Jenny Sheldon
October 2021
Jenny
Sheldon
,
RN
ICU/COVID ICU
Aurora BayCare Medical Center
Green Bay
,
WI
United States
After the physician informed her that the family was withdrawing care, Jenny went into the room, and she stayed by her patient's side until the very end.
I had the absolute pleasure of working with Jenny this week in the COVID ICU. First off, she has worked on this unit a significant amount of time through this pandemic, and I know has personally experienced so much. What I saw from her on Sunday was something that touched my heart.
Jenny was caring for 2 COVID-positive patients. Both had gotten extremely sick from COVID pneumonia and were on a ventilator. These patients had not responded to any of the treatments and were decompensating to the point that survival was not going to happen. Jenny cared for these patients like an Angel. When the family made the decision for withdrawing care of J, she went into his room and stayed with him by his side to the very end. Jenny sat in the chair, she talked to him and held his hand as if he wasn't a stranger. Jenny talked to him about his wife whom they just recently shared an anniversary with. Jenny told him all the things that his wife had told her on the phone when they made the decision to withdraw care. Jenny stayed by his side to the very end, ensuring that her patient would not die alone, and for that, I am forever grateful for what she did. So, the story doesn't end there.
Jenny had a rough day, she did this again with another patient that was extremely ill. After her other patient was no longer responding to treatments and was decompensating significantly while on the ventilator. After the physician informed her that the family was withdrawing care, Jenny went into the room, and she stayed by her patient's side until the very end. Jenny played music for her and talked to her and held her hand. It is an honor to call Jenny a co-worker, and the dedication that she showed to her patients that day touched me in such a way, and for her to go through that not once, but twice says so much about the person and the nurse that she is. Jenny showed compassion and empathy for these patients in a time of need when the only ones that could be by their side were their nurse and she went above and beyond to be the Angel that they needed.
Jenny was caring for 2 COVID-positive patients. Both had gotten extremely sick from COVID pneumonia and were on a ventilator. These patients had not responded to any of the treatments and were decompensating to the point that survival was not going to happen. Jenny cared for these patients like an Angel. When the family made the decision for withdrawing care of J, she went into his room and stayed with him by his side to the very end. Jenny sat in the chair, she talked to him and held his hand as if he wasn't a stranger. Jenny talked to him about his wife whom they just recently shared an anniversary with. Jenny told him all the things that his wife had told her on the phone when they made the decision to withdraw care. Jenny stayed by his side to the very end, ensuring that her patient would not die alone, and for that, I am forever grateful for what she did. So, the story doesn't end there.
Jenny had a rough day, she did this again with another patient that was extremely ill. After her other patient was no longer responding to treatments and was decompensating significantly while on the ventilator. After the physician informed her that the family was withdrawing care, Jenny went into the room, and she stayed by her patient's side until the very end. Jenny played music for her and talked to her and held her hand. It is an honor to call Jenny a co-worker, and the dedication that she showed to her patients that day touched me in such a way, and for her to go through that not once, but twice says so much about the person and the nurse that she is. Jenny showed compassion and empathy for these patients in a time of need when the only ones that could be by their side were their nurse and she went above and beyond to be the Angel that they needed.