Alison Barefield
December 2023
Alison
Barefield
,
RN
Northport ICU
Northport Medical Center
Northport
,
AL
United States

 

 

 

Alison continued to offer inspirational and comforting words, prayers, and warm hugs to each of us. She treated my mother-in-law with the most respect and dignity, ensuring the family's last moments with her were uninterrupted and without all of the tubes and wires.
My mother-in-law was being treated on the medical floor of Northport Medical Center for several weeks due to multiple complex medical alignments. When things began to turn for the worse, she was transferred into the Intensive Care Unit. This was a very terrifying time for the family, as our worst nightmare began to turn into a reality, but this is when we met Alison. Alison demonstrated integrity, compassion, and empathy throughout our entire encounter, from start to finish. My mother-in-law, in an extremely critical state, was made completely comfortable by Alison. She not only advocated for my mother-in-law to not endure another lab draw, but also provided constant verbal and physical support to each of my family members. Despite being extremely busy, her primary focus remained to comfort each individual family member, whether it was offering words of wisdom, a comforting hug, or thorough explanation of what was to occur next. She never once made any of us feel bothersome or in her way, which I know firsthand is difficult to accomplish, coming from an extensive history in healthcare, myself. She ensured my mother-in-law was as comfortable as possible, each step of the way, including after she passed. Alison continued to offer inspirational and comforting words, prayers, and warm hugs to each of us. She treated my mother-in-law with the most respect and dignity, ensuring the family's last moments with her were uninterrupted and without all of the tubes and wires. It was more than obvious that "being a nurse" is not "just a job" to her, but a lifestyle. She is the type of person who puts her "all" into her job, treating each person she encounters like a family member of her own. She is what nursing is all about. Her kindness meant the world to each of us, as she touched each of our hearts tonight. Her words, warm hugs, and big smile will each be something that none of us will ever forget. Losing a loved one is never an easy feat, but Alison made it as easy and comfortable as it could be. Thank you, Alison. Thank you for being there for my family during this massive time in need. I hope you know how much you touched each of our hearts and I have no doubt you will continue to touch many, many more. You were MADE for nursing, and our family can never thank you enough.