Bethany Hockley
April 2023
Bethany
Hockley
,
BSN, RN
Med and Senior Psych
Ascension St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital and Health Care Center
Indianapolis
,
IN
United States
Witnessing the impact that two patient deaths had on Bethany, in my opinion, speaks volumes about the type of nurse she is.
I think this exceptional nurse is deserving of the DAISY Award for numerous reasons, however, this story sticks out to me the most. The MedPsych unit has had two unexpected patient deaths this past week. The psychiatry unit is one of the last places anyone would want, or expect, a patient to pass away. Therefore, death is not common in the unit that Bethany works on. Bethany was the nurse on day shift for one of the patients who passed. The second patient who passed, Bethany was the charge nurse that day. Bethany is deserving of this award due to the compassion and high level of expectation she carries for herself. Bethany is the definition of advocacy, in my career as a nurse, I have never seen anyone advocate for a patient the way that Bethany does for hers, and is something that has always stuck out to me about her.
Today after the second patient passed, Bethany took this death incredibly hard as she had been advocating for the patient to be transferred off her unit, and onto a unit with a higher level of care that the patient required at the time. Seeing Bethany break down and question if she was a good nurse was heartbreaking to watch as I personally witnessed her struggle through the remainder of her shift. Even though her co-workers knew she was hurting, her patients would have never known what she had just experienced. I know that death and dying are very common in a hospital setting and something that is taught in nursing school. I feel that you always hear about nurses being nominated for DAISY awards based on the positive impact they have left on a patient or family member during their hospital course. I am aware the situation I described above is not exactly positive but something that I feel needs to be talked about more. Sometimes, nursing isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, it can be raw, dark, and depressing. Situations Bethany just experienced deserve recognition, too, because she was able to pick herself up, continue being there for her patients, and continued showing up to work. I know the two patients who passed would have nominated Bethany if they could still be here, so I am doing it on their behalf. Witnessing the impact that two patient deaths had on Bethany, in my opinion, speaks volumes about the type of nurse she is.
Today after the second patient passed, Bethany took this death incredibly hard as she had been advocating for the patient to be transferred off her unit, and onto a unit with a higher level of care that the patient required at the time. Seeing Bethany break down and question if she was a good nurse was heartbreaking to watch as I personally witnessed her struggle through the remainder of her shift. Even though her co-workers knew she was hurting, her patients would have never known what she had just experienced. I know that death and dying are very common in a hospital setting and something that is taught in nursing school. I feel that you always hear about nurses being nominated for DAISY awards based on the positive impact they have left on a patient or family member during their hospital course. I am aware the situation I described above is not exactly positive but something that I feel needs to be talked about more. Sometimes, nursing isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, it can be raw, dark, and depressing. Situations Bethany just experienced deserve recognition, too, because she was able to pick herself up, continue being there for her patients, and continued showing up to work. I know the two patients who passed would have nominated Bethany if they could still be here, so I am doing it on their behalf. Witnessing the impact that two patient deaths had on Bethany, in my opinion, speaks volumes about the type of nurse she is.