I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Nancy Clements for over thirteen years. In these 13 years she has been a Godsend to not just me and other staff members but to our patients and the community. Nancy is a caring and compassionate nurse and she always goes above and beyond for our patients and her unit. Unfortunately, I had to be on the receiving end of nursing recently. My husband was a patient in the SICU for over ten days. My husband was admitted for a series of strokes and the cause was unknown upon admission. Those ten days were some of the scariest days of my life.
Nancy cares for each and every patient as though they were her own family. My husband is far from comfortable in the healthcare setting and Nancy went above and beyond for him every day. She took him to shower (which never happens in an ICU), helped him do his physical therapy, met all of his nursing needs and most of all made him laugh. He loved having Nancy as his nurse and she really helped to motivate him to get better and recover faster. She took time to play card games and sit and talk with him. She motivated him and kept pushing him to do more.
As a nurse, I had many concerns; sometimes you can know too much! Nancy took the time to keep me well informed and on top of all procedures. During this time, I was sometimes too exhausted to advocate for him. It was during these moments that Nancy took the responsibility away from me and did what needed to be done. She was not only his voice but mine as well. She made sure that my husband was receiving the best care possible from every department and every healthcare provider. She was my voice when I was too tired to speak. I know that this care was not just provided because she knew my husband and me, but because she always advocates for her patients and provides the best care for them every day.
Nancy allowed me to be a nurse, be a wife and sometimes be a mess during this awful time. She helped to heal not only my husband but me as well. As an experienced ICU nurse, I can say that we have to care for the family as well as the patient. There are no words to say thank you to the nurses and doctors who took care of my husband and me. They were all wonderful and we felt the Care Difference every day. Nancy Clements is the best!