My mother is a patient who recently underwent dialysis initiation, amongst other acute illnesses, which has proved to be an unexpected long hospital stay; during her first day of dialysis, Eric (RN) connected with my mom through kindness, compassion, and empathy. His conversation and care to my mom helped her to feel “EMPOWERED”, something she felt she lost. We watched her eyes brighten as he educated her on the dialysis process and the importance of dietary modifications and adherence to the dialysis regimen. We listened as he used words that were comprehensible to her, not a lot of medical jargon. This led to her asking many questions, followed by laughter as she embraced a different yet enhanced quality of life. Her references to “Eric Says” let us know she is committed to maintaining/enhancing her quality of life. During her subsequent dialysis treatments, she looks for Eric, if only to say hello.

The emotional and physical impact of dialysis on an otherwise independent adult is profound. Eric’s professionalism and commitment to personalizing my mom’s education exceeded our expectations. He was cognizant of her apprehension to this "new treatment" and reassured her of his commitment to make her his priority during the day’s session. He went on to give education to the family to better support my mom in her goals of treatment. Eric soared above what we expected and delivered holistic care (mind, body, and soul). He has been instrumental in reinvigorating my mom’s CONTROL over her health.