Josh Kuznia
November 2020
Josh
Kuznia
,
RN, BSN
Med/Surg
Essentia Health- Fargo
Josh responded in an intuitive way, neither disagreeing with me nor reinforcing my improbable hope. He was sensitive to my emotional state and need for hope.
We met Josh at Essentia Hospital in Fargo. My husband was undergoing diagnosis and treatment for an episode of severe abdominal pain experienced at Essentia in Detroit Lakes.
By the time I arrived for visiting hours, Josh had established a relationship with my husband (B) during morning care.
B was scheduled for an 11:00 endoscopic exam. Shortly after 10:00, Josh arrived with a transport chair and paperwork, stating that sometimes the escort came early. Josh was business-like and organized.
When B returned from the procedure, we listened to the report. The words stent, mass, biopsies descended upon us. I'm sure Josh knew immediately that B had a cancerous tumor. After they left, I said to Josh that maybe the mass was just swelling in the area from the passage of a stone. Josh responded in an intuitive way, neither disagreeing with me nor reinforcing my improbable hope. He was sensitive to my emotional state and need for hope.
Once back in bed, B asked, "Will you take my socks off?" The student nurse and I both began to rise, but he said, "No, I want the most well-paid one here to do it." We all smiled as Josh reached down to take off the socks. It was a light-hearted moment in the midst of life-changing events.
We asked Josh if he would be our nurse the next day. He said he had an office day but he would stop by to see how we were doing. It was then we learned he was also a supervisor and had office duty once a week.
We asked Josh where he went to college. He replied he was working on his Master's degree and, at my request, described his final project. His love for learning was apparent.
B rested quietly for several hours. Then he began to shiver, and his temperature spiked rapidly. Josh was there immediately. Calmly he managed the situation: a stat X-ray, IV antibiotic, and again (intuitively) looking over at me and saying, "You don't have to go." Without discussion and in spite of strict visiting hours (COVID rules) he knew I couldn't leave my husband at that moment.
The next day was uneventful. Further studies were scheduled as outpatient. Discharge was anticipated. At 4:00 Josh was in the doorway. He looked tired. He had worked on another unit as a staff nurse. We asked him what happened to his office work. He smiled and replied that it would still be there. He chatted a while and wished us well. He kept his word to visit us in spite of a demanding day.
In a very brief encounter, Josh touched our lives. At this time my husband and I are in Milwaukee at a hospital specializing in ampullary cancer. Josh inspired us with the quality he brings to his role as a caregiver.
By the time I arrived for visiting hours, Josh had established a relationship with my husband (B) during morning care.
B was scheduled for an 11:00 endoscopic exam. Shortly after 10:00, Josh arrived with a transport chair and paperwork, stating that sometimes the escort came early. Josh was business-like and organized.
When B returned from the procedure, we listened to the report. The words stent, mass, biopsies descended upon us. I'm sure Josh knew immediately that B had a cancerous tumor. After they left, I said to Josh that maybe the mass was just swelling in the area from the passage of a stone. Josh responded in an intuitive way, neither disagreeing with me nor reinforcing my improbable hope. He was sensitive to my emotional state and need for hope.
Once back in bed, B asked, "Will you take my socks off?" The student nurse and I both began to rise, but he said, "No, I want the most well-paid one here to do it." We all smiled as Josh reached down to take off the socks. It was a light-hearted moment in the midst of life-changing events.
We asked Josh if he would be our nurse the next day. He said he had an office day but he would stop by to see how we were doing. It was then we learned he was also a supervisor and had office duty once a week.
We asked Josh where he went to college. He replied he was working on his Master's degree and, at my request, described his final project. His love for learning was apparent.
B rested quietly for several hours. Then he began to shiver, and his temperature spiked rapidly. Josh was there immediately. Calmly he managed the situation: a stat X-ray, IV antibiotic, and again (intuitively) looking over at me and saying, "You don't have to go." Without discussion and in spite of strict visiting hours (COVID rules) he knew I couldn't leave my husband at that moment.
The next day was uneventful. Further studies were scheduled as outpatient. Discharge was anticipated. At 4:00 Josh was in the doorway. He looked tired. He had worked on another unit as a staff nurse. We asked him what happened to his office work. He smiled and replied that it would still be there. He chatted a while and wished us well. He kept his word to visit us in spite of a demanding day.
In a very brief encounter, Josh touched our lives. At this time my husband and I are in Milwaukee at a hospital specializing in ampullary cancer. Josh inspired us with the quality he brings to his role as a caregiver.