April 2014
Lisa
Wolcyk
,
RN
med/surg
Aurora St.Luke's South Shore
Cudahy
,
WI
United States
My father was here for altered mental status. He was hitting staff at his nursing home and the ER staff here too. We were so scared- this is not our father! My sister and I were confused and embarrassed too.
Well, Lisa was his nurse and also was sitting with him; they said a 1 on 1 for his safety. Dad was in bed when she came in. She introduced herself and sat next to him on the bed. He just smiled at her! We told Lisa what happened and how our dad normally acts. She said "Oh the poor guy! I bet he has a UTI!" She checked his labs and he did. We had no idea- no one told us. Lisa explained to us how a UTI can affect the elderly and that this happens to many people! We were shocked. Then our dad began to get very aggressive. He was throwing everything he could get at and when he got out of bed he was unsteady. I thought he'd fall. Lisa put her arms around him and was singing softly in his ear. She calmly walked with him and said "I bet he just has to use the bathroom!" She sat in the bathroom with him for 20 minutes. He must have washed and rewashed his hands 5 times. She was so patient and smiling the whole time. I've never seen a nurse so calm around an agitated man before. She got him redressed and asked someone for ice cream to bring in. She then sat with him, helping him to eat it and said, 'So I bet this is pretty bizarre! What would you like to know about all this?" We asked about 200 questions!! We sat in the room from 7:15-11:05 pm with Lisa and Dad. Dad was happy and calmer. We told Lisa she's the 'Alzheimer whisperer'! She said, 'No, I just keep feeding him! The way to a man's heart is through his stomach!" She explained every one of his medications and even labeled the bottles and wrote notes about them, all 18 of them! The next 3 days she was dad's nurse but had more patients, but it didn't seem like it. She sits down when she talks to us. Her smile just warms your heart. She made us laugh until we cried every time! We want to take her home with us!
Dad was ready to go to a rehab place in 6 days. He was so much better and he knew Lisa by name and face. He was back to normal. He gave her such a big hug and kiss when he left- we all did. It was so sad to be leaving.
We have been to many hospitals over the years, including this one, and we never in our lives came across a nurse like Lisa. Her pure love for her job and patients and their families show with every encounter she has with everybody. The way she explains medical issues and medications- you would think she is a doctor! Such a smart and pretty girl.
We want to say thank you to Lisa for caring for our dad when he was at his worst. We truly believe if she wasn't there that night we all would have been in pretty rough shape. Thank you Lisa, for loving our dad like he was your own.
Well, Lisa was his nurse and also was sitting with him; they said a 1 on 1 for his safety. Dad was in bed when she came in. She introduced herself and sat next to him on the bed. He just smiled at her! We told Lisa what happened and how our dad normally acts. She said "Oh the poor guy! I bet he has a UTI!" She checked his labs and he did. We had no idea- no one told us. Lisa explained to us how a UTI can affect the elderly and that this happens to many people! We were shocked. Then our dad began to get very aggressive. He was throwing everything he could get at and when he got out of bed he was unsteady. I thought he'd fall. Lisa put her arms around him and was singing softly in his ear. She calmly walked with him and said "I bet he just has to use the bathroom!" She sat in the bathroom with him for 20 minutes. He must have washed and rewashed his hands 5 times. She was so patient and smiling the whole time. I've never seen a nurse so calm around an agitated man before. She got him redressed and asked someone for ice cream to bring in. She then sat with him, helping him to eat it and said, 'So I bet this is pretty bizarre! What would you like to know about all this?" We asked about 200 questions!! We sat in the room from 7:15-11:05 pm with Lisa and Dad. Dad was happy and calmer. We told Lisa she's the 'Alzheimer whisperer'! She said, 'No, I just keep feeding him! The way to a man's heart is through his stomach!" She explained every one of his medications and even labeled the bottles and wrote notes about them, all 18 of them! The next 3 days she was dad's nurse but had more patients, but it didn't seem like it. She sits down when she talks to us. Her smile just warms your heart. She made us laugh until we cried every time! We want to take her home with us!
Dad was ready to go to a rehab place in 6 days. He was so much better and he knew Lisa by name and face. He was back to normal. He gave her such a big hug and kiss when he left- we all did. It was so sad to be leaving.
We have been to many hospitals over the years, including this one, and we never in our lives came across a nurse like Lisa. Her pure love for her job and patients and their families show with every encounter she has with everybody. The way she explains medical issues and medications- you would think she is a doctor! Such a smart and pretty girl.
We want to say thank you to Lisa for caring for our dad when he was at his worst. We truly believe if she wasn't there that night we all would have been in pretty rough shape. Thank you Lisa, for loving our dad like he was your own.