Kathleen Orminski
December 2021
Kathleen
Orminski
,
RN
Hospice
Compassus
Marshfield
,
WI
United States
The patient died peacefully after having the opportunity to see family in a neutral setting. Kathleen gave this patient and his wife exactly what was needed at the end of life, peace and comfort.
Kathleen Orminski goes above and beyond in her RN role with our Plover Hospice. We recently had a patient on our service who was going through so much. He and his wife were really struggling. Kathleen worked with them, getting the patient to the House of Dove for care and comfort at end of life and comforting the wife to make sure she was ok with the move. Kathleen came in on her day off to transfer the patient, went to Marshfield with them to get him settled, went to his home in Plover to make sure his supplies were transported with him, and went back to help the wife with any last-minute details.
Kathleen is an advocate for so many of her patients, making sure that they have the supplies they need, looks at different options for the best care, offers so much support to patients/families, mentors other staff, and is always looking for ways she can help.
Kathleen originally worked in our Wisconsin Rapids agency until the office closed. She then happily went to our Marshfield agency and helped there while another RN was out. She then transferred over to our Plover agency. She took all of these moves in stride. She truly is one of a kind!
***
Kathleen joined our team in January 2020. Since day one she has been a strong patient and family advocate. She took over the care of a patient from another RNCM. This patient lived home with his wife-both were struggling with his diagnosis and many other things going on in their lives. It was a very difficult situation to walk into. (APS involvement) Kathleen did not hesitate to take on the care of this patient and his wife. She worked together with both of them. Pulled in the SW and Chaplain. It was evident the wife needed a rest. The patient was reluctant to accept respite. She gained the trust of this patient and his wife and the patient agreed to respite at our House of the Dove hospice house. Kathleen went to the HOD when this patient transferred to ensure he felt comfortable and safe, and assisted the team there with getting to know this patient and his needs. She followed up with a visit back to the wife reassuring her all was well. This wife was more than grateful for all that was done for them. The patient began to transition 2 days after admitting to HOD. We are sure it was because he felt he could and not have his wife see him change. Kathleen kept in close contact with the wife throughout. The patient's family was able to visit at HOD-something they would not have done at his home due to family situations. The patient died peacefully after having the opportunity to see family in a neutral setting. Kathleen gave this patient and his wife exactly what was needed at the end of life, peace and comfort.
This is not the first time she has provided excellent care. She had a patient in Marshfield who was struggling with the fact he was on hospice. She made frequent visits, spent countless hours talking to him about his disease process and treatment options. It became clear he was not ready to be on hospice. She assisted him in talking with his family. He came off our service knowing he could come back on when he was ready. He was very happy and relieved with this outcome.
She is also a resource to her peer RNs. Kathleen is a seasoned RN with a lot of experience. She picks up extra visits, has swapped out call time with others in need. She has mentored new RNs. Agreed to represent us on committees. Educated facility staff on hospice. She is a valued member of our team and we would not be us without her!
***
What to say about Kathleen that truly captures how amazing she is, is hard to put into words. Kathleen was recently reassigned to a patient who had some complex medical needs. His wife was having a difficult time coping with some of the changes that were occurring with him. Kathleen's calm, caring touch made all the difference. She was able to come into the situation with a new perspective. It was apparent that this patient's wife was burning out from providing daily care to her husband and his condition was also changing. Kathleen, along with his hospice team, was able to intervene and get the patient to a safe place to receive the care he and his family needed during his final days. Had they not, I am sure that his last days would not have been as peaceful as they were. She came in on her day off to ensure his transfer went smoothly. She went to the home after the patient was moved and worked with his wife to get the necessary paperwork signed and continued to check in on the patient even though he moved to a setting that she didn't cover at the time.
Kathleen is a wonderful asset to our hospice team. She is always willing to help her fellow nurses with visits, occasionally traveling from her now home office in Plover to help out her team in Marshfield. She is always willing to jump in and offer assistance and guidance from her many years of being a nurse. Kathleen Orminski is a DAISY Nurse not only for the compassionate and individualized care she provided to this patient, but for the care she provides day in and out for ALL of her patients.
Kathleen is an advocate for so many of her patients, making sure that they have the supplies they need, looks at different options for the best care, offers so much support to patients/families, mentors other staff, and is always looking for ways she can help.
Kathleen originally worked in our Wisconsin Rapids agency until the office closed. She then happily went to our Marshfield agency and helped there while another RN was out. She then transferred over to our Plover agency. She took all of these moves in stride. She truly is one of a kind!
***
Kathleen joined our team in January 2020. Since day one she has been a strong patient and family advocate. She took over the care of a patient from another RNCM. This patient lived home with his wife-both were struggling with his diagnosis and many other things going on in their lives. It was a very difficult situation to walk into. (APS involvement) Kathleen did not hesitate to take on the care of this patient and his wife. She worked together with both of them. Pulled in the SW and Chaplain. It was evident the wife needed a rest. The patient was reluctant to accept respite. She gained the trust of this patient and his wife and the patient agreed to respite at our House of the Dove hospice house. Kathleen went to the HOD when this patient transferred to ensure he felt comfortable and safe, and assisted the team there with getting to know this patient and his needs. She followed up with a visit back to the wife reassuring her all was well. This wife was more than grateful for all that was done for them. The patient began to transition 2 days after admitting to HOD. We are sure it was because he felt he could and not have his wife see him change. Kathleen kept in close contact with the wife throughout. The patient's family was able to visit at HOD-something they would not have done at his home due to family situations. The patient died peacefully after having the opportunity to see family in a neutral setting. Kathleen gave this patient and his wife exactly what was needed at the end of life, peace and comfort.
This is not the first time she has provided excellent care. She had a patient in Marshfield who was struggling with the fact he was on hospice. She made frequent visits, spent countless hours talking to him about his disease process and treatment options. It became clear he was not ready to be on hospice. She assisted him in talking with his family. He came off our service knowing he could come back on when he was ready. He was very happy and relieved with this outcome.
She is also a resource to her peer RNs. Kathleen is a seasoned RN with a lot of experience. She picks up extra visits, has swapped out call time with others in need. She has mentored new RNs. Agreed to represent us on committees. Educated facility staff on hospice. She is a valued member of our team and we would not be us without her!
***
What to say about Kathleen that truly captures how amazing she is, is hard to put into words. Kathleen was recently reassigned to a patient who had some complex medical needs. His wife was having a difficult time coping with some of the changes that were occurring with him. Kathleen's calm, caring touch made all the difference. She was able to come into the situation with a new perspective. It was apparent that this patient's wife was burning out from providing daily care to her husband and his condition was also changing. Kathleen, along with his hospice team, was able to intervene and get the patient to a safe place to receive the care he and his family needed during his final days. Had they not, I am sure that his last days would not have been as peaceful as they were. She came in on her day off to ensure his transfer went smoothly. She went to the home after the patient was moved and worked with his wife to get the necessary paperwork signed and continued to check in on the patient even though he moved to a setting that she didn't cover at the time.
Kathleen is a wonderful asset to our hospice team. She is always willing to help her fellow nurses with visits, occasionally traveling from her now home office in Plover to help out her team in Marshfield. She is always willing to jump in and offer assistance and guidance from her many years of being a nurse. Kathleen Orminski is a DAISY Nurse not only for the compassionate and individualized care she provided to this patient, but for the care she provides day in and out for ALL of her patients.