Kristie Burns
August 2023
Kristie
Burns
,
RN
Cardiac Rehab
Memorial Hospital Belleville
Belleville
,
IL
United States

 

 

 

Kristie’s extensive cardiac nursing expertise and experience, as well as her unwavering commitment to my recovery success, made a positive and profound impact on me that is beyond words.
I wish to offer my deep gratitude and DAISY Award recognition to Ms. Kristie Burns, RN, of the Belleville Memorial Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit for her months-long care, expertise, research and support as I continue recovery from a heart attack and RCA stent placement in May 2023.

My initial Cardiac Rehab appointment in early July with Kristie served a much larger purpose than putting me on a treadmill for exercise. She spent over an hour reviewing my Emergency Department, Catheterization Lab, ICU, and Cardiologist record entries with me. This enabled a detailed understanding of the exact nature and sequence of my events, as well as focusing me on a successful recovery path. Her clear explanations greatly increased my knowledge, which allowed me to frame an extensive laundry list of follow-up questions that I previously would not have thought to ask. Her strength in this meeting was her patience; Kristie answered each question thoughtfully, completely, and clearly, which she could tell I really needed.

Kristie then supervised my initial cardiac rehabilitation physical therapy session and outlined the follow-on 16 session objectives. As these neared completion in August, she independently researched and reviewed Federal Aviation Administration (FFA) medical requirements with me to ensure the nuclear stress test would meet all standards for returning to flight status. She served as a direct liaison with my doctor and the Belleville Memorial cardiology staff to schedule and coordinate the team in conducting the test. Kristie provided me with positive encouragement during the procedure and ensured the proper entries were recorded for my Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) and the FAA to easily evaluate using FAA document references. She subsequently worked closely with my doctor's staff to conduct a 24-hour Holter monitor test, again confirming that the doctor’s report would also readily translate to FAA for their assessment.

Kristie’s extensive cardiac nursing expertise and experience, as well as her unwavering commitment to my recovery success, made a positive and profound impact on me that is beyond words. To her credit, my AME was impressed by the complete and thorough documentation as my package was submitted this week to the FAA. I offer my deepest thank you to Kristie for her extraordinary actions throughout these last six months. My recovery, and hopeful imminent return to my passion of flying simply would not have been possible without Kristie’s patient-centered actions.