On Friday afternoon, a fellow CCRP nurse to Noel went from being a friend and colleague to a patient in our Emanuel ED and Later in the Salmon Creek ED. Noel and this other nurse were both taking a Hyperbaric class that included being required to spend time in the Hyperbaric chamber. This other nurse developed chest pressure and shortness of breath during the Hyperbaric session that did not resolve after the treatment or being evaluated by the Hyperbaric physician. Because Noel knew this RN as well as being one of Legacy's most talented CC nurses, she quickly picked up on the fact that her friend was not getting better and helped transport her to the ED. In the ED Noel never left her friend now patient's side and helped communicate with the nurse's husband so that he knew what was going on. The nurse's husband was recovering from recent surgery and was unable to come to the ED, so knowing that his wife was not alone and in the company of the friend was very important. This all continued to transpire on a Friday. Noel abandoned her previous plans and waited with the nurse until she had been cleared medically. However, her symptoms had not gone away so Noel insisted on driving her home. During their drive home, the nurse's symptoms got worse and they went to Salmon Creek where the nurse was admitted overnight for further testing and observation. Noel stayed at Salmon Creek until the nurse's husband was able to get there and then continued to stay in touch with the nurse and make sure she was okay and that she was getting the testing done necessary to truly rule out more significant concerns.
This story demonstrates a few important things, first ofall, who cares for nurses or other caregivers when they go from being a caregiverto one in need of care. As nurses, we are often quick to minimize our needs. Noel used expert CC knowledge to continue to watch vigilantly over her friend and ensure that all of the necessarytests were done to truly rule out some rare but significant side effects ofHyperbaricmedicine. Second, the compassion, dedication, advocate, team player, role model, kind and selfless nurse that I have directly observed in Noel over the years was greatly demonstrated by her quick willingness to stand by her friend and now patient in need and ensure that she had all the necessary testing done and her symptoms were not minimized. Noel is one of the best, most highly skilled and knowledgeable CC nurses I have had the honor to meet in my 20 years of nursing service. This story demonstrates all of that plus her dedication and compassion to those whom she serves, including members of her own team.