Jessica Freeman
May 2021
Jessica
Freeman
,
RN
Renal/Vascular Dept
Bon Secours Mercy Health Lourdes
Paducah
,
KY
United States
She is the definition of a patient advocate.
My mother was recently admitted for acute renal failure and was transferred to the 3rd floor after 3 days in ICU. She was fortunate enough to have Jessica as her nurse. My mother also has dementia and is unable to communicate all her needs and answer questions about her health history correctly.
There were many diagnoses with mom and many physicians treating her. As a nurse, I understand how some things aren’t communicated between the physicians. Jessica stayed on top of it. She actually sat down and listened to me, she read all the history, she communicated all concerns with each physician and when there were times one physician would miss a “new” problem, Jessica would catch it and call and get things moving for the better outcome of my mom’s health.
She treated mom with kindness and dignity. She not only took care of what was going on with her at the time of her stay, but she made sure her time after discharged was planned for her best interest. Jessica always treated my father as her own and kept him updated on mom’s plan.
I have been a nurse myself for over 20 years but when it comes to my family being hurt or sick, my decision making “nurse” skills go out the window. So, having someone like Jessica being there for my mother was so comforting. She is the definition of a patient advocate.
One doctor saw a lab result and it was dropping very low and he said it was probably due to the medication and because Jessica had been keeping such a close eye on her, she immediately told the doctor the number dropped before she ever started that medication. This prompted a consult with oncology that could have been missed without Jessica’s quick thinking.
Jessica would come to mom's room with a smile and even though sometimes mom was very hard to deal with due to the dementia, Jessica always found ways to keep her busy. Jessica would let mom believe she was helping by folding towels or sometimes Jessica would just sit and talk kindly and distract her with a puzzle or a conversation.
I believe people go into different professions for many different reasons, but some I also believe have a calling to be a nurse, and one for sure is Jessica Freeman.
There were many diagnoses with mom and many physicians treating her. As a nurse, I understand how some things aren’t communicated between the physicians. Jessica stayed on top of it. She actually sat down and listened to me, she read all the history, she communicated all concerns with each physician and when there were times one physician would miss a “new” problem, Jessica would catch it and call and get things moving for the better outcome of my mom’s health.
She treated mom with kindness and dignity. She not only took care of what was going on with her at the time of her stay, but she made sure her time after discharged was planned for her best interest. Jessica always treated my father as her own and kept him updated on mom’s plan.
I have been a nurse myself for over 20 years but when it comes to my family being hurt or sick, my decision making “nurse” skills go out the window. So, having someone like Jessica being there for my mother was so comforting. She is the definition of a patient advocate.
One doctor saw a lab result and it was dropping very low and he said it was probably due to the medication and because Jessica had been keeping such a close eye on her, she immediately told the doctor the number dropped before she ever started that medication. This prompted a consult with oncology that could have been missed without Jessica’s quick thinking.
Jessica would come to mom's room with a smile and even though sometimes mom was very hard to deal with due to the dementia, Jessica always found ways to keep her busy. Jessica would let mom believe she was helping by folding towels or sometimes Jessica would just sit and talk kindly and distract her with a puzzle or a conversation.
I believe people go into different professions for many different reasons, but some I also believe have a calling to be a nurse, and one for sure is Jessica Freeman.