October 2021
Taylor
Harrison
,
BSN, RN
2North Progressive Care
Vidant Medical Center
Greenville
,
NC
United States
That weekend, Taylor came in on her day off to paint Mrs. J’s nails so she would feel beautiful when her husband came to visit her that weekend.
Taylor has been a nurse on 2N Medicine for almost 2 years and recently took on the role as a charge nurse. When our unit started seeing Covid-19 patients, Taylor stepped up and cared for this patient population like they were her own family. The story below truly touched my heart and is an example to me and our staff of what nursing should be.
Mrs. J came in with Covid-19 and complications from it led her to have a stroke. She was a young woman in her early 40's happily married with children. This stroke took her ability to speak and walk, however she was completely alert and oriented. All she could say was, "baby" which was extremely frustrating to her. She adored her husband and missed him so much and just wanted to go home to be with him and their family. She cried a lot those first few weeks with us.
When Taylor took over care for her, she completely changed her demeanor. Taylor was able to get through to her and understand what she was trying to tell us. She set up FaceTime calls with her husband who was working so hard so he could afford to take his wife home after she recovered. After Taylor's first week with Mrs. J she cried when it was time for her to go home at the end of her shift. She was the first nurse who was able to truly communicate with her and she was so sad to see her go. That weekend, Taylor came in on her day off to paint Mrs. J’s nails so she would feel beautiful when her husband came to visit her that weekend. When I saw Mrs. J the next week she was smiling and so thankful for what Taylor did for her.
Mrs. J had a lot of setbacks in her stay, but every week Taylor checked on her, encouraged her to keep fighting and not to give up. When the day came that she was finally accepted into patient rehab, I don't know who was more excited, Taylor or Mrs. J. She was finally going to rehab and would be able to go home and be with her beloved husband. I was talking with Taylor recently and she told me after work she was going to walk down to the inpatient rehab and paint Mrs. J’s nails one more time before she went home. The pure selflessness of this act reminds me of why I became a nurse.
Mrs. J came in with Covid-19 and complications from it led her to have a stroke. She was a young woman in her early 40's happily married with children. This stroke took her ability to speak and walk, however she was completely alert and oriented. All she could say was, "baby" which was extremely frustrating to her. She adored her husband and missed him so much and just wanted to go home to be with him and their family. She cried a lot those first few weeks with us.
When Taylor took over care for her, she completely changed her demeanor. Taylor was able to get through to her and understand what she was trying to tell us. She set up FaceTime calls with her husband who was working so hard so he could afford to take his wife home after she recovered. After Taylor's first week with Mrs. J she cried when it was time for her to go home at the end of her shift. She was the first nurse who was able to truly communicate with her and she was so sad to see her go. That weekend, Taylor came in on her day off to paint Mrs. J’s nails so she would feel beautiful when her husband came to visit her that weekend. When I saw Mrs. J the next week she was smiling and so thankful for what Taylor did for her.
Mrs. J had a lot of setbacks in her stay, but every week Taylor checked on her, encouraged her to keep fighting and not to give up. When the day came that she was finally accepted into patient rehab, I don't know who was more excited, Taylor or Mrs. J. She was finally going to rehab and would be able to go home and be with her beloved husband. I was talking with Taylor recently and she told me after work she was going to walk down to the inpatient rehab and paint Mrs. J’s nails one more time before she went home. The pure selflessness of this act reminds me of why I became a nurse.