Alaina Jacobson
October 2015
Alaina
Jacobson
,
RN
CVICU
Mercy Hospital St. Louis
St. Louis
,
MO
United States
Alaina provided care for an exceptionally sick woman in the CVICU. The patient was on more than six cardiac and pressor drips which required constant titration and the patient's chest had remained opened after surgery. Alaina's clinical skills are so well-developed that it was not the medical care she provided that I found to be the most exceptional, it was the selflessness that she showed in her nursing care. Our acuity over the weekend was exceptionally high and our staffing was tight. Alaina gave up her Friday and Saturday nights to be present for this patient and provide an experienced nurse. It would have been impossible for our unit to function safely over the weekend without Alaina.
Alaina provided such amazing care to the patient that her family finally felt comfortable enough to go home and get rest themselves, a very difficult thing to do in such a situation. When Alaina left on Sunday morning, she said goodbye to the remaining family members and hugged each one. Later in the day, I noticed something taped to the outside of the cabinet in the patient's room. It was a lid from one of the fancy coffees that Alaina drinks. It simply said, "Good Luck". Alaina didn't tell anyone that she had left this small charm, but she did it simply because she is such a caring individual.
After an incredibly arduous and emotional day, the family decided to transfer the patient to another hospital. When it was time to pack everything up, I took the coffee cap down and handed it to the patient's sister. I explained what it was and who had left it; the patient's sister immediately broke into tears. She told me that Alaina was one of the most amazing people she had ever met and that their family would never forget her. The patient was transported with Alaina's message in the pocket of her gown, per the family's request.
A coffee cap message may seem like such a small gesture, but I assure you that it meant a great deal to the family that day. Alaina not only gave up her weekend to care for the patient but even found a way to give them a small glimmer of hope at a moment when they needed it the most.
Alaina is an incredibly competent nurse, surpassed only by her selflessness and caring spirit. I am proud to call Alaina a coworker, as she is the embodiment of a Mercy nurse.
Alaina provided such amazing care to the patient that her family finally felt comfortable enough to go home and get rest themselves, a very difficult thing to do in such a situation. When Alaina left on Sunday morning, she said goodbye to the remaining family members and hugged each one. Later in the day, I noticed something taped to the outside of the cabinet in the patient's room. It was a lid from one of the fancy coffees that Alaina drinks. It simply said, "Good Luck". Alaina didn't tell anyone that she had left this small charm, but she did it simply because she is such a caring individual.
After an incredibly arduous and emotional day, the family decided to transfer the patient to another hospital. When it was time to pack everything up, I took the coffee cap down and handed it to the patient's sister. I explained what it was and who had left it; the patient's sister immediately broke into tears. She told me that Alaina was one of the most amazing people she had ever met and that their family would never forget her. The patient was transported with Alaina's message in the pocket of her gown, per the family's request.
A coffee cap message may seem like such a small gesture, but I assure you that it meant a great deal to the family that day. Alaina not only gave up her weekend to care for the patient but even found a way to give them a small glimmer of hope at a moment when they needed it the most.
Alaina is an incredibly competent nurse, surpassed only by her selflessness and caring spirit. I am proud to call Alaina a coworker, as she is the embodiment of a Mercy nurse.