January 2021
Kelsey
Fitzgerald
,
RN, BSN
Medical Telemetry/COVID
Swedish Medical Center
During the day I was constantly concerned about what was happening to me and what would happen next. Kelsey calmed my nerves and anxiety!
I am a 70-year-old man who had only spent one night in the hospital previously in my life. I was not used to hospital stays and I was very apprehensive. I was scared. Kelsey became my nurse the morning of my stay. I had very little sleep during the night. When she came in I asked if she would help me order breakfast since I am hearing impaired. She said, "Absolutely." During the day she came to perform her responsibility as a nurse, I felt that she was much more than that as she would answer my questions and in general keep me calm. During the day I was constantly concerned about what was happening to me and what would happen next. She calmed my nerves and anxiety! My wife came to visit me and Kelsey welcomed her and made her feel at home. My wife commented to me that I had a very capable and friendly nurse. My wife has spent many more nights in a hospital than I. She informed me that she would not be back tomorrow as it is a day off. She assured me that I would be taken care of by the next nurse. She treated me like a family member listening to some of my life stories. It can be very lonely in a hospital room all day by yourself. I welcomed the time she would come and asked if I needed anything and was always willing to assist me if I needed more water, help with ordering my meals, if my oxygen was ok, etc. I have to honestly say that Kelsey made what I thought would be a horrible experience into one that I will always remember and in the future, if I ever have to spend time in a hospital I will just remember this experience and will be at ease the next time. I will pick Swedish hospital in hopes that I might have the opportunity to have Kelsey as my nurse. Thank you so much, Kelsey.