March 2022
Kimberlee
Besemer
,
RN, BSN, CEN
Emergency Department and Trauma
Morristown Medical Center, Atlantic Health System
Morristown
,
NJ
United States
She took out significant time to not only care for "K" but to ensure I was okay at his bedside.
In 2022, "K" was brought into the emergency department just before shift change for SOB and chest pain. The night staff quickly put him on oxygen, started an IV, and began their assessment. Kimberlee came in at 7 am and took over care. She was able to comfort not only my husband "K" but me as well, thoroughly explaining what was going on and what the next steps would be. It looked like "K" had pneumonia prominently in his left lung. Kim was at his bedside multiple times for nursing tasks but also to ensure he was comfortable and, at times, to chat. She kept him comfortable and kept his mood up, especially since we were anxious as to what was going on. One significant point in "K's" care is when another nurse and the admitting doctor came into the room. They began speaking about him possibly being septic and the workup that was being done, stating he would be admitted to the step-down unit. Working in healthcare, we see this daily, but it hits a little harder when it is our own family. Recently this year, I lost my father (58yo) to sepsis and my uncle (57yo) to pneumonia, and now I was beside my significant other facing this all over again. I had to remove myself from the room where Kim caught me. She spoke to me and listened to every concern I had, and hugged me. She was able to calm me just long enough to thoroughly go through the care he was receiving, the lab results, and his vitals and break it down beat by beat what was going on and why they were concerned. Now working in the ED myself, I knew all of this, but with my recent losses couldn't see past it being my family. She took out significant time to not only care for "K" but to ensure I was okay at his bedside and was able to separate what was going on. A lot of nurses have great bedside manner and speak with visitors daily, but Kim went above and beyond. I have never had a family's nurse take the time to care for the visitor as much as she did the patient. Kim followed up in the days ahead, not only with "K's" care and how he was doing but also to make sure I was doing okay with the current hospital stay. I truly appreciate her in an entirely new light. Nominated by "C," a co-worker and family member of a patient.