My mother was a patient for 4 days. Although my mother was originally transported to Eugene from Grants Pass for a kidney issue relating to cancer, she was placed on this unit because she went into A-fib during the transport. This turn of events turned out to be a beautiful gift I will treasure for a lifetime because we were taken care of and loved by this nurse. She was my mother's nurse and she consistently gave excellent care and personal attention to my mom. She was caring, comforting, and took the time to talk and listen to my mom. Listening not just to her physical needs of care/comfort but more importantly, listened to my mom by showing great respect as my mom talked about her life and family.
One example of her exceptional care can be exhibited by the following. At the end of this nurse's shift, she came to my mother's room to check to see if there were any last things she could do and to say good night. She wished my mom a peaceful night and let my mom know that she would see her in the morning. A short time later, the Urologist came into my mother's room to discuss her kidney function and the options we had. This discussion took approximately 30 minutes. Even though her shift was over, she saw the doctor coming into my mother's room and stayed to listen to what the doctor had to say. Once the meeting was over and the urologist left, she asked if we had any additional questions and if there was anything she could do. I commented to her, "I thought you were going home." She responded to my mom, "I started to go home but then I saw the Urologist and followed her into the room because I wanted to know what if anything was going to take place overnight." She finished by turning to me and saying, "Your mother is a sweet and kind person." After she left for the night, the Urologist discovered additional facts from prior scans/tests my mother had received. As a result, the Urologist felt it was best to perform a medical procedure, reversing her original decision. The next morning she came into my mother's room to check on her after finding out about the medical procedure (a drainage tube had been placed in my mother's right kidney). She wanted to ensure my mother and the rest of the family were comforted. Over the next few days, she had the opportunity to meet and care for me, two of my siblings, 5 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren who had come to visit.
As she finished her weeklong shift, she stopped by one last time to say goodbye. She knew my mother would be discharged during her days off work and she also knew my mother's prognosis. Her time was short, and we all knew our time was limited with the matriarch of our family. This nurse's goodbye was one of the most heartwarming sincere moments that I have ever witnessed. She truly was touched by my mother and shared with my mother what a kind and loving person she felt my mother was. In return, my mother shared how wonderful she felt this nurse was. My mother thanked her for her exceptional care and finally stated to this nurse "Welcome to my Indian family" (we are Native American, and my mother took great pride in that). This nurse was touched and honored. The two hugged, held hands, and continued talking as our family watched. As this nurse left the room, she thanked me for sharing my mother and turned back for one final goodbye to my mother.
Claire's love for her patients is obvious and her care is exceptional. On behalf of my family, I would like to say thank you to this nurse for making our stay less stressful, for caring and loving my mom. My mom passed away two days after getting her home. Since that time, I've been asked several times by friends of my mom's if my mother was in pain or distress. I can honestly say that she was not. It gives me great pleasure to share with loved ones about the amazing care my mother received at the hospital, especially from Claire.