July 2023
A.J.
Hustedde
,
BSN, RN, CCRN
Surgical, Burn, Trauma ICU
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
St Louis
,
MO
United States
AJ made sure to come out and let me know that my mom's heart was beating again.
I entered the ICU floor just after my mother had coded. I stood at the nurse’s station, with the clerk, for a few minutes. While things were still very hectic but had calmed a little, AJ came to me and just stood with me, rubbing my back, reassuring me that they are doing everything they can for her. He went back to 4404 to check on progress and help if needed. He let me know they had intubated her and were still doing CPR. I stepped out to the waiting room with the clergy. AJ made sure to come out and let me know that my mom's heart was beating again. She was stable. While I know many of these nurses may have done the same thing, I also know that I saw nurses watching from the hall. The fact that AJ did what he could to bring me some comfort gave me a new appreciation for him l. He wasn't our shift nurse today, however, he had been our nurse last week. During that time, he let me ask my questions and never made me feel ridiculous for any of them.