Kali Galeassi
May 2021
Kali
Galeassi
,
RN
4KS
Lehigh Valley Hospital
Allentown
,
PA
United States

 

 

 

Kali stayed with the wife well after her shift for almost two hours.
Our unit had a patient experience a tragic code blue event and subsequently pass away later that evening while in the operating room. He had been on our unit for approximately two weeks and had been rounding the corner appearing to be getting ready to go home. His wife was a frequent visitor. Kali had been taking care of him but was not his nurse when the code blue occurred; she stayed with his wife outside the room comforting her and explaining events as best she could.

When the patient was transferred to ICU, Kali walked the patient’s wife there. His wife asked her to bring his belongings and most importantly his rosary. Kali returned to the ICU after her shift to bring the items and the patient’s wife was receiving the news that her husband did not survive the surgery. Kali stayed with the wife well after her shift for almost two hours, even the wife pointed that out to her that she didn't have to do that. Kali comforted her and provided her with a familiar face in the most tragic time. The surgical resident also thanked Kali for all she did for the wife. I am so very proud of the empathy and compassion Kali exemplified that day. Supporting a loved one during the loss of their partner is one of the most emotional situations a nurse helps patients through, and that day Kali went above and beyond.