Lynn is an extraordinary nurse who works hard every day she comes to work. She is kind, caring and empathetic. All the things you need to do the job we do. She is also smart and motivated. Yesterday on a busy day in the ED we got a patch that we were getting a stroke alert by ambulance. We assigned the patient to Lynn. The patient arrived and we were in there doing all the things we need to do quickly to hit the window and take the best care of this the patient. We get him to CAT scan and then back to the room. The patient was having a stroke and we were going to give TPA. It had been about 35 minutes from the time he arrived until we started to treat this gentleman. He had some weakness to his right side and was having a really hard time communicating to us. Lynn was in the room doing all she could to take care of him but she was also soothing this scared patient and keeping him calm. He was frustrated and wanted his family to know he was ok but he could not express that to them because he really could not speak. Lynn talked to his son and let him know his dad loves him and that we treated his stroke and he will be staying here in our ICU. Lynn spent a good part of her day at that patient's bedside. She sent him to CAT scan and MRI. She talked to him and educated him on what to expect. She lifted his spirits when he thought he wouldn't be able to function. She really kept this patient from falling apart.
Eventually, the patient was given a bed in ICU. He was getting ready to go upstairs and his son arrived. He saw his son and broke down sobbing. We could hear him in the ED. It was heartbreaking to hear him cry and not be able to communicate with his son. Lynn stayed at his bedside and explained to the son what was going on. She had the patient moved to the ICU and came back with tears coming down her face. You could see how much she had been affected by this man. The anguish he was suffering was showing on her face. The next day she came to work and on her break went to the ICU to visit this patient. He had recovered his speech and was very touched to have a visit from the nurse who was with him during a very scary event in his life.
This is the nurse I see every day when Lynn comes to work. This is what we expect from her as someone works hard and cares about every patient she touches. This is also the nurse I want others to see. She works hard when she is here. She cares and she cries with and for her patients. Lynn is a true DAISY nurse.