Tess is a very kind and caring nurse. I really appreciate how she works very closely with care coordination in ensuring her patients are prepared for discharge. Tess is an excellent mentor for new nurses starting their careers.
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Tess was working in the PCU with a case load of 4 close-monitoring patients. She was able to carry out her duties and went above and beyond the call of duty. I was truly impressed by what I observed and heard.
The patient in bed #1, a few hours post-op, on a PCA pump, was constantly on her call bell. She was making multiple small requests at 5-min intervals. Her family also bombarded Tess with many questions related to their mother/wife's hospital stay. Having other close-monitoring patients to care for, Tess responded to the needs of this patient and family members in the most professional and loving way. She listened to their requests, showed compassion and empathy towards the patient and helped to alleviate her fears. An example, the call bell was non-functioning; this nurse did not wait for engineering to solve the problem. Sensing that her patient was anxious in her new environment, she took the time to resolve the problem. Another example, she made provision for the daughters to have lunch with their mother instead of the mother/patient eating alone. Despite her intense assignment, she always ended their interaction with: "Is there anything else I can do for you before I leave?"
The experience reminded me that it's not always what you do for the patient but how you do it.