My shift started with a special needs patient who was having a hard time keeping her oxygen device on and was getting very frightened and overwhelmed with all the medical personnel in the room and alarms going off. The patient's oxygen level was dropping, and it was suggested by the MD that the patient may need to be intubated if the patient would not keep her oxygen device on.
This patient had Madalynn Woolard for the previous several nights, but this night was Madalynn's first night off, and the patient's first night with a nurse she was not very familiar with. This patient had bonded with Madalynn quite well and in her time of distress, the patient asked for Madalynn by name. Another nurse at the patient's bedside suggested that we video call Madalynn to see if she could talk to the patient about her oxygen needs and get her to wear her oxygen device. Madalynn, asleep at home at the time, answered the video call immediately. Madalynn talked to the patient, but when the patient still would not wear her oxygen and was at risk of being intubated, Madalynn got out of bed and came up to the hospital right away.
When Madalynn reached the patient's bedside, the patient put her oxygen device back on and her oxygen saturation elevated to an appropriate level. Madalynn stayed at the patient's bedside and comforted her for well over an hour. In doing all of this, Madalynn also missed a dinner that she had planned for her day off. Additionally, I witnessed Madalynn's excellent care for this patient in the previous days, which included buying the patient a sandwich with her own money. Madalynn gave this patient a significant amount of time, love and effort, and certainly went above and beyond by coming in to be with this patient on her day off work.