Anne is the epitome of what it means to be a caregiver. Anne has been a nurse for less than a year, but the compassion and sincere demeanor she displays is something I strive for, despite having eight more years of clinical experience. Recently, our unit was caring for a deaf, autistic patient with multiple developmental delays. Communication was very difficult, due to the patient's limited sign language abilities. This patient had recently been removed from their home and was awaiting placement in another facility. Anne had the opportunity to take care of this patient one evening and from that evening forward, she often requested this assignment, despite the difficulties in communication. Anne was patient, friendly, and showed empathy toward this young child. She broke down the barriers to communication by showing this patient so much kindness through her compassionate energy that no verbal communication was necessary. There seemed to be a mutual connection between patient and nurse.
Anne's ability to soothe and connect became evident one evening when this patient had a violent outburst requiring a Code Strong, restraints, and medication. During events like this, emotions tend to be high, adrenaline kicks in, and it is easy, as a nurse, to get lost in the chaos of all the tasks, people, and orders. As I observed Anne, I noticed that while the patient was restrained, and IM mediations administered, Anne continued to hold the patient's hand, speak calmly, and never left the patient's side. It was evident that this patient was confused, scared, and unaware of their actions. I can only imagine the fear they felt when the room was suddenly filled with unfamiliar faces and restraints were being applied. Anne, being one of the only familiar faces this patient knew, acknowledged this and acted as their support. Amongst all the chaos, Anne had the foresight to unpack the patient's weighted blanket and covered them, recognizing it would help alleviate some anxiety. Following the event, as I spoke to Anne to answer any questions she may have had (this was her first Code Strong and use of restraints) she never once complained about the incident or the extra work on her part. She continued to voice her understanding of how confused the patient was and was concerned for the patient's emotions. Rather than placing blame, Anne demonstrated great concern for her patient and continued to advocate for the patient's needs.
I have always admired Anne because even as a new nurse who has had her share of rough assignments, her kindness has not once wavered. She is an excellent nurse and treats every single person she encounters- patients, fellow nurses, environmental service, anyone she passes- with sincere respect. This example is just one of the many instances that I have witnessed over the past year. A nurse could be the smartest person in the room, have every single medication, condition, and treatment memorized, but if they do not have compassion, there is no room for them to grow in their field. Anne was built for nursing; she has the strong, compassionate foundation required to continue to grow in this profession, connect with patients and families, and educate the hundreds of new nurses entering the field daily. I believe we could all learn something valuable from Anne.