Sheela Keepalakkattue
March 2022
Sheela
Keepalakkattue
,
RN
Respiratory Institute and Oncology
SCL Health Saint Joseph Hospital
Denver
,
CO
United States

 

 

 

She cares deeply about what works for her patients and their sleep.
I was diagnosed in my early 30s with CF and have had admissions to the hospital for 6+ years about every six months and Sheela K is one of the most caring nurses I have had. She is diligent, timely, kind, fun, thoughtful, and dedicated to being an amazing nurse. She makes sure patients are cared for regardless of whether or not they are her assigned patients which I know from experience. If my IV pump is finished running my antibiotics and my assigned nurse is unavailable she will come to disconnect me from the pump before I go to sleep. This is so helpful given my upper body disability which makes toting my pump around difficult. She cares deeply about what works for her patients and their sleep. I am a light sleeper and have suggestions on how to make my sleep better. She intently learns my routine respects my feedback and concerns and honors the rationale behind my requests. I feel completely at ease falling asleep in the hospital when Sheela is assigned as my nurse. Sheela is a complete nighttime ninja. You have no idea she has addressed your PICC line, drawn your labs, and managed IV medication during sleep. I feel Sheela is concerned with my complete welfare and the nursing relationship reflects our shared humanity. We have developed a rapport over my many weeks-long hospitalizations. In my current stay, Sheela cared for me when I had a loose stool in my bed. Thankfully the ease in our prior experiences with one another made me feel safe and secure despite my embarrassment and required exposure to get cleaned up. She kept the lights low to continue to cultivate an environment for sleep, gathered things to help me clean up, checked my bed for messes, and brought me lemon tea. She went above and beyond to create a caring environment despite what I was managing. She considered my need to get clean with my need to sleep seamlessly. She gently encouraged me to rest and that we would manage any further messes if they occurred. This was so helpful. In my years with CF and including a mess or two I have had before I have not felt this comfortable letting someone help me clean up or help guide me back to sleep. Please thank her sincerely for me. She is part of the culture I appreciate so much about Saint Joe's. This is the best hospital to be a patient at and nurses like Sheela are the reason why. Saint Joe's works to show care and concern for the whole person they are treating and this differentiates this hospital from other hospitals I have been an inpatient at in the Denver Metro Region. Sheela and others like her carry this culture forward despite all the changes we have seen in medicine. I am so grateful for people like her who make coming to the hospital a place where I know I can sleep and function well within. Sharing laughs and keeping me on schedule before I fall to sleep is a gift and Sheela always does this. My thanks to her!