Michelle Bennette
November 2018
Michelle
Bennette
,
RN
4 South - Oncology Unit
NCH Healthcare System
Naples
,
FL
United States
Michelle has been a nurse on 4 South for fifteen years and has been a charge nurse on the unit for the last 5 years. Michelle is an extraordinary nurse always putting patient care first. She is one of the most compassionate people I have ever met. I would like to share a story with you that happened recently on 4 South. One of the patients on our unit who has acute leukemia and has had several complications during her forty-five-day stay at NCH shared with Michelle that she just wanted to feel like a human being again to get a haircut and her nails done. Michelle not only listened to the patient's feelings but the next day on her day off she came in and washed, cut, blew dry and curled the patient's hair. She gave the patient a manicure and pedicure and made her patient feel beautiful and special. When I walked in to assist the patient after Michelle had left the patient was just beaming and had the biggest smile on her face. She looked beautiful and she told me felt that way too. This may be the last time this patient has her hair cut and nails done. I knew at that moment Michelle had left an everlasting impression on the patient and the patient's husband. He was all smiles as well and they were both so happy. Michelle didn't come in on her day off to be recognized for going above and beyond for her patient, Michelle did it because that is the kind of person she is- compassionate, empathetic and caring beyond words. Michelle is a true DAISY Nurse.
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I would like to thank my nurse and share my story of why this nurse is so special. Michelle is a charge nurse on the 4 South Oncology Unit at Downtown NCH and one of the best nurses I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Oncology is a very difficult and emotionally draining field to work in, but Michelle always makes each work day fun, no matter what type of difficult situations we encounter. Michelle always demonstrates compassion and I always go to her when I have a difficult situation on my hands because she just has this incredible way of making everything feel okay. She has a way with words that I can't describe. Within five minutes of meeting her, she has a way of making you feel like you have been great friends for years. The way she interacts with patients and physicians alike is something that I someday aspire to possess. She has a way of bringing light and humor to the darkest of situations and that is much needed in this field of Oncology. Although the charge nurses on our floor usually don't have patients, she always makes rounds and spends individual time with our Oncology patients and makes them feel like they are her absolute priority, despite whatever chaos is happening on the floor.
I strongly believe she is a DAISY Nurse each day, but especially after what I saw last week. We have a patient on our floor that had her entire world drastically changed in August when she was diagnosed with leukemia. Needless to say, this patient has been dealing with the unimaginable over the past few months and Michelle always takes the time to stop in the room and spend time with her and her family. This patient is now in a contracted Hospice bed on our floor and Michelle still stops in and makes her feel important, although she is no longer receiving chemo treatment for her disease. Last week, I was surprised to see Michelle at work on her day off and when I had asked why she was here, she told me she had promised the patient that she would come in and paint her nails for her. Michelle ended up spending several hours with our patient, doing her nails, washing and styling her hair and just overall making the patient feel better. I stopped in to see the patient after Michelle had left and she looked like a new woman. She was in a great mood and I could tell she and her husband truly appreciated Michelle taking the time to make her feel special. I thought that was so incredibly kind of Michelle and she just sort of laughed like it was no big deal to her and the thing with Michelle is that it's not a big deal to her. She doesn't think twice about going the extra mile for patients, family members, co-workers and physicians alike. She is the true example of going above and beyond for anyone and everyone and she not only makes me want to be a better nurse but a better person. I hope she realizes that her constant kindness and compassion does not go unnoticed.
***
I would like to thank my nurse and share my story of why this nurse is so special. Michelle is a charge nurse on the 4 South Oncology Unit at Downtown NCH and one of the best nurses I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Oncology is a very difficult and emotionally draining field to work in, but Michelle always makes each work day fun, no matter what type of difficult situations we encounter. Michelle always demonstrates compassion and I always go to her when I have a difficult situation on my hands because she just has this incredible way of making everything feel okay. She has a way with words that I can't describe. Within five minutes of meeting her, she has a way of making you feel like you have been great friends for years. The way she interacts with patients and physicians alike is something that I someday aspire to possess. She has a way of bringing light and humor to the darkest of situations and that is much needed in this field of Oncology. Although the charge nurses on our floor usually don't have patients, she always makes rounds and spends individual time with our Oncology patients and makes them feel like they are her absolute priority, despite whatever chaos is happening on the floor.
I strongly believe she is a DAISY Nurse each day, but especially after what I saw last week. We have a patient on our floor that had her entire world drastically changed in August when she was diagnosed with leukemia. Needless to say, this patient has been dealing with the unimaginable over the past few months and Michelle always takes the time to stop in the room and spend time with her and her family. This patient is now in a contracted Hospice bed on our floor and Michelle still stops in and makes her feel important, although she is no longer receiving chemo treatment for her disease. Last week, I was surprised to see Michelle at work on her day off and when I had asked why she was here, she told me she had promised the patient that she would come in and paint her nails for her. Michelle ended up spending several hours with our patient, doing her nails, washing and styling her hair and just overall making the patient feel better. I stopped in to see the patient after Michelle had left and she looked like a new woman. She was in a great mood and I could tell she and her husband truly appreciated Michelle taking the time to make her feel special. I thought that was so incredibly kind of Michelle and she just sort of laughed like it was no big deal to her and the thing with Michelle is that it's not a big deal to her. She doesn't think twice about going the extra mile for patients, family members, co-workers and physicians alike. She is the true example of going above and beyond for anyone and everyone and she not only makes me want to be a better nurse but a better person. I hope she realizes that her constant kindness and compassion does not go unnoticed.