When I first started working in the PICU many years ago, Lindsay was the nurse who "knew it all" in my book. Every new nurse looked up to her and how she was able to handle any critical situation. She is the nurse you always want in your room when your patient is decompensating. Her calm demeanor is reassuring, and her intelligence is amazing. She is the nurse that has the answer to 99.9% of the questions you ask her regarding your patient. She is a great resource, team player, and leader in stressful situations. Her confidence is empowering, and she is able to easily take charge of difficult situations.
A few weeks ago, our team admitted a young girl in cardiac arrest. When the family arrived at the bedside, they were overwhelmed, distraught, and extremely emotional. The patient's father could not even stand on his own two feet, let alone stop bawling to take a deep breath. There were plenty of care providers tending to the patient so Lindsay recognized the dad's needs and immediately stepped out to help him. Throughout the situation, Lindsay stayed with the family members and calmed them down through one of the most horrific experiences of their life. Within a few minutes, it was obvious Lindsay had formed a connection with the patient's father. You could tell how much he leaned on her for support and direction. Lindsay was able to honestly explain every point of care and help the father through the traumatizing event. If it were not for Lindsay removing herself from the bedside and tending to the family's needs, their experience would have been even more traumatizing. She made a horrible situation a little more bearable.
I had mentioned that Lindsay is always the one you want in the room during these situations, but that night, in particular, I recognized how crucial it was to have Lindsay outside of the room, helping this child's family. Unfortunately, the patient passed away shortly after. While the PICU team continued to work tirelessly to make sure we did everything we could, it was Lindsay who recognized the father was struggling even more than before and made it a point to comfort him. Words really cannot describe what Lindsay did for that father that night. I do know it was impactful enough that amidst a cardiac arrest, I noticed how consoling she was with that dad. This experience was the epitome of patient and family-centered care. In those stressful situations, it is easy for us to focus all of our attention on the patient. Lindsay was wise enough to assess the situation and recognize the patient had enough ICU staff, and she could take her care to the man who needed her more than he realized. Lindsay went above and beyond to ensure the family's needs were met and made them as comfortable as possible.