September 2023
Ashley
Espinoza
,
BSN, RN
2 Tower
Lake Charles Memorial Hospital
Lake Charles
,
LA
United States
It may not seem like much to most, but it meant so much to this patient who had spent almost all of the past three weeks in a hospital bed.
During a recent shift, she brought a patient downstairs to the butterfly garden in a wheelchair who had made the statement that she hadn't had a chance to see the sunshine (after 23 days on our unit). This particular patient was severely debilitated, so this required using a Hoyer lift, and her face was lit up with a smile when they returned to the floor. It may not seem like much to most, but it meant so much to this patient who had spent almost all of the past three weeks in a hospital bed. This stood out to me even more, knowing that Ashley had several high-acuity patients that day, and she went the extra mile to make a patient's day. She did not do it for recognition, but acts of kindness like this deserve just that. It's humbling to work alongside young nurses like Ashley, who are willing to go the extra mile to bring joy to those suffering.