day to assure our stay was excellent!
Collette has made such a positive difference in the life and health of my sister and as a result, for our entire family. God bless you all and keep up the excellent work!