I was rounding on the inpatient units while piloting a new role for the hospital when I stumbled upon some excitement on 6E. I could tell they were working on something, as all the nurses were at the nurses station engaged in conversation. However, it took some prying to figure out what they were working on.
They had a patient that was going to be sent to a skilled nursing facility once we obtained guardianship of the patient. She was a dementia patient that had been brought to the hospital because she wasn't able to care for herself at home anymore. The patient has/had a dog named, P. Since the patient does not have any family the dog was surrendered to Animal Control when the patient was brought to the hospital.
While I was on the unit, the unit was working on trying to figure out how to get the dog released from Animal Control because they did not want P to be put to sleep. Having worked in the ED for some time, I knew there was a nurse down there that has a soft spot in her heart for a sad story, and any story that has/had a dog in it. I texted Jana and told her what was going on. I knew she has/had fostered dogs in the past, and I also knew she knows a lot of people involved with rescues and fostering animals. She immediately started calling people to get the dog pulled from Animal Control. She probably spent a couple of hours working on placement for this dog.
Jana called and spoke with the 6E nurses and they told Jana how much the patient loves her dog. Basically, the dog is the only thing the patient talks about. Jana pulled some strings and was able to go to Animal Control and take the dog outside for a while. While visiting the dog at Animal Control, Jana took pictures of the dog. She had a photo album made and brought it to the patient. Jana said the patient's "face lit up when she saw the pictures." The next day Jana texted me and asked if I could find out where the patient was going to be placed. She was having a pillow made with the dog's picture; and she wanted to be able to drop it off at the facility when she received it. I have worked with Jana Whitehead for a long time, and she always goes the extra mile. This is just one of the many examples I could share with you. She will be very upset that she was nominated for this award as she does these things because she wants to, not because she wants recognition. Jana is a phenomenal nurse and an even better person.
The 6E RNs have been so great helping Jana get the documentation she has required to have the dog pulled from Animal Control. The 6E RNs are just as invested as Jana is in trying to get this dog pulled from Animal Control and placed in a rescue or foster. It is so refreshing to see so many nurses care about one patient and her little dog. It reminds me why I love being a nurse here!