Desarae has awesome communication skills and is also very attentive. She was able to understand my mother's wants and needs in a short period of time. She does an amazing job with what she has to do, from patient care to asking questions to further understand her and us. She was great with keeping us updated and always followed up. I know there are less than a handful of nurses my mother liked and/or trusted due to their demeanor and interpersonal skills. From our family and on behalf of my mother, thank you! We appreciate you!
*****
Desarae performed her duties with a smile. Very knowledgeable about her profession. Pleasant and proficient. Conscientious and very enjoyable.
*****
She was a joy! Great bubbly personality that can make any patient forget they were in pain. She is so teachable! You can tell she loves her patients and becomes a family member quickly. She also is a great representation for Kaiser. She handled everything with grace. My sister, thank you for being the best you!
*****
Ok, I take back my most memorable moment of the semester! Since I cannot really pick a favorite patient and I really do LOVE connecting with my patients or my favorite IV, which now I am a freak and look at peoples arms all the time for a 'good vein', every person is like a living puzzle, where's the best spot? My most memorable moment was this shift! And it wasn't me, it wasn't a patient. It was a nurse. Desarae was an amazing nurse, she was compassionate, kind, soft, firm, and advocate, and a take-no-crap kind of woman all in one. Most of all, she gave me hope that not all nurses become jaded. She showed me that it was possible to be a nurse that still did all the right things EVERY time, even when no one was watching, even if the easier thing was acceptable. She really, really CARED and that made me so unbelievably happy.
When we went through the steps of the day, she showed me how she prioritizes and gets all of the assessments done herself right when she first sees that patient. No copying and pasting. No guessing at the nurse's stations. She told the drawbacks of each thing that wasn't great and pointed out the helpful extras to make our care more efficient. She shared the drawbacks of her floor but also shared how she maneuvers around them to still give the best care to her patients.
One woman we had was an elderly widow who lived at home. Her grandson and his friend lived with her and helped take care of her, get her up into her chair, and back into bed. She had become increasingly more dependent and came into the hospital after a fall. She was sad and lonely and scared of going to an SNF. After being kind of dismissed by the social worker who sort of accused her of lying while explaining her situation, Desarae still went and talked to her and we brought her tissues and tried to calm her down. And when we were leaving, she asked me if I wanted to stay and giver her emotional support! I just thought that was SO AMAZING! That was the FIRST TIME a nurse had SUGGESTED I spend time with the patient to offer my time or comfort in that manner. And she was so genuine.
It has been the trend way more for the nurses to dismiss the patients or we have been busy and there isn't as much time. They will come get me and say they were 'rescuing' me. Let's be completely honest, sometimes you need it. But there was something about working with Desarae that made my heart happy, aside from the fact that there is someone who jokes and laughs as much and as LOUDLY as I do. We had such a fun day on top of everything else. Friday really gave me hope that not all nurses become hardened and callused and it's possible for me to provide care with the same passion and COMPASSION for the entirety of my career. I feel so grateful to be able to do what I am doing. My heart really is full.