I was very pleased with my overall care at TMH, for the 6 days I was hospitalized. The care I received by those in the Emergency Department, Respiratory Care, Laboratory, Radiology, Food Services, Housing Keeping, Pastoral Care, and Nursing was exceptional. I left TMH, complimenting everyone, saying, "I don't believe I could have received any better care had I gone anywhere else."
While everyone made a difference, there was one extraordinary, skilled, and compassionate nurse; her name is, Joy Eck. Joy instantly proved to me that she was more than a Registered Nurse. Joy demonstrated she is a: professional care giver; a minister of healing, compassion, and empathy. Joy displayed quickly that she was a communicator, educator, and dedicated to providing excellence in all that she does as a nurse. Joy is clearly action-oriented, attentive to detail, with seemingly never-ending diligence. Joy's bedside manner and care for me and toward her other patients appeared to be seamless and impeccable.
Joy would come in each morning, say "Hello" with a smile, and ask how my night was. Joy proceeded with taking vital signs, hanging new antibiotics, and straightening my room. Joy educated me on the IV antibiotics and possible reactions throughout the day. I was admitted with 102.9 fevers which constantly spiked, causing me severe chills, rigors, and painful headaches. Without a definitive diagnoses, I began to fear the worst, that I might have some severe form of meningitis.
I remember after the first or second day, Joy came in before leaving her shift that evening and said to me, "I want you to know that I am going to go home and before I go to bed tonight, I will pray for you. I want you to pray for yourself; together we will believe everything will get better and soon." Joy's personal demonstration of faith and belief in prayer, along with her professional concern for me, touched me immensely.
Joy would carefully palpate and check my IV access as she slowly flushed it, as opposed to a quick flush that sometimes proves to be uncomfortable. During each check on me, Joy would seek ways to freshen my room and make conversation. While in my room, Joy may have received a call to another patient. Joy would appropriately excuse herself and hurry off to the next patient, who I trust and believe received the same attention and care as I.
Joy knew I lived alone and would not have any close family visiting as they live 80 miles away. Joy would briefly visit throughout the day, breaking up my isolation, which allowed us to share some of our life stories, providing for a personal, but appropriate connection and sense of trust. Joy allowed me to ask questions of her, her childhood family, leaving her family of origin and country behind, so she could come to the USA, to study to become a Nurse, meet her husband, buy a home, and start a new life in the USA. Joy is compassionate, empathetic, diligent, action oriented, and a person of strong healing faith.