Rachel Bjornson
December 2021
Rachel
Bjornson
,
RN
Telemetry
Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento
Sacramento
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

Rachel was authentically present for the patient, engaging with him and providing him with the sense of belonging that is so essential to his healing process.
Understanding the needs of a patient can be very challenging, especially when the expression of those needs is hindered by physical incapacities outside of the control of the individual. It takes a special kind of patience from a nurse to tend to those needs and Rachel Bjornson embodies exactly that. While caring for a patient diagnosed with ALS, limited by his communication to an iPod Touch app, Rachel always spent the necessary time to allow the patient to express his needs. Even after providing essential care to the patient, she took additional time to get to know him on a personal level. Knowing his personal connections outside of the hospital were limited because of the pandemic; Rachel was authentically present for the patient, engaging with him and providing him with the sense of belonging that is so essential to his healing process. The patient appreciated this so much that after every interaction, the patient would offer her a handshake as a sign of gratitude. The patient recognized that Rachel was always present - physically, mentally, and emotionally. During times such as this pandemic, where nurses are challenged in their time and capacity as a professional, Rachel has upheld her devotion to the profession and to her patients without any reservations.