Kailee Hudson
February 2025
Kailee
Hudson
,
BSN, RN
ICU
Mercy Hospital
Oklahoma City
,
OK
United States
Kailee embodies what every healthcare professional should strive to be. She is not only competent and dedicated but also has an incredible capacity for empathy that goes beyond what is required.
My grandmother has been fighting multiple abdominal illnesses since early June, and I have been her primary caregiver throughout. For a significant portion of that time, she was under the care of a different hospital where, unfortunately, her condition was not effectively treated. This eventually led to the need for emergency surgery and an ICU stay due to sepsis and septic shock. During her time at the previous hospital, I often felt as though I had to “babysit” her care team to ensure she received the attention and care she deserved. Our experience at Mercy has been a complete contrast in every way. Here, I have never felt the need to intervene or advocate; every nurse, doctor, and staff member has gone above and beyond, providing exceptional, proactive care. Kailee Hudson, in particular, has been outstanding—not only to my grandmother but to me as well. I often ask questions that go beyond what family members typically inquire, seeking the science and details behind what’s happening. This helps me cope and prevents me from overthinking every possibility. In my experience, providers often respond to my questions with impatience or offer “pat on the back” responses, and it sometimes requires an explanation of my background before they engage with my questions fully. Kailee, however, has been a true exception to this.
From day one, she took the time to answer my questions thoughtfully and thoroughly. She even noticed my familiarity with medical concepts and, with genuine curiosity, asked if I’d ever worked in healthcare. Her warmth and sincerity shone through in every interaction, and she never once seemed annoyed or bothered by my inquiries. Yesterday, my grandmother had a frightening episode where she had to be placed on BiPAP due to desaturation from a pleural effusion. Kailee knew I was at work and that it would take me two hours to arrive. Even though my mom, who shares power of attorney with me, was already there to make any needed decisions, Kailee took the extra step of looking up my number in the chart. She called to update me, spending nearly 15 minutes explaining what was happening in detail, solely because she understood how much I value information and knew it would ease my mind while I made my way to the hospital. Later, when there was concern my grandmother might have had a stroke, Kailee was busy caring for her and didn’t have the opportunity to call me. But as soon as I walked into the ICU pod, Kailee made it a point to catch me at the nurses’ station and thoroughly explain everything. Once again, she took the time to answer my questions with my mother present, even though she could have deferred, knowing another POA was there. Her understanding of my need for clear, detailed information provided me with an invaluable sense of peace in an otherwise terrifying situation.
Beyond what she’s done for me, Kailee’s kindness and patience have had an enormous impact on my grandmother. After our traumatic experiences at the previous hospital, my grandmother developed severe anxiety toward healthcare settings. Yet, after Kailee’s first day as her nurse, my grandmother expressed how much she liked Kailee and hoped she would care for her again. For someone who has developed a deep fear of hospitals and medical staff to feel comforted and grateful toward one nurse speaks volumes about Kailee’s compassion, skill, and dedication. Kailee embodies what every healthcare professional should strive to be. She is not only competent and dedicated but also possesses an incredible capacity for empathy that goes beyond what is required. In a time when I often felt powerless, Kailee’s kindness, attentiveness, and genuine concern for both my grandmother’s and my own well-being gave me strength. Her willingness to go the extra mile, not because it was required but because she cared, made a world of difference to us. I truly cannot thank her enough.