Jenny was the primary RN for a young, 25-year-old patient who was experiencing weakness in all four extremities that had progressed to the point that she was unable to walk, feed herself, bathe, or care for her own activities of daily living. The patient had been seen multiple times in the ER at SJRMC and neighboring hospitals due to the progressive weakness and recurrent falls. She was being ruled out for MS, Guillen-Barre, and other potentially life-altering, chronic diagnoses.

On this particular day, Jenny had a busy patient assignment and was also helping with multiple emergencies throughout the unit, including supporting her peers in settling a code blue patient who had just arrived to ICU. Jenny approached me and asked if I had a moment to help her with her patient. When we entered the room, Jenny had a chair lift ready and informed me that her patient wanted to use a REAL toilet. She was tired of using a bedpan and/or bedside commode and just wanted to go sit in the bathroom to relieve herself. We applied a gait belt to the patient and performed a team lift/pivot to transfer the patient into the lift chair and were able to safely assist the patient into the bathroom for some privacy. This may seem like a very trivial or basic task, but to me, it was above and beyond.

In the ICU setting, we care for patients who are quite literally knocking on death's door. We typically see our patients at their worst and at times we as nurses are verbally, and physically assaulted. On a daily basis, we are challenged physically, mentally, and emotionally - we celebrate with our patients, and we mourn with their families, depending on the outcomes. It would have been very easy for Jenny to coax her patient into using the bedside commode or bedpan. It would have been easy for Jenny to tell her patient, "I'm sorry, I'm too busy right now. Maybe next time." It would have been easy for Jenny to call Physical or Occupational Therapy and try to delegate this task because she didn't feel "comfortable" getting the patient out of bed. But Jenny doesn't take the easy way out. Jenny advocates for her patient's needs. To this patient - a young, previously independent, mother, fiance.... this small act of kindness meant so much. Despite all of the critical care knowledge, the high-risk procedures, the exciting, adrenalin-pumping scenarios that we see on a daily basis...... sometimes it is the littlest things that make the most impact.

I know that I left that patient's room feeling a sense of pride and like I had made a positive impact in this young woman's day. If the tables were turned and I was essentially immobilized, I would want Jenny to be my nurse, because I know she would go the extra mile to accomplish something as "basic" as helping me safely get to the toilet. Jenny exemplifies the core values of Sacred Trust, Personal Reverence, and Creative Vitality and our mission to "improve lives through personalized health care". Morgan VerHaar