I have worked for over a decade with Lori on the Family Care Unit of St. Vincent and she is one of the most caring nurses I have ever known. One particular shift with Lori will never leave my memory. Lori asked me if I would cover a couple of hours at the end of her shift because she had a 5:00 meeting she needed to attend. I called her early in the afternoon and asked if she wanted me in by 3 PM but she declined as she had a mother she dearly loved caring for, even though she was a heavy assignment. She said this patient had a neurological condition that progressed in this pregnancy and in the pregnancy prior to this (which had ended in a miscarriage). She told me the patient's mother would be there and she had been diagnosed with MS, But MS was ruled out with her patient. Lori told me the patient needed lots of assistance with everything and that the charge nurse that shift had helped her with moving her patient.
During rounding report with the patient and her parents in the room, Lori gave a very detailed handoff report on how she was able to use the people mover to get the patient to the bathroom. Lori was so creative in thinking through how to safely maneuver the patient out of bed to the bathroom and back. She took the time to tell me what fingers were weak and how to adjust for this. Lori instructed me how she exactly worked with this young mom to stand up in the people mover. I could see the peacefulness on the mother's face when Lori described how to move her safely. Lori explained that the patient had a difficult time talking and her words slurred somewhat as the day wore on as she grew more tired. Lori was dedicated to assuring that great supportive nursing care she had given would continue after she left. She made sure I knew how to place the 5 pillows around her in a distinct way; which drinking cup worked the best for her weak swallow; how to place her baby to nurse; and how her weak hands could be manipulated to hold the bars on the people mover. Lori enlisted the help of the patient's parents in report so that I knew every nuance of what tests she had, how things were seemingly worse with both pregnancies, and how a fall made her nervous system changes worsen. She asked the patient to add to her report and she was so patient in trying to understand her words. Lori informed me that the patient had an MRI that morning. Lori was with her the whole time and said she knew the patient had neck discomfort afterward. Lori reviewed her patient's medications and how to give them with me. I could see the face of Christ in Lori in her excellent care and dedication to this new mom. She met me at the desk to go over the testing and to remind me to call the patient's surgeon with the MRI results. I had to convince her to leave before she missed her meeting. Lori said she was so disappointed she was off the next day because she wanted to care for this special patient, but she said she would ask for her again when she came back in 2 days. She wanted to be sure this mom had all the resources to go home and care for herself and her baby with the support of her husband and family. Lori shared with me she had a person near and dear to her with similar neurological handicaps and she loved helping her. With Lori's detailed report of the patient's symptoms, history, and deficits, ALS came to mind. The testing bore this possibility out and I called the patient's surgeon with the test results. Lori called me on her way home to say she forgot to get a heat pack for her patient's neck pain and to be sure she got it. Lori wanted to be sure she did not leave anything out. She did get this patient back 2 days later.
Lori Burke exemplified many of our core values - her creativity in finding ways to ambulate and ease the pain pf her patient; her dedication to the patient by requesting she be her continued caregiver; her integrity in dealing with the patient's family as they worked through this hardship; and her wisdom in using her past experiences to help her patient adapt to the new set of experiences.