March 2022
Nnamdi
Ike
,
RN
H-Green Med Surg./Orthopedics
University Hospital
Newark
,
NJ
United States
However, Nnamdi refused to give up and sat down on a chair at the bedside and spoke to the patient in a gentle tone.
When working on the unit, Nnamdi consistently goes above and beyond to ensure the safety and happiness of his patients. I can think of multiple occasions that Nnamdi exhibited caring and compassion far beyond the ordinary. However, one incident really stands out in my mind. There was a 19-year-old patient with a sudden traumatic injury to the eye. He was depressed, refusing care, and would not engage with the staff or physicians. After two days on the unit, Nnamdi was assigned to care for this patient. He initially ignored Nnamdi and would not make eye contact or engage him in conversation. However, Nnamdi refused to give up and sat down on a chair at the bedside and spoke to the patient in a gentle tone explaining to him that he has two sons and that if anything ever happened to them, he would be crushed. He went on to acknowledge the patient’s mother at the bedside and how supportive she has been to him staying in the hospital day and night because he is truly loved and that he still has a bright future ahead. The patient turned to Nnamdi and started to cry, and Nnamdi gently took his hand and held it. After the patient stopped crying, still holding his hands, Nnamdi gently comforted him, saying that it was going to be okay and to trust the doctors, as they had his best interest at heart. According to the patient’s mom, it was as if it was Christmas or his birthday, as her son’s mood changed drastically. He went from doom and gloom to hopefulness. It was as if a light bulb suddenly went off as he sat up in bed. He was now making eye contact with Nnamdi ,thanked him, agreed to take all his medications, and take part in the medical plan that was designed for him. This is just an example of one of the selfless acts of kindness that Nnamdi has demonstrated.