Abigail M Lapierre
January 2023
Abigail M
Lapierre
,
RN
R4
Maine Medical Center
Portland
,
ME
United States
Abigail showed compassion and empathy for this patient’s suffering. Abigail put herself in this patient's shoes which allowed the patient to feel the emotional support she needed.
As nurses, we often have challenging patients for many reasons. This particular patient had many complex needs that many were not able to deliver. One RN took this challenge and made all the difference so the patient could go home instead of a rehabilitation facility, to a safe home environment with a supportive family. I’m submitting this DAISY nomination because I was asked to go see this challenging patient. She had started to refuse all care for days and no one understood why. The patient’s family felt like she was giving up. When I sat down with the patient and listened, I knew we could change things around and meet the needs of this patient. She just needed the right nurse. One nurse heard the issues/concerns of this patient and took charge.
Abigail did an assessment of the patient's chart, spoke with the patient, and truly listened to the patient's concerns. Abigail then collaborated with her nursing colleagues, physical and occupational therapy, care managers, social worker, CNL, and providers. A goal was set for a two-three week safe discharge to home, not a facility. Abigail set a daily care plan with interventions while also collaborating with the patient. The patient and Abigail developed a respectful professional relationship. Both Abigail and the patient worked tirelessly to achieve their discharge goals. The plan of care was the fundamentals of care for this patient, this patient just needed someone to believe in her and care enough to take the extra steps. With Abigail’s physical and psychosocial assessment, Abigail set specific nursing skills related to interventions the patient will accomplish independently such as: • Daily Bathing • Toileting using the bedside commode • All meals to be eaten up in a chair at a table • Independent range of motion in bed and a chair • Ambulation 4X a day • Work daily with physical and occupational therapy • Sleep at night without frequent naps during the day
Abigail showed compassion and empathy for this patient’s suffering. Abigail put herself in this patient's shoes which allowed the patient to feel the emotional support she needed. This relates to the excellent communication and listening skills Abigail exhibits not only to this particular patient but to all her patients and staff. Abigail works three days a week and did not want this patient’s new care plan to dissolve, so she made sure when she was not here her nursing care plan was followed through. She collaborated with her colleagues, CNC and CNL to make sure the patient would stay on track. If Abigail did not have the patient when she was working, she made sure she visited the patient and provided positive words of encouragement and congratulations on the hard work the patient was accomplishing. The patient told me she would go looking for Abby to show her she could do it. The patient did go home with her loving family, who were all so excited to see her return home with a new positive outlook on life. She said that being a very large woman in life has its own struggles but she never felt large or alone with Abigail. I and the patient’s case manager feel that if it wasn’t for Abigail’s interventions, this patient would still be here leading down the road to becoming bedbound and dismissed.
Abigail did an assessment of the patient's chart, spoke with the patient, and truly listened to the patient's concerns. Abigail then collaborated with her nursing colleagues, physical and occupational therapy, care managers, social worker, CNL, and providers. A goal was set for a two-three week safe discharge to home, not a facility. Abigail set a daily care plan with interventions while also collaborating with the patient. The patient and Abigail developed a respectful professional relationship. Both Abigail and the patient worked tirelessly to achieve their discharge goals. The plan of care was the fundamentals of care for this patient, this patient just needed someone to believe in her and care enough to take the extra steps. With Abigail’s physical and psychosocial assessment, Abigail set specific nursing skills related to interventions the patient will accomplish independently such as: • Daily Bathing • Toileting using the bedside commode • All meals to be eaten up in a chair at a table • Independent range of motion in bed and a chair • Ambulation 4X a day • Work daily with physical and occupational therapy • Sleep at night without frequent naps during the day
Abigail showed compassion and empathy for this patient’s suffering. Abigail put herself in this patient's shoes which allowed the patient to feel the emotional support she needed. This relates to the excellent communication and listening skills Abigail exhibits not only to this particular patient but to all her patients and staff. Abigail works three days a week and did not want this patient’s new care plan to dissolve, so she made sure when she was not here her nursing care plan was followed through. She collaborated with her colleagues, CNC and CNL to make sure the patient would stay on track. If Abigail did not have the patient when she was working, she made sure she visited the patient and provided positive words of encouragement and congratulations on the hard work the patient was accomplishing. The patient told me she would go looking for Abby to show her she could do it. The patient did go home with her loving family, who were all so excited to see her return home with a new positive outlook on life. She said that being a very large woman in life has its own struggles but she never felt large or alone with Abigail. I and the patient’s case manager feel that if it wasn’t for Abigail’s interventions, this patient would still be here leading down the road to becoming bedbound and dismissed.