Eric was recognized by a child's parents. Eric was their son's nurse multiple times during a three-month period and he proved to them that he was a capable, talented nurse on many occasions. They wrote a two-page letter describing Eric's dedication to his patients, their families, and his peers by creating exceptional patient and family experiences. They complimented Eric and described him as a phenomenal nurse who demonstrates kindness and thoughtfulness in his interactions.
One specific example shared was when the family first met Eric when their young son was in the NICU. Eric was training under another nurse on the unit at that time. On one such occasion, Eric intervened and prevented what could have been a very dangerous situation. After one feeding a nurse started the machine to gavage the remaining breastmilk and then stepped out of the room. The patient's mother noticed immediately that something was wrong. The child's eyes widened, his face became red, he looked terrified then started to foam at the mouth, making coughing noises. Eric reentered the room and disconnected the gavage machine before the child's mother had a chance to panic. Eric explained the child was choking on milk and provided care straight away. Eric assessed that the child had pulled his nasogastric tube too far up and the milk was not in his stomach, it was in his esophagus. The child was choking but Eric remedied the situation in what seemed like a matter of seconds. He replaced his nasogastric tube and ensured that it functioned correctly before he returned to his mentor nurse. The child's family is very grateful for Eric's swift intervention and quick action to help their child. CSU is proud to have Eric as an RN in their unit. His patients admire and respect him.