I have known Krystia since I started at St. Vincent Evansville 6 years ago when she was a clinical supervisor on 5Central. My current working relationship with Krystia now is from my role as TAVR coordinator to her role as palliative care nurse.
Palliative care takes a special kind of person. Patients and families experiencing palliative care services are at some of the hardest times of their lives. Patients and families need someone who is patient, compassionate, emotional yet strong, an advocate yet a realist. Krystia embodies all of these qualities and more. She is the most soft-spoken and gentle nurse I know, yet she will fight for the patient's voice and rights when they can't. She is so compassionate in dealing with families and explaining end of life care.
I know one patient, in particular, she was at the end of life and family was choosing to transition to hospice/comfort measures. The family was crying and tearful while Krystia gave support, compassion, a gentle touch, a listening ear, and tissues while supporting the family and listening to them share stories. She never once looked at her phone or the clock or considered other things she could be doing. She was present and in the moment and just sat there while she supported a family she had formed a bond to.
Krystia has become the go-to palliative care nurse for the cardiac patients and specifically the TAVR patients. Having a heart procedure, even a minimally invasive one, can be scary. Krystia has been an active and engaged participant in this heart team. She has advanced cardiac knowledge and continuous education mentality to stay up to date on new procedures. She sees a majority of the patients at their pre-op appointment and participates in education surrounding the role of anticipating patients' needs. If patients weren't already nervous enough, Krystia starts discussing with them code status and things like health care reps, power of attorneys, and risks of ventilators, feeding tubes, and trachs. She is able to communicate these scary risks in an honest, realistic, and professional manner that puts the patients and families at ease rather than stress them out more. When I have a patient who is nervous or scared, the first thing I do is tell them I know someone who can come talk with them, and that is Krystia.
Not only does Krystia provide the most focused patient-centered care and clinical expertise, but she is also someone you never tire of being around and always puts you in a better mood. I've never heard her complain, never seen her angry or mad, always has a positive outlook, and is always a team player for the greater good of the organization. She always looks out for the patients first. I'm sure Krystia leaves work feeling broken down, sad, and angry. When a patient she has seen on multiple admissions dies, or a family cries in a consultation room, or she has to fight for a patient's wishes when they can't voice it themselves and families are going against what the patient would want—these are all things that would leave one feeling frustrated, hopeless, sad, or mad, yet Krystia never shows it. She is making a difference in the patients' and families' lives on a daily basis whether she knows it or not, whether they say thank you or not, and whether they live or die, get better or get sick. Through it all, Krystia is there. She is a true DAISY Nurse.